GIGW-C2: What is Public Policy? §

Class: IS402 Created Time: September 29, 2021 2:15 PM Database: Class Notes Database Last Edited Time: March 21, 2022 10:21 AM Tags:#NEED-RESEARCH Type: Lecture

• Topic: How public policy is made in the United States?

  • explore public problems and find solutions in the form of public policies.

• Why state support tobacco industry but also discourage smoking at the same time.

• Tax Breaks for buying houses

• Different responsibilities of federal or state government

• Policy is governmental actions made in response to societal problems

  • Is a statement by the government on what it intends to do

Politics and the Policy Process §

Enlightenment: Term used to describe a philosophic movement of the early eighteenth century, in which numerous theorists and philosophers developed new political and social philosophies based on reason and on insights from the natural sciences. The Enlightenment developed the thinking that spurred the American and French Revolutions, among other changes.

Politics: the process by which society determines who gets what, when they get it, and how they get it.

What is Public Policy §

Definition: §

• “The term public policy always refers to the actions of government and the intentions that determine those actions.”
• “Public policy consists of political decisions for implementing programs to achieve societal goals.”
• “Stated most simply, public policy is the sum of government activities, whether acting directly or through agents, as it has an influence on the life of citizens.”

Attributes of public policy §

• Policy is made in response to some sort of problem that requires attention.
• Policy is made on the “public’s” behalf
• Policy is oriented toward a goal or desired state, such as the solution of problem.
• Policy is ultimately made by governments, even if the ideas come from outside government or through the interaction of government and nongovernmental actors.
• Policy is interpreted and implemented by public and private actors who have different interpretations of problems, solutions, and their own motivations.
• Policy is what the government chooses to do or not to do.

Policy making process should be jointed by non-governmental organization, non state actors, the mass and the expertise in suggesting and recommending policy to the government (cabinet/minister, put under discussion in the national assembly and send it to the senate)

Policy: A statement by government of what it intends to do such as a law, regulation, ruling, decision, order, or a combination of these. The lack of such statements may also be an implicit statement of policy.

Ideas and Problems in the Policy Process §

Problem: A usually undesirable situation that, according to people or interest groups, can be alleviated by government action. Compare with condition.

What makes Public Policy Public? §

Classical Liberalism: In political theory, the ideological system that emphasizes individual liberty and the ownership and acquisition of private property as a means to improve overall wealth and happiness and discourage social strife. Liberalism is the political ideology on which the American political system is based.

• Public policy is related to the public interest because it affects all of us in some way. Furthermore, the federal government plays an important role in every aspect of our lives, from the nutrition labeling on our breakfast cereal to the standards for fire-retardant kids’ clothing. And state and local governments tax us, can restrict how we use our land through land use planning and zoning, define what the schools can and cannot teach, and make rules about everything from the operation of the state fairgrounds to where and when we can own and carry firearms.
• Although, Government are responsible for these activities we do not abandon our interest in what the government does or how it does it (and sometimes the procedures the government uses are at least as important as the goals to be achieved), or our right to promote our own ideas of what constitutes the public interest when we are sufficiently motivated.
• Public Policy can be a tool to rally supporters, increase legitimacy and popularity. This can have setbacks where competition and quality will be decreased. For example, a company may promote their product with rewards to get more consumer but at the expense of the quality of that product. As people look at rewards as if they’re golds, the quality of the product wont be as important anymore. Eventually this can potentially affects the public health, especially when the mass consume products that uses chemicals such as food, skin care products, products that are put onto contact with physical skins or products that require digestion.

Public interest: The assumed broader desires and needs of the public, in whose name policy is made. The public interest is hard to define, but is something to which all policy advocates appeal.

Why Do We Study Public Policy? §

• Chances are very good that you will become interested in the policy process at some point in your life, and I venture to guess that you will become involved in some way.
• They argue that one studies public policy so that one can know more about the process, both in pursuit of knowledge for its own sake and to inform practitioners.
• Related to the practical reasons for studying policy are political reasons. People with political goals study public policy to learn how to promote their preferred policy options.

The Place of Policy Studies in the Social Sciences §

Social science: The branch of the sciences that studies the actions and behavior of people, groups, and institutions. Political science, sociology, anthropology, and economics are social sciences. History is sometimes considered a social science.

Discipline: A field of academic research or study. Sociology, political science, and economics are social science disciplines; electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering are engineering disciplines. Disciplines approach similar problems in different ways.

• Some public policy only benefits the interest groups (business people…etc) and not the mass.

Questions §

1. How is public policy grounded in the study of politics? What do you think the term “politics” means in this context? Do you think it would be possible to make public policy without politics?
   • Public policy is part of politics but it can also be made out of the political context. In a society where the political field is heavily influenced by political leaders, they are therefore also have the responsible for policy making to govern that society for the interest of the public. On the other hand.
2. Is there a real difference between playing politics and just the general political process of argument, negotiation, and compromise? Why do people think so negatively of politics given that this is the process by which we address public problems?
   • Politics is a zero-sum game
   • The negative perspective on Politic is that it can be dangerous. Those who are involve in politic should be those in the government sector. (e.g. Cambodian perspective). Another evidence is in the survey where people are asked whether if they should involve in politics or not/ dangerous or not, where most of them feel like they should let their representatives/political leaders to make the choice and address the issues.
3. Are there other disciplines that aren’t mentioned here that contribute to the study of public policy? In what way might those disciplines contribute to policy making?
   • History (discipline) → educational policy.
   • History → reflects for a better future policy/avoiding repeating the tragic past.
   • Scientist and engineers → new significant innovations/findings → improvements → serve for the welfare of the public.
   • Doctors/health experts → critical health information → public health policy (e.g WHO).
4. Compare policy analysis to the study of the policy process. How are they similar, and how are they different?
   • Answer on Page 14
5. Ask your friends, neighbors, or parents what comes to mind when they hear the word “politics.” Then, ask what they think when they hear the term “public policy.” How are their responses similar to and different from the ideas discussed in this chapter?
   • Developed country tend to have more political participation among the mass especially for policy making, voting.
   • While in developing country have less participations and tend to leave the policy making process to their representative to decide their destiny.

References §

1. GIGW-C2: What is Public Policy? of GIGW Governance Issues in Globalized World by RUPP