Chapter 12

Public Policy and Government Performance 

 

Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices 2eComparative Politics: Structures and Choices 2e

By Lowell BarringtonBy Lowell Barrington

Learning Objectives Explain the differences between domestic, foreign,

and intermestic policy. Discuss the differences among first, second, and

third order policy changes, and explain why third order changes are relatively rare.

Explain how socioeconomic structures, political structures, and leadership can affect policy outcomes, and discuss the extent to which policy is made through a process of rational decision making.

Discuss major policy debates and key factors affecting policy outcomes in the Topic in Country cases.

Public Policy

Comparative Public Policy Seeks to understand the causal factors

influence policy outcomes Also looks at policy outcomes to evaluate their

effectiveness

Public Administration The inner workings of government institutions

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/11/19/246049281/technology-outpacing-policymakers-needs-of-nsa

Public Policy

Foreign, Domestic, and Intermestic Policy Domestic policy: The set of government

approaches designed to improve economic, social, and political conditions within a country

Foreign policy: The set of government approaches related to international relations, national security, and defense

Intermestic Policy: Shares traits of both domestic and foreign policy

Public Policy

Major Types of Domestic and Intermestic Policy Economic Policies

Fiscal policy Monetary policy Development policy Trade policy

Regulatory Policy http://www.sba.gov/content/automotive

Public Policy

Major Types of Domestic and Intermestic Policy Social Welfare Policies

Old age and retirement policy Health care policy Unemployment policy Redistributive policies

Education Policy

Public Policy

Major Types of Domestic and Intermestic Policy Identity-Related Policies

Citizenship policy Immigration policy Integration policies

Public Policy

Degrees of Policy Transformation First order policy change

Policy details change Goals and instruments stay the same

Second order policy change Policy instruments change Goals stay the same

Third order policy change Goals change A major policy reform (e.g., welfare reform in U.S.)

Understanding Policy Outcomes Internal Structural Factors

Economic Structural Factors Level of economic development, class structure,

degree of economic globalization, and type of economic system

Political culture and ideology Identity structure Political structure

Understanding Policy Outcomes External Structural Factors

Demonstration effects, imposition through conquest, and conditionality

Internal Choice Factors: Leadership and Rational Policymaking Leadership The rationality of the decision-making process

External Choice Factors

Topic in Countries

The United Kingdom Mixed economy with a strong welfare state; Mixed economy with a strong welfare state;

MPs of both parties support NHS, but have MPs of both parties support NHS, but have different views on implementationdifferent views on implementation

Implementation of evidence-based Implementation of evidence-based policymaking (EBP); low levels of public policymaking (EBP); low levels of public confidence in governmentconfidence in government

Topic in Countries

Germany Social Market Economy (SME) offers broad Social Market Economy (SME) offers broad

protection based on conservative values; protection based on conservative values; welfare state unsustainable in current formwelfare state unsustainable in current form

Policies that discourage job growth have led to Policies that discourage job growth have led to high unemployment; welfare state system high unemployment; welfare state system experiencing shortfall experiencing shortfall

Topic in Countries

India Major policy debates include water access; Major policy debates include water access;

proper role of proper role of HindutuvaHindutuva (Hindu Nationalism); (Hindu Nationalism); response to terroristsresponse to terrorists

Disruption and coalition governments make Disruption and coalition governments make policymaking difficult, exacerbated by the policymaking difficult, exacerbated by the scale of problems such as identity and water scale of problems such as identity and water issuesissues

Topic in Countries

Mexico Policy debates center on fiscal, monetary & Policy debates center on fiscal, monetary &

trade policy; Nattrade policy; Nat’’l health insurance program l health insurance program launched in 2004launched in 2004

GovGov’’t has struggled to implement effective t has struggled to implement effective policies to reduce crime and corruptionpolicies to reduce crime and corruption

Topic in Countries

Brazil Economic development is top policy concern; Economic development is top policy concern;

balance of equality vs. growthbalance of equality vs. growth Government widely seen as inefficient and Government widely seen as inefficient and

corrupt; corrupt; President Rousseff struggling with the challenge of addressing inequality without alienating internal and external economic elites

Topic in Countries

Nigeria Tackling corruption remains largest policy Tackling corruption remains largest policy

issue; proper use of oil wealth; identity issue; proper use of oil wealth; identity divisionsdivisions

Oil wealth has not led to improvements in Oil wealth has not led to improvements in health care or education; external actors can health care or education; external actors can impact the effort to reduce corruptionimpact the effort to reduce corruption

Topic in Countries

Russia Major policy debates include moving from Major policy debates include moving from

oligarchic capitalism to state capitalism and oligarchic capitalism to state capitalism and how to address identity issues (Chechnya)how to address identity issues (Chechnya)

Yeltsin introduced elements of capitalism into Yeltsin introduced elements of capitalism into the economy; Putin took office amid feelings the economy; Putin took office amid feelings that the government was corrupt and that the government was corrupt and incompetentincompetent

Topic in Countries

China Continued dramatic shift away from socialist Continued dramatic shift away from socialist

economy; greater policy autonomy for regional economy; greater policy autonomy for regional governmentsgovernments

Government highlights achievements and Government highlights achievements and downplays negative news; has displayed downplays negative news; has displayed surprising openness at times on issues such surprising openness at times on issues such as efficiency and SARSas efficiency and SARS

Topic in Countries

Iran Achieving both greater equality and economic Achieving both greater equality and economic

growth; tightening government regulations in growth; tightening government regulations in areas such as gender relationsareas such as gender relations

Oil profits in the hands of the Oil profits in the hands of the bonyads, not shared with the general population

Government promised to increase social Government promised to increase social welfare spending after the Green Revolutionwelfare spending after the Green Revolution

Think and Discuss

When examining the major policy issues and the factors that influence them in the nine TIC cases, what themes emerge across these otherwise very different countries?