Administrative detailsAdministrative details

Syllabus: Syllabus: http://www.uvm.edu/~jfarley/pa306/pa306http://www.uvm.edu/~jfarley/pa306/pa306syllabus.docsyllabus.doc

Please hand in all assignments Please hand in all assignments electronically as e-mail attachments, RTF electronically as e-mail attachments, RTF or MSWord documentsor MSWord documents

““What is Public What is Public Policy?”Policy?”

Introduction to PA 306Introduction to PA 306

Josh Farley (with thanks to Chris Koliba)Josh Farley (with thanks to Chris Koliba)

August 29, 2005August 29, 2005

What is policy?What is policy?

Today’s Today’s newspaper…newspaper…

Grad student parking Grad student parking memomemo

Universal health care Universal health care in Vermont (and in Vermont (and elsewhere)elsewhere)

Policy as a noun…Policy as a noun…

1.1. a definite course of action adopted for the sake of a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc. expediency, facility, etc.

2.2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a a course of action adopted and pursued by a government ruler, political party, etc. government ruler, political party, etc.

3.3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency. reference to prudence or expediency.

(Webster’s (Webster’s unabridged)unabridged)

A solution to a problem…A solution to a problem…

Policy is a rational attempt to attain objectives.Policy is a rational attempt to attain objectives.

Policy as a verb…Policy as a verb…The Policy Cycle/ProcessThe Policy Cycle/Process

Identify objectivesIdentify objectives Identify alternative courses of action for Identify alternative courses of action for

achieving objectivesachieving objectives Predict the possible consequences of each Predict the possible consequences of each

alternativealternative Evaluate the possible consequences of each Evaluate the possible consequences of each

alternativealternative Select the alternative that maximizes the Select the alternative that maximizes the

attainment of objectives.attainment of objectives.

What about What about PUBLICPUBLIC policy?policy?

Is the graduate parking memo a matter of Is the graduate parking memo a matter of public policy?public policy?

Why/why not?Why/why not? Is health care in Vermont a matter of Is health care in Vermont a matter of

public policy?public policy?Why/why not?Why/why not?

So what makes a policy So what makes a policy “public?”“public?”

What is public?What is public? Does public policy always imply a role for Does public policy always imply a role for

government?government?

Public -- PrivatePublic -- Private

Synonyms?Synonyms?

What distinguishes:What distinguishes: Public from private interests? Public from private interests?

How does public policy How does public policy relate to other disciplines?relate to other disciplines?

EconomicsEconomics The allocation of scarce resources among The allocation of scarce resources among

alternative desirable endsalternative desirable ends

Political sciencePolitical science SociologySociology Hard sciencesHard sciences EthicsEthics

Legacy of the Legacy of the Enlightenment Enlightenment

PhilosophyPhilosophy The “self” comes of age…The “self” comes of age… Rational, self interested actorsRational, self interested actors Dangers of factionalism… Federalist Dangers of factionalism… Federalist

PapersPapers Acceptance of special interestsAcceptance of special interests Use of checks and balances to keep Use of checks and balances to keep

interests in check.interests in check.

What does it mean to What does it mean to be/act rational?be/act rational?

Scientific:Scientific: Application of scientific methods to Application of scientific methods to

determine problems and derive solutions to determine problems and derive solutions to those problems.those problems.

Science, derived from the Latin word Science, derived from the Latin word scientiascientia, meaning “having knowledge.” , meaning “having knowledge.” Birkland (p.7)Birkland (p.7)

Rational policy cycleRational policy cycle

Identify objectivesIdentify objectives Identify alternative courses of action for Identify alternative courses of action for

achieving objectivesachieving objectives Predict the possible consequences of each Predict the possible consequences of each

alternativealternative Evaluate the possible consequences of each Evaluate the possible consequences of each

alternativealternative Select the alternative that maximizes the Select the alternative that maximizes the

attainment of objectives.attainment of objectives.

Science as a social Science as a social construct….construct….

Scientific paradigmsScientific paradigms PositivistPositivist InterpretivistInterpretivist Post normalPost normal

Empirical vs. Normative PerspectivesEmpirical vs. Normative Perspectives

Scientific Method vs. Scientific Method vs. IdeologyIdeology

Scientific MethodScientific Method ObserveObserve Form hypothesesForm hypotheses Test hypothesesTest hypotheses discard if falsified discard if falsified Form theoryForm theory Test theoryTest theory discard if falsified discard if falsified

IdeologyIdeology Refuse to test theories, or refuse to abandon them Refuse to test theories, or refuse to abandon them

when experiments/new observations prove them when experiments/new observations prove them wrongwrong

How ARE public decisions How ARE public decisions made?made?

Lindblom’s IncrementalismLindblom’s Incrementalism““An attempt to implement one policy almost always An attempt to implement one policy almost always

brings new problems onto the agenda, meaning brings new problems onto the agenda, meaning that the step called implementation and the step that the step called implementation and the step called agenda building collapse into each other… called agenda building collapse into each other… One group’s solution often is another group’s One group’s solution often is another group’s problem… From the seedbed of implementation, problem… From the seedbed of implementation, then, new policy problems grow and are plucked then, new policy problems grow and are plucked for the agenda in never-ending succession.”for the agenda in never-ending succession.” Lindblom Lindblom & WoodhouseP.11& WoodhouseP.11

Stone’s policy paradoxStone’s policy paradox

Limits of rationality…Limits of rationality…

““The The capacitycapacity of the human mind for of the human mind for formulating and solving complex formulating and solving complex problems is problems is very small comparedvery small compared with with the size of the problem whose solutions the size of the problem whose solutions is required for objectively rational is required for objectively rational behavior in the real world—or even for a behavior in the real world—or even for a reasonable approximation to such reasonable approximation to such objective rationality.”objective rationality.” Simon, Models of Man (1957, Simon, Models of Man (1957, p.198)p.198)

How ARE private How ARE private decisions made?decisions made?

Rational actorRational actor What is rational?What is rational? Are people purely Are people purely

rational, or also rational, or also emotional and spiritual?emotional and spiritual?

Self interestSelf interest Always wants moreAlways wants more Purely competitivePurely competitive ““homogenous globules of desire homogenous globules of desire

Or are we cooperative, social animals, Or are we cooperative, social animals, concerned about the future that differ concerned about the future that differ across cultures?across cultures? e.g. e.g. H. comunicus, H. comunicus, concern for fairness and concern for fairness and

community preferencescommunity preferences H. naturalis, H. naturalis, concern for sustainability and concern for sustainability and

whole system preferenceswhole system preferences Count off by 2s. All 2s leave roomCount off by 2s. All 2s leave room

Group 1Group 1

Serious flu will kill 600 peopleSerious flu will kill 600 people Choice A: Conventional vaccine will save Choice A: Conventional vaccine will save

200 people200 people Choice B: Experimental vaccine has 1/3 Choice B: Experimental vaccine has 1/3

chance of saving everyone, 2/3 chance of chance of saving everyone, 2/3 chance of saving no onesaving no one

Mark your choice and leave roomMark your choice and leave room

Group 2Group 2

Serious flu will kill 600 peopleSerious flu will kill 600 people Choice A: Conventional vaccine will result in Choice A: Conventional vaccine will result in

death of 400 peopledeath of 400 people Choice B: Experimental vaccine has 1/3 Choice B: Experimental vaccine has 1/3

chance of saving everyone, 2/3 chance of chance of saving everyone, 2/3 chance of saving no onesaving no one

Mark your choiceMark your choice

Checks & Balances: Checks & Balances: Clearly defined roles?Clearly defined roles?

Legislative branch: creates policyLegislative branch: creates policy Executive branch: implements Executive branch: implements

policypolicy Judicial branch: determines if Judicial branch: determines if

policy is legalpolicy is legal

““Politics-Administration Politics-Administration Dichotomy”Dichotomy”

Wilson, GoodnowWilson, Goodnow Appleby, WaldoAppleby, Waldo Scientific efficiencies vs. democratic Scientific efficiencies vs. democratic

effectivenesseffectiveness

Politics: A Necessary Politics: A Necessary Evil?Evil?

Politic: Politic: 1.sagacious; prudent. 1.sagacious; prudent. 2. Shrewd; artful. 2. Shrewd; artful. 3. expedient; judicious.3. expedient; judicious.

(Webster’s unabridged dictionary)(Webster’s unabridged dictionary)

Derived from Greek: Derived from Greek: politikospolitikos civic, equiv. to civic, equiv. to polit(es)polit(es) citizen. citizen.

Politics: noun.Politics: noun.

1. the science or art of political government. 1. the science or art of political government. 2. the practice or profession of conducting 2. the practice or profession of conducting

political affairs. political affairs. 3. political affairs. 3. political affairs. 4. political methods or maneuvers. 4. political methods or maneuvers. 5. political principles or opinions. 5. political principles or opinions. 6. use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any 6. use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any

position pf power or control, as in business, position pf power or control, as in business, university, etc. university, etc. (Webster’s Unabridged Dic.)(Webster’s Unabridged Dic.)

What does it mean to be “political?” What does it mean to be “political?” Does the adage that “everything is Does the adage that “everything is

political” hold up?political” hold up? Where might politics have come into Where might politics have come into

play:play: For the parking policy?For the parking policy? For health care policy?For health care policy?

The policy paradoxThe policy paradox

Account for the possibilities of changing one’s Account for the possibilities of changing one’s objectives;objectives;

Of pursuing contradictory objectives Of pursuing contradictory objectives simultaneously;simultaneously;

Of winning by appearing to lose and turning Of winning by appearing to lose and turning lose into an appearance of victory;lose into an appearance of victory;

Of attaining objectives by portraying oneself as Of attaining objectives by portraying oneself as having attained them. having attained them.

Stone P.9Stone P.9

Actors matter…Actors matter…

Who were the “actors” in Who were the “actors” in The parking policyThe parking policyHealth care policyHealth care policy

Essentially, public policy is about Essentially, public policy is about decision-makingdecision-making and the process and the process through which these decisions get made through which these decisions get made and evaluated. and evaluated.

Politics makes the distinctions between Politics makes the distinctions between actors blurry.actors blurry.

Some Policy Actors…Some Policy Actors…

LegislaturesLegislatures Interest groups/ Interest groups/

Non-profit Non-profit organizationsorganizations

CourtsCourts ConsultantsConsultants ElitesElites BureaucraciesBureaucracies

Policy NetworksPolicy Networks Think tanksThink tanks BureaucraciesBureaucracies Public Public

administratorsadministrators CitizensCitizens BusinessBusiness MediaMedia

““How people define their preferences How people define their preferences depends to a large extent on depends to a large extent on how how choices are presentedchoices are presented to them and by to them and by whom.”whom.” Stone P.10Stone P.10

““Politics involves seeking allies and Politics involves seeking allies and organizing cooperation in order to organizing cooperation in order to competecompete with opponents.” with opponents.” Stone P.24Stone P.24

““The study of politics is the The study of politics is the attempt to explain the attempt to explain the various ways in which various ways in which power power is exercised in the is exercised in the everyday worldeveryday world and how and how that power is used to allocate that power is used to allocate resources and benefits to resources and benefits to some people and groups, some people and groups, and costs and burdens to and costs and burdens to other people and groups.”other people and groups.”

Birkland p. 5Birkland p. 5

““Shared meaningsShared meanings motivate people to action motivate people to action and meld individual striving into collective and meld individual striving into collective action. Ideas are at the center of all political action. Ideas are at the center of all political conflict. Policy making, in turn, is a constant conflict. Policy making, in turn, is a constant struggle over the criteria for struggle over the criteria for classificationclassification, the , the boundaries of categoriesboundaries of categories, and the , and the definition definition of idealsof ideals that guide the way people behave.” that guide the way people behave.”

Stone P.11Stone P.11

A Democratic Imperative?A Democratic Imperative?

What role should ordinary citizens play within What role should ordinary citizens play within public policy development and implementation?public policy development and implementation?

Weak versus strong democracyWeak versus strong democracy

Can we have too much of a good thing?Can we have too much of a good thing? ““To enhance the role of reason and analysis in policy To enhance the role of reason and analysis in policy

making, must a society surrender some aspects of making, must a society surrender some aspects of democracy? Can a society enjoy both more reasoned democracy? Can a society enjoy both more reasoned and more democratic policy making?” and more democratic policy making?” Lindblom and Lindblom and Woodhouse p.7Woodhouse p.7

How do we talk about How do we talk about politics? …politics? …

What are the views of those who you What are the views of those who you speak with about politics?speak with about politics?A. Mostly those you agree withA. Mostly those you agree withB. Mostly those you disagree withB. Mostly those you disagree withC. A balance of both agree and disagree C. A balance of both agree and disagree

withwithD. You don’t talk to people about politicsD. You don’t talk to people about politics

With whom do you speak about politics With whom do you speak about politics with? (check all that apply)with? (check all that apply)A. Family– which onesA. Family– which ones

B. Friends– which onesB. Friends– which ones

C. Professional/work colleaguesC. Professional/work colleagues

D. Strangers and acquaintancesD. Strangers and acquaintances

E. Fellow students and facultyE. Fellow students and faculty

What can we do to ensure that we are What can we do to ensure that we are able to talk about our political views and able to talk about our political views and perspectives in this classroom?perspectives in this classroom?