Public Policy Models

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MODELS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS
Uses of Models. The models we shall use in studying policy are conceptual models.
Simplify and clarify our thinking about politics and public policy
Identify important aspects of policy problems
Suggest explanations for public policy and predict its consequences
Selected Policy Models.
INSTITUTIONALISM: POLICY AS INSTITUTIONAL OUTPUT
Government institutions have long been a central focus of political science. Public policy
is authoritatively determined, implemented, and enforced by these institutions. The
relationship between public policy and government institutions is very close. Strictly
speaking, a policy does not become a public policy until it is adopted, implemented, and
enforced by some government institution. Government institutions give public policy
three distinctive characteristics.
• First, government lends legitimacy to policies. Government policies are generally

regarded as legal obligations that command the loyalty of citizens.
• Second, government policies involve universality. Only government policies

extend to all people in a society; the policies of other groups or organizations
reach only a part of the society.
• Finally, government monopolizes coercion in society, only government can

legitimately imprison violators of its policies.
The impact of institutional arrangements on public policy is an empirical question that

deserves investigation. Federalism recognizes that both the national government and the
state governments derive independent legal authority from their own citizens.
PROCESS: POLICY AS POLITICAL ACTIVITY
Today political processes and behaviors are a central focus of political science. Political
scientists with an interest in policy have grouped various activities according to their
relationship with public policy. The result is a Policy process, which outlines
• Problem Identification: The identification of policy problems through demands

for government action.
• Policy Formulation: The development of policy proposals by interest groups,
White House staff, congressional committees, and think tanks.
• Policy Legitimation: The selection and endorsement of policies through political
actions by Congress, the president, and the courts.
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• Policy Implementation: The implementation of policies through organized

bureaucracies, public expenditures, and the activities of executive agencies.
• Policy Evaluation: The evaluation of policies by government agencies them
selves, outside consultants, the press, and the public.
It has been argued that political scientists should limit their studies of public policy to
these processes and avoid analyses of the substance of policies. It is not the content of
public policy that is to be studied but rather the processes by which ·public policy is
developed, implemented, and changed.
RATIONALISM: POLICY AS MAXIMUM SOCIAL GAIN
A rational policy is one that achieves "maximum social gain"; that is, governments should
choose policies resulting in gains to society that exceed costs by the greatest amount, and
governments should refrain from policies if costs are not exceeded by gains. First, no
policy should be adopted if its costs exceed its benefits. Second, among policy
alternatives, decision makers should choose the policy that produces the greatest benefit
over cost. To select a rational policy, policymakers must
(1) Know all the preferences and their relative weights,

(2) know all the policy alternatives available,
(3) Know all the consequences of each policy alternative,
(4) Calculate the ratio of benefits to costs for each policy alternative, and
(5) Select the most efficient policy alternative.
Rational policymaking also requires information about alternative policies, the predictive
capacity to foresee accurately the consequences of alternate policies, and the intelligence to
calculate correctly the ratio of costs to benefits. Finally, rational policymaking requires a
decision-making system that facilitates rationality in policy formation. Large investments in
existing programs and policies (sunk costs) prevent policymakers from reconsidering
alternatives foreclosed by previous decisions.
INCREMENTALISM: POLICY AS VARIATIONS ON THE PAST
Incrementalism views public policy as a continuation of past government activities with

only incremental modifications. On the contrary, constraints of time, information, and
cost prevent policymakers from identifying the full range of policy alternatives and their
consequences. Incrementalism is conservative in that existing programs; policies, and
expenditures are considered as a base, and attention is concentrated on new programs and
policies and on increases, decreases, or modifications of current programs.
Policymakers generally accept the legitimacy of established programs and tacitly agree to
continue previous policies. Second, policymakers accept the legitimacy of previous
policies because of the uncertainty about the consequences of completely new or different
policies known programs when the consequences of new programs cannot be predicted.
Conflict is heightened when decision making focuses on major policy shifts involving
great gains or losses, or "all-or-nothing," "yes-or-no" policy decisions. This search
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usually begins with the familiar-that is, with policy alternatives close to current policies.
Only if these alternatives appear to be unsatisfactory will the policy-maker venture out
toward more radical policy innovation.
5. GROUP THEORY: POLICY AS GROUP EQUILIBRIUM
Politics is really the struggle among groups to influence public policy. The task of the political
system is to manage group conflict by
(1) establishing rules of the game in the group struggle,
(2) arranging compromises and balancing interests,
(3) enacting. According to group theorists, public policy at any given time is the equilibrium
reached in the group struggle.
This equilibrium is determined by the relative influence of any interest groups. Group theory
purports to describe all meaningful, political activity in terms of the group struggle. Policymakers
are viewed as constantly responding to group pressures bargaining, negotiating, and
compromising among competing demands of influential groups. Politicians attempt to form a
majority coalition of groups. Parties are viewed as coalitions of groups. Second, overlapping
group membership helps to maintain the equilibrium by preventing anyone group from moving
too far from prevailing values. Individuals who belong to anyone group also belong to other
groups, and this fact moderates the demands of groups who must avoid offending their members
who have other group affiliations. No single group constitutes a majority in American society.
The power of each group is checked by the power of competing groups.
6. ELITE THEORY: POLICY AS ELITE PREFERENCE
Public policy may also be viewed as the preferences and values of governing elite? Elite theory
suggests that the people are apathetic and ill informed about public policy, that elites actually
shape mass opinion on policy questions more than masses shape elite opinion. Thus, public policy
really turns out to be the preferences of elites. Policies flow downward from elites to masses; they
do not arise from mass demands.
Only non-elites who have accepted the basic elite consensus can be admitted to governing circles.
• Elites share consensus in behalf of the basic values of the social system and the preservation of
the system.
• Public policy does not reflect the demands of masses but rather the prevailing values of the elite.
• Active elites are subject to relatively little direct influence from apathetic masses. Elites
influence masses more than masses influence elites.
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MODELS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS

Selected Policy Models.

INSTITUTIONALISM: POLICY AS INSTITUTIONAL OUTPUT

• First, government lends legitimacy to policies. Government policies are generally

• Second, government policies involve universality. Only government policies

• Finally, government monopolizes coercion in society, only government can

The impact of institutional arrangements on public policy is an empirical question that

PROCESS: POLICY AS POLITICAL ACTIVITY

• Problem Identification: The identification of policy problems through demands

• Policy Implementation: The implementation of policies through organized

RATIONALISM: POLICY AS MAXIMUM SOCIAL GAIN

(1) Know all the preferences and their relative weights,

INCREMENTALISM: POLICY AS VARIATIONS ON THE PAST

Incrementalism views public policy as a continuation of past government activities with

5. GROUP THEORY: POLICY AS GROUP EQUILIBRIUM

(1) establishing rules of the game in the group struggle,

(2) arranging compromises and balancing interests,

6. ELITE THEORY: POLICY AS ELITE PREFERENCE

Public Policy Models

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