POLS 3307 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Michael Dukakis, Incrementalism, Game Theory
8 Sep 2019
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Selected policy models: institutionalism: policy as institutional output. Public policy is determined, implemented and enforced by government institutions. Government lends legitimacy to policies, universality to policies and monopolizes coercion in society: process: policy as political activity. Set of policy processes following this general outline: Problem identification, agenda setting, policy legitimation, policy implementation and policy evaluation. View policy process as a series of political activities: rationalism: policy should achieve maximum social gain. No policy should be adopted if costs exceed benefits. Decision makers should choose the policy that produces the greatest benefit over cost. The influence of group is determined by their numbers, wealth, organizational strength, leadership, access to decision makers and internal cohesion. Parties are viewed as coalitions of groups: elite theory: public policy is viewed as the preferences and values of governing elites. Society is divided into a few who have power and many who don"t.
