Quiz 1 POLI 357 Intro to Public Policy Analysis

Question 1

Public policies are made by

Answer 1

governments.

authoritative decision makers

Question 2

Levels of Analysis

Answer 2

individual decision making behavior
group action, which arm of the government
institutional structures
these three inform the theoretical perspective or model

Question 3

Analytical Theory

Answer 3

stresses the role of ideas actors and structures and the interaction between them

Question 4

Structures and Institutions

Answer 4

serve as constraining factor that shapes and influences actors efforts. conditions the arena of interaction

Question 5

Policy Cycle

Answer 5

sequential
1. agenda setting. public problem articulation
2. policy formulation. options and solutions
3. policy adoption. decision making, choose option
4. policy implementation. apply chosen option
5. policy evaluation. assess impact on society.
stages are not discrete and linear. government doesn’t follow it exactly.

Question 6

Public policy making as a

Answer 6

problem solving process.
two interrelated temporal dimensions: distinctive impact of actors, institutions and ideas, the relationship between (interaction) between actors, institutions and ideas.

Question 7

Policy Advocacy

Answer 7

prescribing what policies governments ought to pursue. how you tell governments what you want, various actors. normative because different conceptualizations of the problem itself.

Question 8

Policy Discourse

Answer 8

what emerges from the politics and policy debates about an issue. unfolding tapestry of words and symbols constructed out of multiple definitions.

Question 9

Political Agenda

Answer 9

symbols, gestures, words manipulated by policy entrepreneurs. defining what is relevant in public life. whose views should be taken seriously. politicians must seek re-election, explain and test public opinion regarding possible policy directions.

Question 10

Policy Demands

Answer 10

claims for action or inaction on an issue made by other actors upon government officials or agencies.

Question 11

Policy Statements

Answer 11

formal expressions of public policy such as statute, exec order and decrees. also could be a speech or court opinion

Question 12

Policy Output

Answer 12

actions actually taken to pursue policy statement or decision

Question 13

Policy Outcome

Answer 13

consequence/impact of policy on society.

Question 14

What is Public Policy

Answer 14

purposive course of action or inaction dealing with problem or matter of concern. state actors final say because authoritative decision makers.

technopolitical process that is contested. constrained actors attempting to match policy goals with policy means in a process called applied problem. what the government seeks to achieve with the tools and context available to the government.

Question 15

Tech v.s Pol Dimension

Answer 15

technical: optimal relationship between goals and tools for maximum benefit. cost-benefit
Political: political about contestation regarding what constitutes a policy problem or an appropriate solution. ideational assumptions and different knowledge.

Question 16

Public Policy Definition 1

DYE

Answer 16

Thomas Dye “whatever governments choose to do or not to do.” a conscious choice that leads to action or inaction.

Characteristics:
-applied problem solving process involving conscious, deliberate decisions
- with governments as primary agent of public policy making. authoritative decisions backed by sanctions for non compliance based on law.
-includes both action and inaction. gvt can choose not to act. a non decision is still public policy. inaction does not equal failure to act. failing to identify a problem is not public policy.
-unintended consequences of gvt actions and decisions are not public policies.
Limitations: presumes all government action constitutes public policy

Question 17

Public Policy Definition 2

JENKINS

Answer 17

William Jenkins: interrelated decisions taken by a political actor/group of actors concerning selection of goals and means within situation where decisions should be within power of those actors to achieve.

Characteristics:

• selection of goals and means
• not linear or itterative
• series of decision that cumulatively lead to an outcome
• affected by capacity of government to implement its decisions
• goal oriented behavior

Question 18

Two Broad Theoretical Approaches

Answer 18

Positivist
- objective analysis of policy goals and outcomes possible
-standard social science methodologies for data collection
-describe and explain what governments do
-scientific rationality and reasoning.
-quantifiable facts and generalizations based on empirical evidence.
-top down and bureaucratic
Post Positivist
-reject objective reality but not objectivity.
-all knowledge is contestable
-no one objective truth, subjective interpretation
-value judgements
-move beyond technocratic positivism.
-positivists mistaken bc policies rarely have unambiguous goals/efficient means of achieving them. ethical objection that it stifles democracy and participation.
-persuasion through argument (discourse analysis) but no criteria for evaluation of competing arguments, the deliberative process can be hijacked by status quo, underestimate importance of material interests and lack of clear research method.
-deliberative practitioners operating within clear value framework promotes greater social and political equity.
-promote democracy and public participation. access and explanation to empower the public

Question 19

Policy Analysis v.s Policy Studies

Answer 19

Policy Analysis
-formal evaluation of policy impact or outcomes. quantitative techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment and management and the effects of policy output.
Policy Studies
-focus on both policy impacts or outcomes and policy processes. causal variables or policy determinants, content the nature of the problem and solution determines how it will be processed, tools and instruments.

Question 20

Policy Cycle Framework

Answer 20

• applied problem solving model.
• stages through which policy issues and deliberation flow sequentially from inputs to outputs
• policy cycle, each stage is discrete and sequential
• policy process is the series of stages. can’t easily disaggregate and examine separately.

Question 21

Lasswells Policy Cycle Framework

Answer 21

7 stages. Harold Lasswell poineered policy science.
applied problem solving underlying logic
1. intelligence: identify the problem and collect and process information
2. promotion: of particular options
3. prescription: of a course of action. choose an option
4. invocation: of prescribed course of action alongside set of sanctions to punish non compliance during implementation.
5. application: of policy by courts and bureaucracy
6. termination: cancel policy
7. appraisal: evaluate what went well and what didn’t

Limitations: policy termination comes prior to appraisal. limits policy making to government decision making, ignores external influences.

Question 22

Gary Brewer’s Model

Answer 22

6 Stages
applied problem solving underlying logic
1. invention/initiation: sense a problem and find solutions. 
2. estimation: cost/risk of each possible solution both technical and normative
3. selection
4. implementation
5. evaluation
6. termination

Policy process conceptualized as an ongoing cycle. clarified terminology from Lasswell’s.

Question 23

Stages Heuristic Approach

Answer 23

5 Stages Howlet et. al
applied problem solving underlying logic
1. agenda setting: process by which problems come to attention of governments. in the applied problem solving this is problem recognition and the actors are the policy universe.
2. policy formulation: how options are formulated within governments. applied problem solving is the proposal of a solution and the actors are the policy subsystem.
3. decision making: policy adoption, adopt a course of action or non action. in the applied problem solving this is choice of solution and the actors are authoritative government decision makers.
4. policy implementation: put policies into effect. in the applied problem solving this is the solution in effect and the actors are the policy subsystem
5. policy evaluation: results are monitored by the state and societal actors. the outcome may be re conceptualization of policy problems and solutions. in the applied problem solving this is monitoring results and the actors are the policy universe.
Limitations: not causal what drives policy? no hypotheses, descriptive. distinct stages not linear. ignores interaction among stages, oversimplification.

Question 24

Policy Subsystem v.s Policy Universe

Answer 24

policy subsystem: those actors that have specific knowledge and expertise regarding the policy problem or have resources at stake.
policy universe: all policy actors within a problem area

Question 25

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Howlett et. al. Model

Answer 25

Advantages:
- highlights the interactive roles
-multidimensional process
-applies to all sociolegal and spatial levels, in comparison to Lasswell who only looks at government.
-highlights stages and categories of activities
-flexible and open to change
-not culture specific
Disadvantages:
-suggests linearity and systematic procession but in practice may not follow all identified processes.
-lacks causal notion, what or who drives policy from one stage to another
-ignores content of policy
4. silent on level and unit of analysis.

Question 26

Typologies of Public Policy

Answer 26

based on the effect on society and relationship among actors involved

1. constituent: concerned with composition or makeup of government, rules regarding government structures and procedures, jurisdictions and power distribution
2. distributive: allocation of benefits/service at no charge to segments of society
3. regulatory: imposes restriction or limitation on behavior of individuals and groups
4. self regulatory: controlled by the regulatory group. deregulated by government as a means of protecting or promoting interests of members.
5. re distributive: involves deliberate shift by government of wealth, income and property. haves v.s have notes.

Question 27

Why Study PP?

Answer 27

affects everyone
studies who gets what in politics
shapes lives and welfare
and induces change in society

Question 28

Policy Science Origins

Answer 28

emerged in North America and Europe post WWII in order to explain growth of the public sector and their activity and creation of economic and social problems. the era of big government.

connected study of structures and process with questions of justice, equity and development

Question 29

Contemporary Public policy

Answer 29

focus on what gvt actually do, pioneered by Harold Lasswell

• differs in three ways
• multidisciplinary, embraces multiple fields
• problem solving, oriented towards solutions for real world problems. technical advice subordinated to political neccesity
• explicitly normative, not cloaked in the guise of scientific objectivity. value judgements. recognize inseparability of goals and means or values and techniques. what government ought to do.

Question 30

Changes to Lasswell’s 3 Characteristics

Answer 30

1. concrete problem solving has waned. too complex
2. large body now focuses on pp in general rather than explicitly multidisciplinary. pp discipline itself
3. calls for explicit normative changed over time.now evaluate policy in terms of efficiency/effectiveness.
   Policy Science focus on what governments actually do, systemic evaluation of actual policy o utcomes.

Question 31

Positivist

Answer 31

Mainstream prescriptive policy analysis based on economic principles.
Welfare Economics: individuals should make most social decisions through market mechanisms. acknowledge market failures and argue that governments and political institutions can supplement or replace to produce better social welfare.
Agreement on instances of market failure: public goods, natural monopolies: tend to promote a single firm. first to establish infrastructure enjoy cost advantage. certain industries with large capital requirements and disproportionate returns to scale, externalities: production costs not borne by producers, passed on to those external to production process, imperfect information: consumers/producers lack info to make rtl. decisions. gvt axn to mandate info disclosure, tragedy of the commons: market failure when common resources exploited without requirement to maintain future uses. and destructive competition.

Question 32

Public/Private Goods

Answer 32

high exhaustiveness and high exclusivity: private goods

low exhaustiveness and high exclusivity: toll good, semi public don’t diminish with use but can charge for use.

high exhaustiveness and low exclusivity: common pool good, usage can’t be charged to individuals but quantity diminishes with use.

low exhaustiveness and low exclusivity: public good

Question 33

Parsimony

Answer 33

ability to explain a lot with as few variables as possible. how we assess theories and compare them. explanations should be simple, accurate and consistent.
-common to all theories.

Question 34

Framework, Theory, Model

Answer 34

Used interchangeably in some contexts BUT
Framework: set of variables and relationships. points out the necessary variables to explain phenomena. broad, doesn’t necessarily state the direction of the relationship.

Theory: specifies how relationships differ depending on critical values. narrower, take variable within framework and state relationships among them. gives the direction, causality and apply values to variables.

Model: limited in scope, aspect of theory dealing with a particular event, choose few variables. specific representation of a specific situation. narrowest in scope.
Conceptualize as a continuum, increase in density and logical interconnectedness and decrease in scope
Example: Institutional Analysis Development Framework, Rational Choice Theory, Game Theory,- Prisoner Dilemma’s Model.

Question 35

Public Choice Theory

Answer 35

-unit of analysis focuses on micro-level behavior of individuals
Assumptions
-micro-foundation. relevant actor is the individual whose primary motivation is self interest
-rationality. utility maximization, individual material self interest. increase interest, reduce loss/cost.
-homo economicus and homo politicus combined. self interested political actors to maximize own individual interests.
-instrumental actors. engage in strategic interaction. act based on what others MIGHT do.
Regarding PP
-policy process is characterized by a variety of political actors engaging in competitive rent seeking behavior (actors capture portion of social surplus that accrues from productive social labor. preference to free ride). interests through policy
-institutions must curb competitive rent seeking behavior bc promotes gvt defecits and reduces social welfare by encouraging free riding.
-voters always demand more programs from gvt. and the gvt supplies them to maintain popularity with voters
Limitations
-underestimates institutions
-oversimplification of human psychology and human behavior
-poor predictive ability
-empirical shortcomings
-not value free, promotes neoliberalism

Question 36

Group and Class Theory

Answer 36

focuses on interaction of organized interests that mediate between state and individuals
macro not micro

Question 37

Marxism

Answer 37

-class structure determines pp, structural account
-unit of analysis = societal forces. classes
Assumptions
-society has two classes, always in opposition to one another. owners of the means of production and workers
-relationship to means of production determines class position
-class is basis for conflict, ineqality
-society passed through distinct stages called the modes of production and each mode had a distinct technology, the means of production
-each mode dichotomous
Regarding PP
-capitalist society, pp reflects interests of owners of means of production because capitalists dominate base. control over state and activities
-state= instrument in hands of capitalist
-business confidence - gvt always appeal to capitalist bc economy might collapse if businesses leave.
Two Types of Policies:
legitimization- aim at reducing interclass conflict. gives benefits to workers to reduce their dissatisfaction with inequality resulting from capitalist system.
accumulation: directly support profit oriented business activities. tarrifs, grants, subsidies.
Limitations:
-not necessarily true that policies are made at the order of capitalists. state may not always act in best interest of capitalists
-relationship between classes not necessarily conflictual. can’t explain policies that are adopted over opposition of capitalists

Question 38

Pluralism

Answer 38

US 20th century. continues today. 1908, Arthur Bentley
Basic claim: group competition in political market place determines pp interest groups.
unit of analysis: organized groups composed of individuals, autonomous, determine structure and content of groups. society= complex of groups that compose it
Assumptions:
-interest groups most important actors
-different groups reflect societal interests. individuals join with others with similar interests
-all groups are not equally influential/have equal access to government
-no representational monopoly. can belong to multiple groups
-key mechanism for conflict resolution and cooperation
-same interests, rep’d by multiple groups
-free forming, voluntary, competitive, autonomous, no structural barriers
-politics is the process by which various interests are reconciled.
Regarding PP
-emanates from competition and collaboration among groups.
-interest groups lobby regarding policy issues, out of compromise with gvt, policy is formed
Limitations:
-no clear conceptualization of role of state
-misconceives how gvt may respond to group pressure
-difficult to extend applicability outside US
-ignores intl impact on public policies
-don’t have clear notion of varying groups, and their capacity and influence.

Question 39

Corporatism

Answer 39

unit of analysis: organized groups but not like pluralism
groups are independent of their members. groups as organic to society in their own autonomous strata
-basic claims: individuals organized in to a limited number of singular, compulsory, non-competitive, hierarchical, ordered and functionally differentiated groups that are recognized/licensed by the state.
-representational monopoly w/in category, need to belong to the group.
-takes in to account pluralisms failures. 1. role of state in group formation, and 2. institutional patterns between state and groups.
Regarding PP
-shaped by state and groups organized by the state. interactions among groups is institutionalized and mediate the state
Limitations
-not applicable to PP making in non corporatist countries
-says little about policy process
-no clear conceptualization of which interest group should be rep’d by state.
-ignores relative strength of different groups.

Question 40

Neoinstitutionalism

Answer 40

-not a group theory
-out of limitations of institutionalism, old inst focused on government inst descriptively.
-structure of pol inst determines pp
-unit of analysis: inst structure of political and economic arrangement.
-neo: inst can be both formal and informal. rules, symbols, standard operative practice, conventions, cultural codes, serve as constraints on policy actors. inst as purposive human creations
-
Regarding PP
-policy outcomes determined by structural configuration o state
-types of policies government can adopt depends on how pol inst are designed
-influence, don’t necessarily cause
Limitations:
-difficulties in explaining origin of institutions
-static, difficulty in explaining institutional change.

Question 41

Statism

Answer 41

unit of analysis: formal state structures. the government is most important inst in society. key agent my be other actors but can only influence not decide.

• difference between institutionalism and statism is that . statism, can’t be individual level. government sanctioned. 2. institutions do not apply to organized groups. only government.
• state autonomous actor with capacity to devise and implement objectives. monopoly on the legit use of force.
• policy becomes pp when adopted, implemented and enforced by a govt inst.

Question 42

Globaliation

Answer 42

• based on assumptions that policy options available to governments are limited by large mutlintl corporations, international institutions
• gov’s do not have autonomy. structure and inst of intl governments determine pp.

Question 43

Government Failure

Answer 43

state can’t improve market failure. reason is that there is a gap between legal and political intent and administrative practices (often invoked in principal agent theory). delegate to officials they only indirectly control.

organizational displacement: administrative agency displaces publicly sanctioned goals w/private/org goals. gvt. action to correct market failure lead to inefficiency. better to intervene in short periods of time.
derived externalities: side effects not realized by agency responsible for creating them. don’t affect agency’s calculations/behaviors. should carefully assess opportunity cost of government replacing market based goods.
principal/agent problem: (often invoked in principal agent theory). delegate to officials they only indirectly control. principal = politicians and agents = admin/bureaucracy

Question 44

Six Styles of Policy Analysis

Answer 44

1. Rational. traditional positivist economic and empirical methods.
2. Client Advice. political and strategic advice to clients
3. Argumentative. active involvement in debate and policy discourse as distinct independent actor w/in and outside gvt.
4. Interactive. facilitator in consultations in which key players and participants define their preferred outcome.
5. Parcipative. advocate, aggregating and articulating interest of silent players.
6. Process. network manager to steer policy process towards a preferred outcome defined as part of the analytical task.

Question 45

Units of Analysis and Theories

Answer 45

public choice- micro level individual behavior
group and class- collectivity. interaction of organized interests mediate between individual and state. meso
institutional- structures and structural arrangements. macro

Question 46

Neo Marxism

Answer 46

• relative autonomy, Nico Poulantzas
• State autonomous from capital, bureaucracy is staffed by non capitalists and conflicts between various factions of capitalism.
• structural version of marxism
• welfare state as a result of political pressures exerted by the working class

Question 47

Neo Pluralism

Answer 47

explicit acknowledgement of non equality of groups, one of the shortcomings of the pluralist theory

• business most powerful in liberal democracies
  1. capitalist economies need prosperous economy for tax revenue and to maintain business confidence
  2. public/private division. private is dominated by business bc employment and associated socioeconomic activity
• business don’t need to directly exert pressure for this to be true

Question 48

MSA Intro, Assumptions, Unit of Analysis

Answer 48

Multiple Streams Approach
-framework
-explains how national gvt makes policies under conditions of ambiguity
-Pythias Cave, Apollo’s advice at Delphi subject to interpretation, ambigious
-Three Streams: Problems, Policies and Politics, policy windows are when these three are joined at critical times.
-Assumes collective choice is a combo of structural forces and cognitive and effective processes. highly context dependent.
-Assumes temporal order. sensitive to energy load and problem load. decisions made by allocating attention through overcoming constraints and biases. when policies are made are important. who is in power, time has an inelastic supple, gvt do not have the luxury of time. tied to problematic preferences.
1 .Assumes that individual attention is serial and systemic, processing is parallel. number of issues under active consideration is small but division of labour in orgs and gvts allows multiple issues at once. solved by inst structure: type of policy widow that opens and symbols to attract attention.
2. policymakers operate under significant time constraints. sense of urgency in addressing them.
3. the streams are independent. each stream operates parallel and distinct. come together when there is an open window. allows policy entrepreneurs to affect change. major change or new policy but difficult to change as policies are usually stabgle.
-Uses Theory of Manipulation
-Unit of Analysis is the systemic level. several factors that formulate choice and collective output. systems constantly evolving.

Question 49

Ambiguity under MSA

Answer 49

ambiguity is NOT uncertainty (lack of information. more info will not reduce ambiguity)
it is the many ways of thinking about the same circumstance or phenomena that causes stress and confusion
-under ambiguity, don’t know what the problem is. attempt to make sense of partially comprehensible world.
-ambiguity operationalized works through the Theory of Manipulation contextually exists in organizations or governments called organized hierarchies. Measured by three indicators
1. fluid participation, drift through difference decisions, time devoted to any one decision varies
2. problematic preferences. policy makers do not know what they want. make decisions w/out precise preferences.don’t have time to make informed decisions due to importance of temporal order and the fact that time has an inelastic supply.
3. unclear tech. the process that turns inputs in to output is unclear. rely on trial and error bc past experience acts as a guide.

Question 50

Garbage Can Model of Choice

Answer 50

• dynamic, complex, chaotic nature of political life
• garbage can is where participants dump unrelated problems and solutions,
• highly interactive, no one controls the process

Question 51

Logic of Manipulation

Answer 51

• manipulation= effort to manage ambiguity. it is a political struggle to create winners and losers. gives meaning and identity and a way to pursue self interest
• information is not value neutral, policy entrepreneurs manipulate info to serve diverse aims. discretion in interpretation.
• those who manipulate policy entrepreneurs, and those who get manipulated policy makers.

Question 52

Structural Elements of MSA

Answer 52

Problem Stream: conditions to be addressed that are given by indicators, focusing events and feedback. used to assess existence and magnitude of a condition and scope for change. not all conditions become problems, become problems if they violate values or activate interests and attention.

Policies Stream : ‘soup of ideas’. ideas competing to win acceptance in policy networks. selection based on technical feasibility, value acceptability and resource adequacy. integration, which is the linkages among participants has 4 dimensions: size, mode( how ideas germinate and how fast they rise to prominence, capacity (is the admin capable of solutions on its own) and access (how open system is to those outside gvt) . less integrated: large, competitive mode, lower capacity, less restricted access. more integrated: small, consensual mode, high capacity, restricted access.

Politics Stream: depends on the national mood: citizens think along common lines and moods shift accordingly, pressure groups: as indicators of the broader political arena, campaigns and administrative or legislative turnover: personnel turnover

Policy Windows: 3 streams coupled at critical moments provide the opportunity for policy entrepreneurs to push their solutions and couple them with problems. fleeting moments, must act swiftly to couple streams. may be predictable or opened by compelling problems or events.

Policy Entrepreneurs: individuals/corporate actors attempting to couple streams. gvts= policy makers. goal intending = manipulators of problematic preferences. persistent and skilled in matching problems to their preferred solutions. search for solutions in presence of ambituity influenced by structure of policy networks. may have differing access and resources. use framing, salami tactics (try to capture parts of the policy process while opponents are unaware), symbol and affecting priming (use of words, how problems are constructed) as strategies.

Question 53

Advocacy Coalition Framework

Answer 53

1988 Lincoln Smith, Sebastier

• Explain policy w/in institutional arrangement/political setting
• Advocacy Coalitions w/in a policy subsystem.
• policy universe: all actors w/in that have a specific technical
• policy subsystem: actors w/in that have specific technical expertise. policy formulation.
• relies on advocacy coalition, group of actors from variety institutions and agencies that share set of policy beliefs. policy universe-subsystem-adv. coalition
• in rational choice, interests are given, ACF interests of actors should be empirical and measurable.

Question 54

ACF Assumptions

Answer 54

• most policy making occurs among specialists but behaviors affected by systemic sociopolitical factors.
• number of coalitions depends on number of core ideas within belief systems about values in public policy,
• beliefs of actors relatively stable, makes policy change very difficult.
• coalitions are the most useful tool in aggregating different actors within a subsystem

Question 55

MSA and Rational Choice

Answer 55

• MSA- opportunities ration attention. policies made in search of a rationale/problem.
• Rational Choice is problem solution sequence

Question 56

Gestation Period of Ideas Typology

Answer 56

HAS TO DO WITH INTEGRATION (MODE)

quantam: rapid propulsion of new ideas
emergent: gradual gestation of new ideas
convergent: rapid gestation of old ideas
gradualist: slow gestation of marginal extensions of existing policies
less: q/g
more: e/c

Question 57

ACF Structural Features List

Answer 57

• Policy Subsystem containing 2-5 coalitions, their respective beliefs, resources, strategies, the decisions made by gvt authorities, the institutions and rules, the policy outputs and policy impacts.
• Relatively stable system parameters
• External system events (dynamic)
• long term coalition opportunity structure
• short term constraints and resources of subsystem actors

Question 58

Relatively Stable System Parameters

Answer 58

• external factor that affects the policy subsystem indirectly through long term coalition opportunity structure
  1. basic attributes of the problem arena
  2. basic distribution of natural resources
  3. fundamental socio-cultural values and social structure
  4. basic constitutional structure

Question 59

External System Events

Answer 59

• external factor that affects policy subsystem indirectly through short term constraints and resources of subsystem actors
  1. changes in socio-economic conditions
  2. changes in public opinion. advantage if aligned with public.
  3. changes in systemic governing coalition
  4. policy decisions and impacts from other subsystems

Question 60

Long Term Coalition Opportunity Structure

Answer 60

mediates between the external relatively stable system parameters and the policy subsytem

1. degree of consensus needed for major policy change w/in coalition. if high degree of consensus emphasis on inclusion.
2. openness of the political system. how permeable to input from non state actors. if not, coalitions don’t have much power. acts as a constraint.

Question 61

Short Term constraints and Resources of Subsystem Actors

Answer 61

1. formal legal authority to make decisions. the dominant coaltion is the one with the highest number of members in position to make legally binding decisions.
2. Strategy is trying to put allies in these positions through elections/appointments
3. Resources include launching campaigns to sway those in positions of legal authority. lobbying. having public opinion on the side of the coalition’s desired policy solution gives an advantage. information regarding the actual policy problem or regarding the cost/benefit analysis also a resource. use info strategically. mobilize troops, members of the attentive public who give opinions but don’t seek to influence the policy making process. coalitions rely on the attentive public. public demonstrations and financial resources.

Question 62

Model of Individual Belief System

Answer 62

• ACF assumptions regarding the individual
• individuals act according to the logic of appropriateness : following rules, norms and conventions, and the logic of consequence: is the outcome going to result in a benefit or gain. value loss more than gain.
• Devil Shift: view opponents as more powerful and evil than they appear to be. this strengthens the bonds within coalitions but intensifies the conflict between coalitions.

Question 63

Belief Systems

Answer 63

• sets of basic values, causal assumptions that every individual has the the way that they perceive problems.
• three tiered hierarchical structures of belief systems
  1. deep core: highest level spans most policy subsystems. normative and ontological assumptions about human nature. priority of fundamental values such as liberty and equality, priority of the welfare of different groups, proper role of market and governments, who should participate in gvt decision making, formed at childhood through socialization and difficult to change.
  2. policy core: application of deep core. normative beliefs. project image of what a policy subsystem should be. guides coalition behavior, unites allies and divides opponents, only spans a particular subsystem.
  3. secondary core: less than subsystem wide. detailed rules and budgetary considerations w/in specific programs. guidelines regarding public participation. less difficult to change, requires less agreement among subsystem actors and less evidence to change.

Question 64

Paths to Policy Change ACF

Answer 64

1. external shock (source): from outside subsystem. shifts agenda focuses attention of key decision makers, redistributes resources, opens/closes venues w/in subsystem and can help shift the balance between dominant and weaker coalitions. might change policy beliefs of dominant coalition.
2. policy oriented learning: different than policy diffusion. learn from the successes and failure of past policies. secondary beliefs more susceptible to policy learning.
3. internal source (shock) events can attract public attention, bring new info to light or highlight failures. alters balance of power among policy participants due to shifts in public opinion. redistribute policy resources. raises doubts w/in dominant coalitions
4. negotiated agreement: change in policy core beliefs of different coalitions through compromise or concessions.
   policy change is a negotiated agreement among diff coalitions.