week 3- theories of public policy Flashcards
characteristics and dimensions of different theories:
- consensus Vs conflict/critical
- macro/meso/micro levels
predominant theories
- pluralism
- new institutionalism
- political economy approach
what are theories
frameworks in the form of a set of statements or principles, used to understand and explain how a set of facts or phenomena come to be
healthy policy: narrow view
- policies specifying how the health care system should be structured and run
healthy policy wide view
policies in a non-health domain that can affect individual and population health
healthy care policy: MIRCO- routine day to day government operations
increasing funding to community health centers
health-related public policy: MIRCO- routine day to day government operations
increasing housing subsidy amount for tenants
health care policy: MESO- operation of mid-level institutions like advisory boards or government departments
creating a telehealth line
health-related public policy: MESO- operation of mid-level institutions like advisory boards or government departments
changing eligibility requirements for social assistance
health care policy: MARCO- broad issues like the general shape of political systems and how power is wielded
creating of public-private partnerships
- boarder
health-related public policy: MARCO- broad issues like the general shape of political systems and how power is wielded
creating of a national daycare program
pluralism
- interest groups are the most important unit of analysis
- groups vie for power to achieve goals and objectives
- dominant understanding and approach of advocacy groups trying to influence policy
new institutionalism what does it focus on
type of conensus model and is mirco meso level
political economy approach what does it focus on
crictical
and macro
what does pluralism mediates
diverse social and economic interests
what does pluralism suppose
that all groups have equal access so policy output is rational balancing of interests
what is the most influential theory in western societies and canada
pluralism
pluralism: liberal democracy
- political rights
- citizens access to political power
- responsiveness of the political system to provide rational public policy outcomes
what are the 2 models of pluralism and what do they do
- Easton’s model of the political system
- Kingdon’s policy stream convergence
- help describe how policy changes occur
Easton’s model of the political system
- inputs–>government–> outputs
examples of Easton’s model of the political system
input:
- demands support resources
institutions of government:
outputs:
- goods and services
then there is a new and resived policy
Kingdon’s policy stream convergence
- problem: what things are need for change
- policy proposals: solution and ideas are created, policy available at hand
- politics: what gain acceptance
- policy change window: main issue, policy option available and ppl in favouried then it will occur (the change can happen)
what does pluralism fail to consider
- the role of political power or ideology
- does not consider power relations and the existence of economic, political, and social inequalities
critiques of pluralism
- offers simplistic explanations
- government parties can shut out the perspectives of other groups
what is pluralism political process seen as
consensual and conflict-free
what is new institutionalism
- consensus- driven political process
- pluralism + how institutions influence: policy discourse/debate
policy outcomes
what has been applied to explain the evolution of the healthcare system in Canada
new institutionalism
new institutionalism: political institutions
- state and government structures that develop over time and persist
- formal rules of operation
- organizational structures
- standard operating procedures
new institutionalisms sub-types
- Historical institutionalism
- rational choice institutionalism
- sociological institutionalism
historical institutionalism
- identifies conflict among competing groups for scarce resources as key to understanding politics
- focus on how political and economic structures may interact with each other & with current situations to produce outcomes where some interests are privileged, and other are ignored
what does new institutionalism not look at
how policy develops or changes over time
why is new institutionalism not best
institutions constrain change so not best unit of analysis for explaining change
critiques of new institutionalism
- minimizes degrees of policy change possible
- important to examine other social, political, and economic forces
political economy approach: understanding policy outcomes requires?
- focus on economic, political, and social structures
- focus on the distribtuion of power and resources between group and society
what is the political economy approach
- concerned with the mode of production
- political economy perspective represent a critical social science perspective (ppl have power to change their environment)
- power shapes policy change–> influences the health of population
- feminist political economy
what are political econmists interested in
the influence of neoliberalism as a governing political ideology
- how neoliberals has been associated with growing inequalities in health between different groups in developed political economies such as Canada, US, UK
main tenants of neoliberalism
- markets perceived as most efficient in production and distribution of resources
- societies’ are comprised of autonomous individuals + free to make their own choices
- competition is primary source of innovation
- governments should be very small
- taxes should be low
- there should be few government regulations
- goal of society should be economic growth
