【正文】 Understanding Public Policy Thomas Dye, 10th edition CONTENTS Chap. 1: Policy Analysis Chap. 2: Models of Politics Chap. 3: Policymaking Process Chap. 4: Criminal Justice Chap. 5: Health and Welfare Chap. 6: Education Chap. 7: Economic Policy Chap. 8: Tax Policy Chap. 9: International Trade and Immigration Chap. 10: Environmental Policy Chap. 11: Civil Rights: Elite and Mass Interaction Chap. 12: American Federalism Chap. 13: Defense Policy Chap. 14: Policy Evaluation Chap 1: Policy Analysis Policypublic policy is whatever government chooses to do or not to do/ a projected program of goals, values and practices. today people expect government to do many things for them understanding the causes and consequences of policy decisions improves our knowledge of society policy studies helps us learn about the linkage between social and economic conditions in society policy studies incorporate the ideas and methods of economics, sociology, anthropology, psycology, history, law and public administration public policy can be studied for political purposes to ensure that the nation adopts the right policies to achieve the right goals policy analysis is finding out what governments do, why they do it and what difference, if anything it makes learning about the consequences of public policy is often referred to as policy evaluation Policy analysis involves 1. A concern with explanation rather than presumption 2. A rigorous search of the causes and consequences of public policy 3. An effort to develop test general propositions about the causes and consequences of public policy and to accumulate reliable findings of general relevance. questionable that policy analysis can ever solve nation39。s problems policy analysis cannot offer solutions to problems when there is no general agreement on what the problems are it cannot solve value conflicts policy analysis is one activity for which there can be no fixed programs Chap 2: Models of Politics 1. Models of Politics used to simplify, identify certain aspects, understand and explain policies A. Institutional Model Describe specific institutions and certain aspects of those institutions structures, anization, duties, and functions. Also analyze the effect these aspects have on policy outputs B. Process Model Process model follows these steps: identify problem, set agenda, formulate policy, implementation, and evaluation Shows how decisions are made, and how they should be made Helps to understand activities involved in policymaking C. Group Theory Interaction among groups is the central aspect of politics People e together through mon interests Public policy is the equilibrium reached in a group struggle, which is political activity Parties are viewed as coalitions of groups D. Elite Theory People are apathetic and illinformed, therefore elite shapes mass opinion Implies that public policy does not truly reflect the wants to the people as much as the elites Elitism views masses as passive and easily manipulated E. Rational Model “Achieves maximum social gain Policy should never have costs that exceed gains Must know societies values, all alternatives, and the consequences of the alternatives F. Incrementalism Views public policy as a continuation of past government activities with only small modifications Conservative because it considers existing policy as a base, and new programs are ignored Believe that policies that are in effect has been proven, why alter what has proven effective G. Game Theory Study of rational decisions where one choice depends on the oute of another choice An abstract and deductive model of policy making More an analytic tool than a practical guide H. Public Choice The economic study of nonmarket decision making Recognizes government must perform certain functions that market is unable to handle Seen in elections, candidates are more concerned with winning than advancing principles I. Systems Theory Political system is a group of interrelated structures that allocate values for a society Sees public policy as an output of the political system By arranging settlements, demands are transformed into output (policies) 2. How to Tell if the Models are Helping Do they: Order and simplify reality Identify what is significant Congruent with reality Provide meaningful munication Direct inquiry and research Suggest explanations Chap 3 : Policymaking Process I. How Policies Are Made: A. Identify the problem B. Agenda Setting: focus the media on the situation C. Formulate the policy proposals D. Legitimize policies through governmental and political groups E. Implement policy through bureaucracies F. Evaluate policies by governmental agencies II. Identification: Public Opinion A. Opinionpolicy linkage: Never know if public opinion shapes policy or if policy shapes opinion. 1. PO Key established evidence that elections, parties, and interest groups do institutionalize channels of munication from citizens to decision makers. B. Policy effects: Public policy shapes public opinion more often than the reverse. 1. Public opinion is unstable 2. Few people have opinions on a great bulk of policy questions 3. Leaders do not have precise view of opinion because they hear from elites C. Media Effects: 1. News believe they are public opinion but are often wrong because they confuse their opinion with that of the public. 2. Shape public opinion by saying it i