Public PolicySam Driggers, Larkin Stroud, Kate Lane, Davesha Murray

Public Policy is…

The guide to action by an administrative branch of government on public issues- can be foreign or domestic.

Factors Influencing Public Policy Making and Implementation

Factors influencing domestic policy

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Branches of Government

Economic Structure

Change in strategy of Government

Ex: Privatization in Mexico changed the way the government approached public policy

Factors influencing foreign policy

Global pressures from International Organizations

Globalization

Power/influence of a state

Military and economic capabilities

Geopolitical location of a state

History of a state

Ex: Kenya’s mix of ethnic group and border to the Indian Ocean influences its relations with landlocked states.

Ex: Because the UK and US are in overlapping international organizations and have a (somewhat brief) history cooperation, they are close military allies.

Economic Performance

Changes in the economic structure have been the result of policy changes as well as factors in policy development

Privatization in Mexico has resulted in changing policy needs.

Conservative economic trends that move away from the traditional social welfare state and its benefits also have an impact on liberal or left party politics.

An example of that would be the Labour Party of Great Britain.

Social Welfare

Every country in the world has a very diverse social welfare. Each country has different laws and statistics about education, health, and poverty.

For example, in the United States, because of the tenth amendment, most education policies are decided at the state or local levels.

As the Chinese economy has transformed to a market socialist system, policymakers have been confronted with unintended consequences in noneconomic areas such as population and education.

For example, the United States and the United Kingdom require a certain level of education while other countries, like 3rd world countries, don’t have any levels of education because they have to work to survive.

Obamacare gives more Americans access to affordable, quality health insurance.

Population

Public policy covers population management or growth policies by a government. For instance, these policies are needed so there is a balanced population pyramid within a country.

If there is a lack of these policies, countries are forced to substitute population policy for immigration or emigration to manage the population.

One example is China’s One Child Policy. This policy did successfully reduce their population, but caused other problems as well.

France has a policy that gives money to couples to help care for their children. This makes it easier for couples to care for children, and therefore makes it more likely for them to have children.

Migration

Public policy on migration includes immigration and emigration, as well as border regulations.

One example is the U.S. immigration quotas of 1924. At this time, the U.S. put quotas on how many people of certain countries could come into the U.S. in a given year. In 1924, only 20,000 Italians could legally enter the country, and there were quotas on almost all countries.

Another Example is agricultural workers are legally allowed to come into the U.S. from Canada for a season, but after the growing season their Visa expires and they must leave.

Economic Development

Policies on economic development cover the growth, development, and economic strength of a country.

These policies restrict what can be done in an economy, but usually prove helpful to the majority of the nations economy.

The U.S. puts quotas on Chinese steel to help protect U.S. steel companies.

Many countries provide subsidies to farmers so that they do not overproduce a product and in turn flood the marketplace. For example, farmers can make more money if they farm extra acres, but then since every farmer has done that, food prices drop and the extra work of the farmers goes to waste. The U.S. and many other countries pay farmers not to plant those extra acres, keeping the food prices strong and the economy stable.

Civil liberties, rights, and freedoms

Public policy on civil liberties, rights, and freedoms focuses on the right of people to do or say things.

In the U.S citizens have different rights and freedoms that are granted to them. For example, citizens have freedom of thought, expression, and speech. Also we have citizens rights document on The Bill of Rights

Environment

Public policy focuses on the issues of the environment in a particular country. They have policy that regions have to follow to protect the environment

In the U.S. we have many groups and organization that help individual right by litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individuals freedom.

Most issues generally include air and water pollution, solid waste management, biodiversity, ecosystem management, maintenance of biodiversity, the protection of natural resources, and wildlife and endangered species.