Public Policy Theories and Models



Public Policy Theories and Models

Policy and Vision of Governance

Public policy is a function of disparate visions of governance. It is unlikely that the debate over what government does or does not do will be based solely in objective applied social science policy analysis. Such analyses are often thought to be a universally accepted approach to studying the impact of government policies and the efficiency of government policy (i.e., do benefits outweigh the costs?). In many respects, this scientific approach is the basis of Kantian critiques of the power of human reason and the modern liberal view of social justice.

A Working Definition of Public Policy

The actions taken by government aiming at the well being of its citizen is referred to as Public Policy. The local, federal and international government organizations develop and implement public policies, in order to protect their citizens (Hopkins, 2012). The main focus on public policy is on the matters of public welfare, health and safety. This policy also includes the details on what government ought to do or not, in different situations.

Classical Liberalism

In US, classical Liberalism was considered as the most dominant political philosophy prior to the 20th century. This philosophy envisioned limited government and the protection of citizens' “natural rights.” Under this liberalism, the state power was limited, so that individuals may get more freedom. Modern Liberalism and Public Policy

In contrast to the classical liberalism, the public policies developed on the basis of modern liberalism offer more rights and freedom to the government. Ideas of natural rights are not supported in the modern liberal thoughts, but this theory argues on the dependence of human rights on human reasonableness and rationality. Also, the theory considers that human rights evolve over time, and are agreed upon collectively. Modern liberalism concludes ...