1: Defining public policy

Defining Public Policy

Public policy forms the bedrock of governmental action and societal organization. At its core, it concerns what governments choose to do – or not to do – about perceived public problems. A foundational definition comes from Thomas Dye: public policy is "whatever governments choose to do or not to do." This succinct statement highlights two critical aspects: action (deliberate interventions like laws, programs, or spending) and inaction (the conscious decision to refrain from addressing an issue, which itself is a policy stance). Both shape societal outcomes.

David Easton’s systems theory perspective refines this, defining public policy as the "authoritative allocation of values for a society." This emphasizes that policy involves binding decisions made by legitimate governmental authorities (authoritative) that distribute benefits, costs, and resources (allocation) based on societal priorities and beliefs (values). These decisions determine who gets what, when, and how, reflecting inherent political choices about justice, equity, and collective goals.

Harold Lasswell’s classic framing asks "Who gets what, when, and how?" This underscores policy as a process of distributing societal resources and advantages, inherently tied to power dynamics and political processes. Building on these, contemporary definitions often incorporate key characteristics:

1. Problem-Oriented: Policy emerges in response to perceived societal problems demanding collective action (e.g., pollution, poverty, infrastructure decay).
2. Goal-Oriented (Purposive): Policies are designed with specific objectives in mind, aiming to achieve desired changes or prevent undesired ones.
3. Authoritative: Policies derive their force from the legitimate power of government institutions (legislatures, executives, courts, agencies).
4. Course of Action: Policy involves sequences of interrelated decisions and actions, not just a single law or pronouncement. It encompasses formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
5. Public Focus: While policies can impact individuals, they primarily address collective concerns affecting communities or the entire society.
6. Dynamic: Policies are not static decrees; they evolve through implementation challenges, feedback, changing contexts, and evaluation.

Understanding public policy thus requires looking beyond simple legislation. It encompasses the entire process: identifying problems, setting agendas, formulating responses, mobilizing resources, implementing programs, and assessing impacts. It occurs at all levels of government (local, state, national, international) and involves complex interactions between state institutions, societal actors (interest groups, citizens), and market forces. Defining public policy establishes the essential framework for analyzing how governments attempt to steer society, resolve conflicts, and pursue public value, setting the stage for exploring its historical evolution, theoretical underpinnings, and practical dynamics.