Public Policy

Public Policy

Authoritative public decisions made by governments, referred to as policy outputs.

Outputs

Decisions made by the government that are aimed at achieving specific outcomes.

Outcomes

The end results that are intended to be promoted by public policies.

Political Goods

Goals and values that motivate public policies.

System Goods

Citizens are free and able to act purposefully when environment is stable, transparent, predictable

Process Goods

Goods related to citizen participation and the fairness of political processes.

Policy Goods

Factors like economic welfare and personal security that improve citizens' living conditions.

Extractions of resources

From domestic, international environments ex. money, goods, persons, and services

Taxation

The government's extraction of money or goods from members of a political system.

Direct taxes

Personal and corporate income taxes, property taxes, and taxes on capital capital gains

Indirect taxes

Includes sale taxes, value-added taxes, excise taxes, and customs duties

Distributive Policy

Policies that transfer money, goods, and services to citizens and residents. Ex. health, education, defence.

Welfare State

A government that provides social services and financial assistance to its citizens.

Regulation

Political control exercised over the behavior of individuals or groups in society.

Symbolic Outputs

Policies intended to enhance national identity and civil pride among citizens.

Domestic Policy Outcomes

How do extractive, distributive, regulative, symbolic policies affect lives of citizens?

Fairness outcomes

Promoting gender equality and empowering women

Political Rights

Opportunities for citizens to engage in political processes.

Civil Liberties

Protections for individual freedoms such as speech, press, and assembly.

Globalization

Increased economic, social, and political interactions among nations. National economies more interdependent. Environmental damage. Cultural pressures. Most costly outcome is warfare.

Opportunity Costs

The loss in one area associated with committing resources to another good.

Task of social science

Discover conditions under which positive and negative trade-offs occur