These are Exam questions and solutions (INCLUDING the eBook ) just as those that were found in assignments, study guides and practice questions. When you work through these you will gain an excellent understanding of concepts, theories, techniques and methods which will allow you to answer exam que...
Contains:
• Exam Questions & Answers
• eBook Public PolicyMaking 7th Ed
• Study Notes
,QUESTION
Explain the connection between public policy and politics. (9)
Study guide, Study unit 1, par 1.6, page 16-18
1.6 The connection between public policy and politics
In the literature various efforts have been made to describe the concept “politics”. For instance it
has been referred to as
• a decision-making process where decisions are taken as to the allocation of resources (Fox &
Meyer 1995:98)
• the authoritative allocation of intellectual and material values or resources in the community by
an authorised person or institution (Hanekom 1991:20)
a process whereby people try to establish and promote their value judgements by way of
institutions (Parsons 1995:339)
Through the ages people have been concerned with questions such as “What does happiness
consist of or what is the so-called ‘good life’ and what goals should be pursued?” In addition
people have had to decide how the “good life” could be achieved. The problem is that there are
more needs than resources in society and because of this the attainment of every objective is
impossible. Choices therefore have to be made as to which objectives will be pursued. It is
precisely such choices that are the crux of politics. Easton (1965:132) summarises this as follows:
The reason why a political system emerges in a society at all — that is why men engage in
political activity — is that demands are being made by persons or groups in the society that cannot
all be fully satisfied ... . The study of politics is concerned with understanding how authoritative
decisions are made and executed by society.
From the preceding it can be deduced that politics is primarily concerned with the authoritative
allocation of values and resources by an authorised person or institution. Secondly, it is clear that
a plan of action has to be decided on to effect an allocation of values. The decisions that are taken
on such a plan of action lead to policy (as reflected in the budget speech) (Hanekom 1991:21).
The connection between policy and politics is therefore bound up in the authoritative way in which
decisions that deal with the allocation of values and resources are taken. Public policy is therefore
referred to as authoritative statements because legally empowered public institutions take political
decisions beforehand and make decisions in this connection that are binding and enforceable.
Just as there is a connection between public policy and politics, so there is a link between public
policy making, management, planning and decision making. In the next section we shall establish
to what extent such a connection contributes to the meaningful visualisation, explanation and
attainment of policy objectives.
, QUESTION
Public policy provides a functional perspective on the governing process. Briefly explain the focus of
three (3) forms of public policy, namely domestic policy, foreign policy and environmental policy.
Study guide, SU 1, par 1.2, page 6 (10)
Various forms of policy can be distinguished depending on the topic on which the focus falls for
example:
• domestic policy: all government decisions, programmes and actions relating to internal matters
such as income tax, welfare, the environment and the operation of businesses
• foreign policy: provides guidelines on how a specific state acts in its relations with other states;
foreign policy is aimed at protecting and promoting a state’s national interests, national security,
ideological objectives and economic welfare education policy: refers to the collection of laws and
regulations that govern the education system; it deals with the personal and government
objectives to be achieved through education, the methods that should be followed to realise the
objectives and the way in which success or failure should be measured
• environmental policy: refers to legislation and regulations regarding environmental matters;
environmental matters that are commonly regulated by policy include air and water pollution,
waste management and the protection of biodiversity; policy regarding energy or the regulation of
toxic substances such as pesticides and industrial waste also form part of environmental policy
(Public Policy [Sa])
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ivann. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R65,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
