Lecture No 30

Comparing public policies in the six countries studied in AP Comparative Government

Public Policy Making Includes:

• A set of issues or problems• The individuals and groups who seek to

influence policy making• The decisions made by the state as a result• The consequences of those decisions

• Was designed to address rapid population growth• Was devised by the Chinese Government• Provided incentives to couples that limited their families

to one child.• Imposed penalties on families that exceeded this limit.

*Some exceptions were made for ethnic minorities.*Was successful in reducing China’s population growth rate.

Example: China’s One Child Policy

What do you think?What will be the most important consequence of the One

Child Policy for China in the future?

a. Improved economic performanceb. The creation of a generation that is

individualistic and self-centeredc. An economic strain on Chinese families who

must provide care for elderly relativesd. A shift away from a culture of communalism

and toward a culture of consumerism

Policy Making

6 Countries: UK, Russia, Nigeria, China, Iran & Mexico

The policy making process can differ in:

• Democratic and authoritarian states• Developed and developing countries• Unitary and Federal systems• Parliamentary and Presidential systems

Governments must consider: • What should be the government’s role, if

any, in providing health care to citizens? • Who will qualify? • What levels of service will be provided?• How much will it cost?• Who will bear these costs?

Health Care Policies

UK: National Health System (NHS)

• Provides most health care free of cost to its residents.

• According to the World Health Organization, the United Kingdom ranks 18 in health systems.

Major Criticisms:

• the burgeoning cost of health care• the long wait time for diagnosis and treatment

What do you think?Which of the following is the best policy to address the issues

facing NHS?

a. Require British citizens to pay a portion of their health care costs.

b. Privatize the entire system.c. Continue to provide free health care but

streamline the system to cut red tape.d. Provide citizens with basic preventative

care, but require payment for specialized care.

Russian health care system

• Provides, at least in theory, free health care to all citizens.

• According to the World Health Organization, Russia ranks 130 in health systems.

Major Criticisms:

• Corruption is widespread.• Alcoholism and heart disease rates are high.

What do you think? Which of the following is the best policy to improve the Russian health care system?

a. Require Russian citizens to pay a portion of their health care costs.

b. Privatize the entire system.c. Crack down on corruption.d. Focus on overall economic growth to

improve the Russian economy as a whole.

What do you think? Both the UK and Russia provide free health care, yet the results of these systems are very different. Which factor best

explains these differences?

a. Russia has a political culture where corruption is an accepted part of the system, while the United Kingdom is much less corrupt.

b. Democratic policymaking in the United Kingdom has resulted in better health care policy than the authoritarian nature of Russian policymaking.

c. The United Kingdom is a developed country, and Russia has never caught up to the level of development in Western Europe.

d. Citizens of the United Kingdom have higher expectations of government than Russian citizens.

Health Care Policies: HIV/AIDS Crisis

Nigeria & Russia: Ticking Time Bombs

In making HIV/AIDS policies, government must consider:

• Education and prevention programs• Diagnosis and treatment

*An effective HIV/AIDS policy cannot be developed until the state acknowledges the problem.

Nigeria:

• Healthcare is provided by a patchwork of national, state and local governments, private insurance, and NGOs.

• The availability of heath care depends on location, and many rural areas lack even the most basic health care.

• Nigeria ranks 187 in health care. • Nigeria faces an HIV/AIDS crisis.

What do you think? Which of the following policies would be the most effective in

stemming the effects of HIV/AIDS crisis in Nigeria?

a. Improve rural healthcare.b. Improve HIV/AIDS education programs.c. Reduce government corruption.d. Acknowledge the problem and request

international aid.

Russia

• People who are HIV-positive are entitled to free treatment, but there is a big gap between policy and implementation due to lack of funds.

• The virus is spreading among the general population, but many Russians do not feel that they are at risk. They view the disease as a problem facing only sex workers and drug users.

What do you think?Which of the following policies would be the most effective in

stemming the effects of HIV/AIDS crisis in Russia?

a. Provide more funding for local HIV/AIDS Centers.

b. Improve HIV/AIDS education programs.c. Negotiate with Western drug companies for

lower prices.d. Provide government funding for the

production of drugs within Russia.

What do you think? Both Russia and Nigeria face an HIV/AIDS crisis. Which statement best explains why such different states are facing

similar policy challenges?

a. Both countries lack economic resources.b. Both countries ignored the problem until

it became a crisis.c. The political culture in both countries

causes most citizens to avoid talking about the problem.

d. Both governments feared losing legitimacy if they acknowledge the extent of the disease.

Environmental Policymaking

All states face a classic trade off between economic growth and environmental protection policies.

These countries in particular, have suffered severe environmental damage, partly as a result of their economic policies.

• China• Russia• Iran• Mexico• Nigeria

“China is choking on its own success.”

-As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes

• Environmental damage is catastrophic.

• Cancer is the leading cause of death.

• As a result, China has developed policies to improve the environment, including numerical targets for reducing emissions and conserving energy.

• Most of these targets have gone unmet; the leaders of China are “either unwilling or unable to make fundamental changes.”

• Failure to improve the environment may lead to a loss of legitimacy, but the same thing might happen if economic growth rates slow.

What do you think? China’s policy for green GDP failed. Which of the following statements

describes the most important reason for this failure?

a. The policy was window dressing, and Chinese leadership never really supported green initiatives.

b. Corruption at the local levels hinders enforcement of environmental policies.

c. The results of environmental research were so sobering that the project was banished due to the negative publicity it would generate.

d. Sweeping edicts are too broad to generate effective environmental policy.

In Iran, environmental policy has taken a back seat to economic development.

• Environmental degradation is often a characteristic of authoritarian governments, where the state takes a preeminent role in economic development.

Example:

• The government diverted water for the Sivand Dam against the protests of environmental and heritage activists and at the risk of damaging historical sites and natural habitat.

What do you think? Is environmental degradation more likely in authoritarian systems?

Which statement best describes your opinion?

a. Yes, authoritarian governments are more interested in maintaining economic performance and legitimacy than they are in the health and well-being of their citizens.

b. No. Most governments are more focused on economic growth than on the environment, whether or not they are authoritarian.

c. Yes, because authoritarian government rarely face repercussions for environmental damage.

d. No. Most environmental damage is the result of an international economy where corporations are able to avoid regulation in a “race to the bottom.”

Mexico, a democratic country, has traded economic development for environmental protection.

• The PROAIRE program was created to forge a sense of community participation in preserving the environment and health.

• Although Mexico still faces an environmental crisis, the program has helped shape the discussion about its long term air quality policy and programs.

What do you think? Which country will face the greatest loss of legitimacy as a

result of environmental damage?

a. Iranb. Chinac. Mexicod. None of these countries will face a serious

challenge to its legitimacy

Education Policy

Education policy poses several challenges for the state.

• A well-educated population is needed to keep up with the global economy.

• However, a well-educated population can pose a challenge to the state’s authority, especially when jobs are not available to graduates.

States must make decisions about whether to subsidize education

and at what level.

• For example: providing a free college education is expensive for the state and may result in a loss of access for all but the most talented (or well connected) students.

Case Study: Nigeria

• Nigeria provides students with free college education, but state subsidies per student are low and so are professors’ salaries.

• Access is limited to those students who score extremely well on national tests.

What do you think? Is there a better education policy for Nigeria?

a. No. At least the state pays for the most talented young people to attend college.

b. Yes. Women are underrepresented, and this is a waste of a valuable human resource.

c. Yes. More colleges should be built, and students should be required to pay tuition. This would open access to more students.

d. No. By opening access to students who can afford to pay for college, Nigeria will also be opening the door for less talented students whose families can afford to pay tuition.

Case Study: United Kingdom

• The UK subsidizes education to a certain extent.

• In 2010 tuition was raised from 3,000 to 5,000 pounds per year.

Critics claim:

• The increased costs will shut the doors to higher education for the middle class.

• There is a growing concern that incoming students are ill-prepared for college and lack the study and analytical skills necessary to succeed.

What do you think? Was the tuition increase a wise public policy for the

conservative government to enact?

a. Yes. The system was a drain on the state’s budget.

b. Yes. This will make students appreciate education more, because they will be more invested in doing well.

c. No. This will prevent talented students from attending college.

d. No. This will undermine the legitimacy of the government.

Policy Making in the Comparative Context

• Public policy is important.• Most states face similar problems that

demand the attention of policy makers.• By comparing public policies we can learn

more about how systems function.• The consequences of public policy impact

the state’s legitimacy and its reputation in the global community.

Thank You