The study of comparative public policy reveals the intensely political nature of policy choices. While policy analysts often look to policy successes and failures outside their borders to draw valuable lessons and insights, cultural, economic, political, and institutional conditions vary from country to country and strongly affect how policy analysis is ultimately used. By combining a conceptual discussion of policy making with an examination of seven specific policy areas, Jessica Adolino and Charles Blake show how politics—in the realm of the environment, education, taxation, economics, immigration, health care, and social welfare—shapes policy choices. The second edition of Comparing Public Policies has been revised and updated to reflect the most recent political and policy developments. This new edition expands coverage of the internationalization of domestic policy making by including a European Union case study in each issue area, along with further discussion of the role of international interest groups in the policy process. The seven policy chapters have been revised and updated to examine current issues in the United States, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the European Union, such as: the heightened calls for immigration policy reform the return to higher budget deficits in several countries the efforts to lower tax rates in countries with falling expenditures and in countries with rising spending levels the often unsuccessful attempts to control increasing health care costs in countries with aging populations the spirited debate over the future role of the welfare state in an increasingly globalized economy the, at times, divergent education reform debates regarding the role of assessment and calls for decentralization the uneven environmental performance in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions Chapters include analyses of crossnational trends—past and present—and a final chapter reexamines the internationalization of public policy in industrialized countries. Useful pedagogical features have been incorporated throughout the text, including "In Depth" boxes that offer detailed discussion of the political process or analytical techniques, and "Country At-a-Glance" boxes that provide quick reference to political institutions. A wealth of recent data is displayed in numerous tables and a glossary gives students a practical guide to terminology.

Table of Contents Tables, Figures, and Boxes ix Preface xi An Introduction to Comparative Public Policy 1 The Increasing Internationalization of Public Policy 4 The Organization of This Book 6 1 The Policy Process 1 The Study of the Policy Process 8 The Policy Process Revisited 28 2 Theories of Policy Making 31 The Cultural School 31 The Economic School 34 The Political School 38 The Institutional School 41 An Eclectic Approach to Examining Policy Theories 45 3 Political and Economic Dynamics in Industrialized Countries 47 Social Cleavage 47 Interest Groups 48 Political Parties and Party Systems 51 Voting Behavior 55 Electoral Systems 59 Executive-Legislative Relations 63 Intergovernmental Relations 67 The Bureaucracy 69 The Judiciary 70 Economic Dynamics 71 4 The Policy-making Context 77 The United States 77 Japan 80 Germany 83 France 86 The United Kingdom 89 Italy 92 European Union 95 5 Immigration Policy 100 Common Policy Problems 100 Major Policy Options 103 Explaining Policy Dynamics 104 International Policy Making 109 United States 111 Japan 118 Germany 123 France 129 United Kingdom 134 Italy 140 European Union 146 Cross-national Trends 150 6 Fiscal Policy 159 Common Policy Problems 159 Major Policy Options 161 Explaining Policy Dynamics 163 Internafional Policy Making 167 United States 169 Japan 174 Germany 177 France 180 United Kingdom 183 Italy 186 European Union 189 Cross-national Trends 192 7 Taxation Policy 198 Common Policy Problems 198 Major Policy Options 200 Explaining Policy Dynamics 203 International Policy Making 206 United States 207 Japan 211 Germany 214 France 217 United Kingdom 219 Italy 222 European Union 225 Cross-national Trends 229 8 Health Care Policy 234 Common Policy Problems 234 Major Policy Options 235 Explaining Policy Dynamics 239 International Policy Making 242 United States 243 Japan 249 Germany 253 France 257 United Kingdom 262 Italy 266 European Union 270 Cross-national Trends 273 9 Social Policy 278 Common Policy Problems 278 Major Policy Options 281 Explaining Policy Dynamics 283 International Policy Making 287 United States 287 Japan 293 Germany 296 France 301 United Kingdom 305 Italy 309 European Union 313 Cross-national Trends 315 10 Education Policy 321 Common Policy Problems 321 Major Policy Options 322 Explaining Policy Dynamics 326 International Policy Making 329 United States 329 Japan 334 Germany 338 France 342 United Kingdom 346 Italy 351 European Union 355 Cross-national Trends 358 11 Environmental Policy 364 Common Policy Problems 364 Major Policy Options 366 Explaining Policy Dynamics 369 International Policy Making 372 United States 373 Japan 379 Germany 383 France 388 United Kingdom 392 Italy 396 European Union 401 Cross-national Trends 405 12 Conclusion 412 Contemporary Trends 412 Learning Lessons by Comparing Policies 417 Glossary 419 References 429 Index 441.

The second edition of this popular textbook combines coverage of public policies in different countries with the conceptual and methodological frameworks for analysing them. This new edition pays particular attention to the international contexts of ideas, interests and institutions in which decision makers operate. In addition, it considers the bilateral, multilateral and transnational aspects of policy-making in today's interconnected world. This is a core text for introductory modules on undergraduate and postgraduate public policy, public management and public administration programmes. In addition, it will be useful for those courses that take a comparative approach to specific policy areas such as welfare, health and education. With a focus on enabling students to draw their own comparisons, it is the ideal choice for lecturers across the world. New to this Edition: - New and improved chapter structure places conceptual discussion before the empirical analysis, leading to a stronger emphasis on big picture questions throughout - Increased attention to contemporary relevant policy issues such as migration, climate change and security - Quantitative and descriptive data has been systematically updated

Among all the worlds’ democracies, the American system of government is perhaps the most self-conscious about preventing majority tyranny. The American constitutional system is predicated on an inherent ideational and institutional tension dating back to the foundation of the nation in the eighteenth century, which constrains innovative policy development. Namely, the framers designed a system that simultaneously seeks to protect the rights of the minority out of power and provide for majority rule. These opposing goals are based on the idea that limiting governmental power will guarantee individual liberty. The Path of American Public Policy: Comparative Perspectives asks how this foundational tension might limit the range of options available to American policy makers. What does the resistance to change in Washington teach us about the American system of checks and balances? Why is it so difficult (though not impossible) to make sweeping policy changes in the United States? How could things be different? What would be the implications for policy formation if the United States adopted a British-style parliamentary system? To examine these questions, this book gives an example of when comprehensive change failed (the 1994 Contract with America) and when it succeeded (the 2010 Affordable Care Act). A comparison of the two cases sheds light on how and why Obama’s health care was shepherded to law under Nancy Pelosi, while Newt Gingrich was less successful with the Contract with America. The contrast between the two cases highlights the balance between majority rule and minority rights, and how the foundational tension constrains public-policy formation. While 2010 illustrates an exception to the rule about comprehensive policy change in the United States, the 1994 is an apt example of how our system of checks and balances usually works to stymie expansive, far-reaching legislative initiatives.

Written in response to the increasingly conscious effort to develop human rights on a universal scale, this seminal volume focuses on three distinct areas of human rights-public policy, criteria for comparative assessment, and NGO (nongovernmental organization) strategies. The contributors amplify and clarify what has been done in the sphere of hum