INTRODUCTION TO

PUBLIC POLICY

TYPES OF PUBLIC POLICY

Typologies Studied in Public Policy as a Subject
Given the large number and complexity of public policies,
the task of trying to make sense of them is enormous.
Thus, Political Scientists and Public Policy veterans has
summarized all into these five typologies which provide the
reader with a notion of the scope, diversity, and different
purposes of public policies.
These Typologies are:
• Constituent
• Distributive
• Regulatory
• Redistributive
• Self-Regulatory
CONSTITUENT PUBLIC POLICY
Theodore Lowi states:

“Constituent policies are policies formally and explicitly concerned with

the establishment of government structure, with the establishment of
rules [or procedures] for the conduct of government, of rules that
distribute or divide power and jurisdictions within which present and
future government policies might be made.” (Anderson, 2011)
• These are intended to benefit the public generally or to serve
the government.
• These are concerned with setting-up or re-organization of
institutions
• Each of these issues form a different power arena.
• These create executive power entities or deal with laws.
• Foreign policy, defense policy.
Regulatory public policy
• ‌Regulatory policy features; with concentrated costs and
diffuse benefits.
• A relatively small number of groups or individuals bear the
costs of regulatory policy, but its benefits are expected to
be distributed broadly across society.
• Regulatory policy is most effective for controlling or
protecting public or common resources.
• Regulatory policy is about achieving government's
objectives through the use of regulations, laws, and other
instruments to deliver better economic and social
outcomes and thus enhance the life of citizens and
business.
Conti…
• Regulatory policy is formulated by governments to impose
controls and restrictions on certain specific activities or
behavior.
• Regulation is not only about rules of governing but also a
concept in governance.
• In the discussion of the rise of “regulatory states” and
“regulatory governance” in recent decades, the role of
governments has shifted significantly from its positive
functions in society to the growing use of regulation and
monitoring to direct the state. Both state and non-state
actors have been engaged in the control of social and
economic practices.
Conti…
• The government's restriction and control over business
practices is called its regulatory policy.
• Regulatory policy is designed to achieve efficiency and
equity, which requires the government to intervene, for
example, to maintain competitive trade practices
(an efficiency goal) and to protect vulnerable parties in
economic transactions (an equity goal).
• Examples: policies designed to protect public health and
safety, and the environment, Traffic signals etc
DISTRIBUTIVE PUBLIC POLICY
• collect payments or resources from many but
concentrates direct benefits on relatively few.
• Most common form of public policy uses general taxes
and revenues to provide benefits to individuals and
groups, often by means of grants and subsidies.
• Distributive policies extend goods and services to
members of an organization, as well as distributing the
costs of the goods/services amongst the members of the
organization.
Conti…
• Distributive policy refers to the provision of benefits to
citizens, groups, or corporations.
• The policies involve use of public funds.
• Public goods, incentives, grants, free education policy;
distributing welfare.
• Highways are often developed through distributive policy.
RE-DISTRIBUTIVE PUBLIC POLICY
• Redistributive as the name suggest means collective
resources are distributed again. The purpose of
redistributive property is promote equality. ... But
redistributive policies does not necessarily mean welfare
programs for poor or low income group.
• These policies redistribute resources in society from one
group to another.
• The costs are concentrated and so are the benefits, but
different groups bear the costs and enjoy the benefits.
• Taxes are collected from certain groups and distributed to
another group.
Conti…
• These policies involve deliberate efforts by the
government to shift the allocation of
wealth,income,property among broad classes or
groups.such as haves and have-nots.
• They are difficult to enact as they involve reallocation of
money,rights or power.
• Typically, the wealthy and middle class pay into the
federal tax base, which then funds need-based
programs that support low-income individuals and
families.
• Health care programs, Income distributions, social welfare
policy.
Self-Regulatory Policies

Introduction:
According Larry Irving (1997) “the term ‘self regulation’ itself has a range of
definitions and there is no all encompassing definition of this term.

This term is used quite narrowly to refer to only those instances where the
government has formally delegated the power to regulate, as in the delegation
of securities industry, oversight to the stock exchanges.

At the other end of the spectrum, the term is used when the private sector
perceives the need to regulate itself for whatever reason – to respond to
consumer demand, to carry out ethical beliefs, to enhance industry reputation
or to level the market playing field – and does so
Definition Of Self-Regulation
• The opinions of different scholars can be summarized as
follows:
“An arrangement, involving formal or informal procedures,
rules and norms, that is widely recognized as having the
purpose of constraining the conduct of a set of private
actors, where the procedures, rules and norms are shaped
to a significant degree by some or all of these actor
( including state one) “
Self-Regulatory Policies in the Context of
Pakistan
• Bar Councils
• PMDC
• Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)
• Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC)
• National Clearing Company of Pakistan (NCCPL)
• Other examples.
Issue Identification by:

Public

The
Government

Legislative
system

Public poll
Judiciary
opinions

Media
Policy Universe and policy sub-system:
• Policy universe is a fundamental unit containing all
possible international social actors and institutions directly
or indirectly effecting a specific policy area.
• From these potential members a subset is drawn which is
known as policy subsystem( is a space where relevant
actors discuss policy issue and pursue it and bargain in
pursuit of their interest.
Types of policy subsystem:
• The actors who participate
Interest more often or directly in
the policy process.
network • Direct involvement.

• The actors which involve

Discourse to less degree or indirectly
involve into the policy
community process.
• InDirect involvement
Health policy sub-system:

Health
ministry

Relevant
Medical
health
colleges
department

Pharmaceutical
companies

NGO’s,
hospitals
INGO’s

Media, Think
tanks
Types of Issues:

universal advocacy

selective Technical