Power and Policy in Liberal Democracies

by Edited by Martin Harrop

• ISBN13: 9780521347983
• ISBN10: 052134798X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1992-02-28
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Why has Japan found it easier than the United States to pursue a consistent industrial policy? Why does Britain provide health care collectively whereas France relies on private provision? Why is the American government unable to ensure the safety of its citizens whereas personal safety is not even an issue in Japan? Such questions are central to the study of comparative public politics and this textbook seeks to answer them by integrating policy analysis with mainstream comparative politics. The authors examine power and policy in four liberal democracies: France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. They provide an introduction to the politics of these four leading democracies, setting out the actors, arenas and agendas of policy in each country. The following sections explore four contrasting areas of policy: industrial, health, ethnic minorities and law and order. In the final part these countries and sectors are discussed from the perspectives of policy implementation, evaluation and comparison.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Introduction Martin Harrop

Part I. Countries: 2. France Ella Ritchie

3. Japan Ian Neary

4. United Kingdom Martin Harrop

5. United States Rod Hague

Part II. Sectors: 6. Industrial policy Philip Daniels

7. Health policy Martin Harrop

8. Ethnic minorities Ian Neary 9. Law and order Ella Ritchie

Part III. Perspectives: 10. Implementation Michael Clarke

11. Evaluation Peter Jones

12. Comparison Martin Harrop

Appendix

Index.