MODULE 1

Lesson 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC POLICY

We have identified five characteristics of public policy
 Purposive Action
 Consist of patterns of actions
 Governments usually do
 Based on law and it is authoritative
 Cause of bargaining and compromise among policy makers and interest
groups
Purposive action- means public policy should have a goal and objective. It is about
what is the purpose in making or having a policy. Is it about food production, health
services, educational assistance, housing projects etc.?
Patterns of actions- it means it is a process and there is such a cycle.
Governments usually do- It is the government actually do or they are going to do.
They said that it is really the affairs of the government. It is either mandated to them
by law or constitution itself. Means they act because they are directed to do so by
law or constitution.
Based on law and it is authoritative- means the decision is not merely based on
opinion but based on law. No one could claim that he made a policy that in his
opinion it is a necessity. Authoritative meaning powerful. Policy is powerful because
every citizen will abide by the policy. You could not even claim that you will be
exempt to some policies because you are not aware of it since it is presumed for
every citizen to know (ignorantia legis non excusat). Another thing is it may be harsh
but you could not complain based on the maxim (Dura lex sid lex.)
Sometimes it makes cause of bargaining and compromise. Because they have
the control what policy can be formulated. It can result in selective beneficiaries or
application. Congress especially may prioritize like constitutional amendments than
on anti-poverty policies and others.