Power and Policy in Liberal Democracies

This textbook, first published in 1992, integrates the field of policy studies with more traditional approaches to comparative politics.

Martin Harrop (Edited by)

9780521347983, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 February 1992

320 pages, 1 b/w illus. 26 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.43 kg

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, first published in 1992, 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.

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.

Subject Areas: Political structure & processes [JPH]