Policy Paradox: The Art Of Political Decision Making

Policy Paradox develops a powerful and original theory that makes sense of politics  in the real world. Unlike most texts, which treat policy analysis and policy making as distinct from one another, this book shows that the very categories behind policy analysis-such as equity, efficiency, liberty, and even measures-are themselves paradoxical and must be resolved through political struggle. Stone demonstrates that the major methods of policy reform-incentives, rules persuasion, legal rights, and reorganization of authority-are complex social processes rather than mere tools of policy makers. Above all, she shows how values enter into policy design and implementation. Since its debut in 1988, Policy Paradox has been widely acclaimed for its sophisticated and compelling explanations of policy making and its lively and down-to-earth writing.