The Extent to Which the Policy Process in Britain is Open Democracy

The Extent to Which the Policy Process in Britain is Open Democracy To what extent

is the policy process in Britain open and democratic?" In order to

accomplish this, the terms 'democracy' and policy' will be defined, a

brief overview of the policy process will be given, and groups who

influence the policy process will be identified and their role within

it examined.

'The function of democracy is, fundamentally, to ensure the diffusion

of power by stipulating that each citizen has the ability to influence

the outcome of political decision-making'. (Fierlbeck K, 1998: page 51)

In defining public, as opposed to private policy, it can be said

simply that public policy is that which is determined by the state or

at least by one of its organs. Public policy is that which has been

deemed to be the concern of the state in general, so that governments

are entitled to make decisions about it; to adjust, amend or replace

policies. What governments cannot do is determine what is and what is

not a matter for public policy making. They may try, but it is, in the

end, forces outside their immediate control that decide where private

ends and public begins. So that popular demand, global developments

and economic determinants all affect the limits of public policy.

(Jordan, A. G. and Richardson, J.J., 1987)

The policy making process is usually a lengthy one. Bill Jones

identified three main stages; initiation, formulation and

implementation. Initiation is where the original idea comes from. More

often than not, it arises fro...

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