Ethics and Values
in Public Policy
Political Values
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Policy debates focus on political values
Political actors favor different values
Political actors interpret values differently
Mark Carl Rom
Policy Paradox
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A paradox is something that is two things
at the same time.
Goals of book:
> Politics is not obstacle to good policy, but a
creative and valuable feature of social life
> We do not live just in ‘economic markets’
but ‘political communities’
> Values are not objective, but contingent
Mark Carl Rom
Policy Paradox
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Politics not logical and rational
> Identify goals
> Specify alternatives to obtaining goals
> Predict and evaluate consequences
> Select “best” policy
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Politics is creative and social
> Multiple meanings
> Strategic
Mark Carl Rom
Ideas: Concepts of Society
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Market model
Polis Model
Mark Carl Rom
What Political Values Matter?
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Equity
Efficiency
Liberty
Security
Mark Carl Rom
Equity
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How should we divide the cake?
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Simple definition: Equal slices for all. But….
Equal slices based on size
Equal slices based on hunger
Equal slices based on value
Equal slices based on rank
Equal slices over time
Equal slices based on groups
Equal slices based on contributions
Equal slices based on opportunities
Equal slices based on access
Equal votes
Mark Carl Rom
Equity
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Each form of distribution is equitable in
some ways and inequitable in other ways
There is no way to design policies that
will be viewed equitably by all
Mark Carl Rom
Efficiency
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What is an efficient library system?
Simple definition: Getting the most output for a
given input. But…
> What are the correct outputs (objectives)? Who
decides?
> How do we value multiple objectives?
> How do different outputs benefit different groups?
> How should we count inputs (e.g. labor costs) that
are also outputs (jobs)?
> How should we decide which of the many outputs of
any input to count in the equation?
Mark Carl Rom
Liberty
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Simple definition: People should be free to do what they want
unless their activity harms other people. But…
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Material harms
Elevated risk of harm
Amenity harms
Emotional and psychological harms
Spiritual and moral harms
Accumulative harms
Harms to a group caused by the actions of a group member
Harms to society caused by individual failure to undertake helpful
actions
If multiple people are involved, whose liberty should be curtailed?
Who should bear the burden of change?
Mark Carl Rom
Security
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What kind of needs should society provide?
Simple definition: minimum requirements for
biological survival. But…
> Should we count only material resources or symbolic
meanings?
> Should we measure needs on a fixed or relative standard?
> Should we provide only for immediate, direct needs, or also for
broader goals?
> Should society provide only for current needs, or also for
future needs?
> Should society secure only individual needs or also relational
needs?
Mark Carl Rom
A Liberty-Equality Tradeoff?
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Yes
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No
> Redistribution reduces
liberty
> Liberty is all or nothing
> Liberty is decreased when
people are coerced by
public policies
Mark Carl Rom
> Power, wealth, and
knowledge are
prerequisites for true
liberty
> Liberty has degrees;
reducing it for some can
increase it for others
> Human freedom can be
increased by solving
collective problems
An Equality-Efficiency Tradeoff?
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Yes
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No
> Maintaining equality
eliminates people’s
motivation to work
> Maintaining equality
requires government
interference with
individual choice, and
choice is necessary for
efficiency
> Maintaining equality
requires large
bureaucracy
> A trade-off is inevitable
Mark Carl Rom
> People are motivated by
inherent satisfaction, selfesteem and sense of
belonging
> Redistribution does not
stifle experimentation and
innovation, but can
stimulate it
> Administration can itself
be a productive activity
> Society can have both
equality and efficiency by
managing policy choices
Liberty and Security
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Two dilemmas:
> Dependence:
• People cannot be free unless they have some
security
• Security can undermine liberty
> Paternalism
• Can the government legitimately keep people
from harming themselves?
Mark Carl Rom
A Security-Efficiency Tradeoff?
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Yes
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No
> People are not motivated
to work when they are
secure
> The more security in a
society, the bigger the
(unproductive) service
sector
> Efficiency requires
changes that make some
people worse off
Mark Carl Rom
> Human productivity
increases with increased
security
> Productivity is low in the
service sector only
because of the way
productivity is defined
> Public policies can
mitigate some of the
insecurities caused by
economic change
A Liberty-Security Tradeoff?
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Yes
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No
> Security creates
dependence
> People need to be selfsufficient in order to be
truly free
> If the government protects
people from harming
themselves, it must
restrict liberty
Mark Carl Rom
> Insecurity deprives a
person of capacity to
make free choices
> Humans inevitably are
communal, and depending
on others allows freedom
> Public policy can make
honest decisions to protect
those incapable of
protecting themselves
Conclusion: Political Reason
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“Reasoned analysis is necessarily political”
> Policy analysis is political argument, and vice versa.
> All categories are human creations
> Political reasoning is metaphoric
• High stakes
• Conflict
• Strategic
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Political reason is a process of persuasion:
searching for criteria, justifying choices
Mark Carl Rom