Does Policy Analysis always show bias toward liberalism or conservatism?

Answer 1

I think policy analysis always shows bias toward liberalism or conservatism. First of all, I think it is important to know the definition of liberal and conservative policies and be able to differentiate them. According to Stewart, Hedge, and Lester (2008), "Liberal policies are those in which the government is used extensively to bring about social change, usually in the direction of ensuring greater levels of social equality. Conservative policies, on the other hand, generally oppose the use of government to bring about social change but may approve government action to preserve the status quo or to promote favored interests" (p. 7). Although most people strive for social equality, people don't always agree with which policies are implemented and/or the process of implementation even though they have a desired outcome.

When analyzing a policy, people look at how and where the problem originated. The problem is likely to stem from what the government did or didn't do. As people analyze policies, their biases come into play. People who think the government should be involved may blame the problem on the government not being involved while those who oppose the use of government think that the problem may not have escalated if the government wasn't involved. There is a conflict in the beliefs of those who support liberal policies and those who support conservative policies; hence, there will always be a problem presented. The policy cycle is inevitable. There are always problems presented and policies needed to resolve the problems. We must first recognize the problem, create a policy and implement it, evaluate it to see how effective it is, make necessary changes, and terminate the policy once the problem is fixed. I think that this policy cycle can be related to every person and every aspect of his or her life. Whenever a problem presents itself, I look at what choices I have, evaluate how effective each choice would be, make my decision, make changes as needed, and eventually the problem is resolved. Another problem arises. The cycle repeats itself.

Stewart, J., Jr., Hedge, D. M., & Lester, J. P. (2008). Public policy: An evolutionary approach (3rd ed.). Boston: Thompson Wadsworth.

Answer 2

Policy analysis can be conducted from various ideological perspectives, including liberalism and conservatism. The biases that may arise in policy analysis are often a result of the analyst's own ideological leanings, the research methodology used, or the sources of data considered. It is important for policymakers and researchers to be aware of and transparent about any biases in their analysis to ensure that decisions are based on accurate and objective information.