Public Administration Mains 2017 : Model Question and Answer - 44
Public Administration Mains 2017 : Model Question and Answer
(Public Administration Paper I / Chapter: Public Policy)
(Important) Question :
The incrementalist paradigm posits a conservative tendency in public policy
making. (20 Marks/250 Words)
Model Answer :
The incremental approach of decision making involves a process of continually building out from the current situation in small degrees. In view of constraints of time , intelligence and cost, as per Lindblom, incremental approach is more realistic as per bounded rationality. However its greatest drawback as per Etzioni and Dror, is its pluralists nature which favours strong lobbyists and businessmen. Also ,this approach does not allow revisiting fundamentals , to formulate a new policy altogether. It also discourages maximisation of human potential as they have to act to satisfy particular demands. Incrementalism paradigm is based on bounded rationality of the policy maker and leads to a slow, step by step change in the policy depending upon the demands of the situation. It has merit in a policy environment that has been evolving over a long period of time. It is based on the following assumptions:
a) It accepts the legitimacy of the existing policies and that there is no
need for a radical change
b) It emphasizes the need to arrive at an agreement between the different actors
that are engaged in the policy making process and avoid excessive political
tensions
c) It adopts a simple method to find a way that will work. Therefore it engages
in trial and error in contemporary policies and does not indulge in any radical
measures. (Total Words- 223)
(Linkages : Incrementalist Paradigm and Conservative Tendency, Incrementalist Paradigm and Lindblom, Incrementalist Paradigm and Etzioni & Incrementalist Paradigm and Dror)