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Policy Paradox and Political Reason
Political Studies, Economic Studies
316 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1988
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February 20, 2016
Stone breaks down the limits of the construct of political rationality, elucidating the contested terrain and unstable categories that are central to politics.
"The rationality project, I will argue, misses the point of politics. Moreover, it is impossible. Because paradox is an essential feature of political life, politics and policy are beyond the reach of rational analytic methods. The very categories of thought underlying rational analysis are themselves paradoxes, defined in political struggle. They do not exist before or without politics. Instead, we must understand analysis in and of politics as strategically crafted argument, designed to create paradoxes and resolve them in a particular direction."
"Policy making...is a constant struggle over the criteria of classification, the boundaries of categories, and the definition of ideals that guide the way people behave."
After laying out her overarching argument in her introduction and Part I: Politics, she proceeds to three sections Goals, Problems, and Solutions. In Goals, she explores the various ways that key principles can be defined: equity, efficiency, security, and liberty. None of these have fixed definitions; they are defined through contestation/debate/conflict. In Problems, she analyzes symbols, numbers, causes, interests, and decisions--contrasting how they are viewed in the rational model and how they really exist in the polis. In her last section, she looks at solutions: inducements, rules, facts, rights, and powers.
The book can be a bit dry at times, but it offers an essential framework for understanding politics and political debate.
"The rationality project, I will argue, misses the point of politics. Moreover, it is impossible. Because paradox is an essential feature of political life, politics and policy are beyond the reach of rational analytic methods. The very categories of thought underlying rational analysis are themselves paradoxes, defined in political struggle. They do not exist before or without politics. Instead, we must understand analysis in and of politics as strategically crafted argument, designed to create paradoxes and resolve them in a particular direction."
"Policy making...is a constant struggle over the criteria of classification, the boundaries of categories, and the definition of ideals that guide the way people behave."
After laying out her overarching argument in her introduction and Part I: Politics, she proceeds to three sections Goals, Problems, and Solutions. In Goals, she explores the various ways that key principles can be defined: equity, efficiency, security, and liberty. None of these have fixed definitions; they are defined through contestation/debate/conflict. In Problems, she analyzes symbols, numbers, causes, interests, and decisions--contrasting how they are viewed in the rational model and how they really exist in the polis. In her last section, she looks at solutions: inducements, rules, facts, rights, and powers.
The book can be a bit dry at times, but it offers an essential framework for understanding politics and political debate.
Displaying 1 of 1 review