Discuss the increasing “blurred lines” between the public and private sectors in policymaking. What methods has government adopted that blur these lines? Provide examples. What is the role of interest groups in this framework? Identify concerns raised by introducing the private sector into public policymaking and implementation.
What will be an ideal response?
Public and private interests and organizations have become so intermingled it is difficult to tell where the boundaries between the two lie. The relationship works in both directions. Public activities have increasing private sector involvement at the same time that the private sector has increased activities in the public domain. Privatization of public activities has been used as a tool to reduce government cost in providing public service. Examples include privatization of hospitals, prison, and garbage collection, and so on. Interest groups have developed formal institutions for representation in policy formation and policy implementation. They have been granted formal access to government and can claim legitimacy in the role of policymaking. Corporatism, direct involvement of interest groups in public decision-making, has been increasing in the United States. Special interests are actively used by government in the formation and implementation of policy. Examples include Department of Agriculture using local farming organizations to monitor crop allotment programs, medical societies used to review Medicare and Medicaid services, airline cabin attendants enforcing seat belt laws, and so on. Concerns include the questions of who is ultimately responsible for public policy when the duties are either shared with the private sector or completely managed by private organizations--who is held accountable when something goes wrong. Does government risk a loss of public trust by increasing the role of the private sector?
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