E-Book Overview
The Political Economy of Rule Evasion and Policy Reform develops the logic underlying the connections between breaking the rules and making the rules. Approaching policy issues from the point of view of rule circumvention provides a perspective that illuminates a wide variety of phenomena:* implicit tolerance of extensive illegal behaviour, treadmills of reform, delays of major policy changes* the complexity of rules* potential for perverse outcomes from policy reforms* corruption of enforcers* trade-offs between a rule-based and a discretionary policy. This ground-breaking new book is written in a clear readable style and is replete with a wide variety of examples, including case studies on zero tolerance policies, the demise of the Soviet Union, and the ongoing transformation of firearm regulations in Britain and the US.
E-Book Content
The Political Economy of Rule Evasion and Policy Reform
Today’s policy reforms are built upon the ashes of yesterday’s policy failures. Widespread disobedience, people choosing not to abide by the letter or the spirit of the rules, is a major source of policy failure. Massive evasion of rules creates conditions conducive to policy reform. Disobedience, therefore, can be a source of improved policies, and rule breakers can unintentionally serve as public benefactors. Evasion-included policy reform is both common and important, prevalent in areas as disparate as traffic regulations and systemic change in formerly socialist countries. The Political Economy of Rule Evasion and Policy Reform develops the logic underlying the connections between breaking the rules and making the rules. Approaching policy issues from the point of view of rule circumvention provides a perspective that illuminates a wide variety of phenomena: • • • • •
implicit tolerance of extensive illegal behavior, treadmills of reform, delays of major policy changes the complexity of rules potential for perverse outcomes from policy reforms corruption of enforcers trade-offs between a rule-based and a discretionary policy.
This ground-breaking new book is written in a clear, readable style and is replete with a wide variety of examples, including case studies on zero tolerance policies, the demise of the Soviet Union, and the ongoing transformation of firearm regulations in Britain and the US. The Political Economy of Rule Evasion and Policy Reform provides social scientists, legal scholars, and policy professionals with an improved understanding of public policy formation and evolution. Jim Leitzel is Senior Lecturer in Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.
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