About this Study Set
This study set covers Public Policy through
25 practice questions.
A comprehensive test on the history, theory, and implementation of public policy. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 25 questions from the
Public Policy Foundations and Frameworks study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which political scientist is credited with introducing the concept of 'bounded rationality' in the context of decision-making and policy analysis?
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A
Herbert Simon
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B
Graham Allison
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C
Harold Lasswell
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D
Charles Lindblom
2
In the context of the Policy Cycle, what does the term 'Policy Window' refer to, as defined by John Kingdon?
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A
The period of legislative session
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B
The opportunity for action when streams of problems, policies, and politics converge
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C
The duration of a budget cycle
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D
The time between election and inauguration
3
The 'Garbage Can Model' of organizational choice, which describes policy-making as a fluid process, was developed by whom?
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A
Cohen, March, and Olsen
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B
Max Weber
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C
Anthony Downs
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D
Theodore Lowi
4
According to Theodore Lowi’s typology, which policy type involves the allocation of benefits to specific groups at the expense of the general public?
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A
Distributive
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B
Redistributive
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C
Regulatory
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D
Constituent
5
What is the primary function of a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) in the policy process?
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A
To assess the economic and social costs of a proposed regulation
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B
To lobby parliament for extra funding
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C
To increase the speed of legislative drafting
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D
To ensure partisan alignment
6
What is the 'incrementalism' theory in policy-making, famously associated with Charles Lindblom, also known as?
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A
The science of muddling through
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B
The rational-comprehensive approach
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C
Top-down policy execution
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D
The elite theory of power
7
Which term describes the phenomenon where policy-making is dominated by the relationships between agencies, legislative committees, and interest groups?
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A
Iron Triangle
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B
Bureaucratic Capture
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C
Public Choice
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D
Regulatory Creep
8
Which theoretical framework views public policy as the preferences and values of a governing elite?
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A
Elite Theory
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B
Group Theory
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C
Institutionalism
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D
Systems Theory
9
Who authored 'The Policy Sciences: Recent Developments in Scope and Method' in 1951, helping to establish the field?
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A
Harold Lasswell
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B
David Easton
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C
Robert Dahl
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D
Thomas Dye
10
In public policy, what is meant by the 'deadweight loss' of a tax policy?
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A
The reduction in economic efficiency caused by market distortions
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B
The administrative cost of collection
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C
The tax paid by corporations
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D
The loss of government revenue due to exemptions
11
What does the 'Principal-Agent Problem' refer to in the implementation of public policy?
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A
Information asymmetry between those delegating power and those exercising it
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B
The conflict between two government departments
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C
The struggle between the executive and judiciary
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D
The lack of funding for public works
12
Which landmark report in the United Kingdom (1942) established the framework for the modern welfare state?
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A
Beveridge Report
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B
Northcote-Trevelyan Report
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C
Haldane Report
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D
Fulton Report
13
The 'Overton Window' refers to:
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A
The range of policies acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time
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B
The glass-ceiling effect in public office
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C
The timeline for policy review
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D
The budget window for capital expenditure
14
What is 'path dependency' in public policy?
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A
The idea that past decisions constrain future policy options
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B
The reliance on a single political party
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C
The geographical location of infrastructure
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D
The sequence of administrative approvals
15
In social policy, what is the 'Gini coefficient' used to measure?
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A
Income inequality
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B
Public health standards
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C
Urban density
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D
Literacy rates
16
Which Act of the US Congress established the Council of Economic Advisers to assist the President with policy?
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A
Employment Act of 1946
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B
Budget and Accounting Act of 1921
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C
Administrative Procedure Act of 1946
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D
Social Security Act of 1935
17
What is the primary objective of a 'sunset provision' in legislation?
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A
To terminate a program or regulation automatically after a specified date unless renewed
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B
To ensure the law only applies during daylight hours
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C
To phase out government debt
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D
To restrict the power of sunset clauses
18
The 'Technocratic' approach to policy-making prioritizes:
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A
Expert knowledge and scientific data
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B
Public opinion polls
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C
Political party manifestos
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D
Religious doctrine
19
What is 'Co-production' in the context of public service delivery?
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A
Collaboration between public service providers and citizens in the creation of services
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B
Partnership between two government ministries
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C
Private-public sector investment
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D
International cooperation on climate policy
20
Who is considered the pioneer of 'Public Choice Theory', which applies economic principles to political decision-making?
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A
James M. Buchanan
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B
Milton Friedman
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C
Friedrich Hayek
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D
John Maynard Keynes
21
In public policy evaluation, what is a 'counterfactual'?
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A
What would have happened in the absence of the policy intervention
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B
The opinion of the opposition party
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C
The financial audit of the program
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D
The failure of the initial implementation
22
Which concept describes the process by which policies are adopted by different governments due to observation and imitation?
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A
Policy Diffusion
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B
Policy Convergence
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C
Policy Transfer
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D
Policy Convergence
23
What is the 'Cost-Benefit Analysis' (CBA) primarily used for?
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A
Determining the economic feasibility of a policy project
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B
Assessing the moral standing of a bill
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C
Counting the number of lobbyists involved
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D
Mapping the electoral districts
24
What defines a 'wicked problem' in public policy?
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A
A problem that is difficult or impossible to solve due to incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements
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B
A problem caused by intentional malice
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C
A problem that only affects a small minority
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D
A problem limited to local government
25
The 'New Public Management' (NPM) movement of the 1980s and 90s promoted:
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A
Applying private sector management techniques to the public sector
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B
Centralizing all government functions
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C
Abolishing the civil service
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D
Replacing taxation with user fees exclusively
