Policy-making and diversity in Europe : escaping deadlock / Adrienne Héritier.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Windhoff-Héritier, Adrienne, 1944- author.

Series:

Theories of institutional design.

Theories of institutional design

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

European Union.

Political planning--European Union countries.

Political planning.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vi, 113 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Policy-Making & Diversity in Europe

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Policy-Making and Diversity in Europe examines the European polity and its policy-making processes. In particular, it asks how an institution which is so riddled with veto points manages to be such an active and aggressive policy maker. Héritier argues that the diversity of actors' interests and the consensus-forcing nature of European institutions would almost inevitably stall the decision-making process, were it not for the existence of creative informal strategies and policy-making patterns. Termed by the author 'subterfuge', these strategies prevent political impasses and 'make Europe work'. The book examines the presence of subterfuge in the policy domains of market-making, the provision of collective goods, redistribution and distribution. Subterfuge is seen to reinforce the primary functions of the European polity: the accommodation of diversity, policy innovation and democratic legitimation. Professor Héritier concludes that the use of subterfuge to reconcile unity with diversity and competition with co-operation is the greatest challenge facing European policy-making.

Contents:

1. Escaping deadlock: policy-making in Europe

2. The context of subterfuge: diversity, fragmentation and the malleability of the European polity

3. The analytical approach and theoretical background

4. Market-making policy: transport and telecommunications

5. The provision of collective goods and the reduction of externalities: environmental policy

6. Market-correcting, redistributive policy: regional and social policy

7. Market-correcting, distributive policy: research and technology

8. Summary and conclusion: stalemate and subterfuge across policy areas.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

ISBN:

1-107-11759-3

0-511-00290-4

1-280-42071-5

0-511-17192-7

0-511-14952-2

0-511-30970-8

0-511-49194-8

0-511-04833-5

OCLC:

437250298