Critically assess Rhodes' (1997) argument that 'Policy networks of resource dependent organisations are a characteristic of the British policy process.'
Richard Swann Critically assess Rhodes' (1997) argument that 'Policy networks of resource dependent organisations are a characteristic of the British policy process.' Policy networks first emerged in the early 1980's. The origins of the theory were constructed by Richardson and Jordan however it was the work of Professor Rod Rhodes that moved the theory and our understanding of it on. Rhodes (1997) argument that, "policy networks of resource dependent organisations are a characteristic of the British political system," was one of his core themes in his book Understanding Governance. Despite the fact that Rhodes has written extensively on this area it is still debatable to what extent this statement is true. In an effort to assess Rhodes argument as well as considering the usefulness of the policy network approach I will examine it in the context of a policy area. My chosen case study is the internal market in health focusing on the G.P. fund holding scheme. For the purpose of looking at the relevance of Rhodes argument in the contexts of the policy process in this area I will evaluate policy networks activities from the 1991 Conservative reforms till the present New Labour government. The policy process in Britain in resent years can best be described as complex and hard to define. In British politics policy is not constructed in one single area, the policy process is not
Poverty- idantify the factors that have resulted in Margaret living in poverty and describe how they have affected her.
IDENTIFY THE FACTORS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN MAGARET LIVING IN POVERTY AND DESCRIBE HOW THEY HAVE AFFECTED HER Poverty is not just about the shortage of money. It is about rights and relationships; about how people are treated and how they regard themselves; about powerlessness, the exclusion and loss of dignity. Yet the lack of an adequate income is at its heart. (Cited by: Carey Oppenheim, 1996) Margaret has so many factors that contributed to her situation, one of which was her teenage pregnancy. It is an indication of how she lacked the proper knowledge that can be gained from a proper sex education. This is a factor that should have being dealt with at a younger age than she was as she needed to understand the risks involved with being sexually active. Her parents and teachers needed to take responsibility and teach her the things that she needed to know regarding protection during intercourse and all the disadvantages that come from being sexually active from a young age. The fact that Margaret was staying with her parents instead of living by herself meant that the benefits that she should have been entitled to like, income Support Benefits, Child Tax Credits etc would then be more limited because they would be assessed by using her parent's yearly earnings. This and the fact that she could not find employment that could support her and her child made it tougher for
How presidential is the premiership of Tony Blair.
HOW PRESIDENTIAL IS THE PREMIERSHIP OF TONY BLAIR? INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT The traditional view of the UK's constitutional arrangement of power in government has been that decision making in the executive rests with the cabinet, with the Prime Minister acting as "first amongst equals". However, this has been challenged by many recently, who argue Margaret Thatcher in particular challenged and now Tony Blair has almost eliminated cabinet government, and is the most powerful Prime Minister in the modern era. Some have claimed that Blair is now more of a Presidential figure than a Prime Minister working within the context of cabinet government, in that he exercises personal control over the executive branch and we have an executive decision and policy making process based on an individual rather than a collective body. Obviously there are some major differences between a Presidential system of government and the current British system. In the US, which is Presidential, you vote directly for who you want to become President. In Britain, you are voting for an individual who will become an MP in the Commons. The public has no direct say over who becomes PM; they have been chosen internally within the particular party. However, exit polls from the 2001 British general election do suggest that voters are increasingly influenced by the personalities of the party leaders1. During
Outline the principle ideological factors of Thatcherism
Outline the principle ideological factors of Thatcherism "Thatcherism represents something qualitatively new in British politics." `This statement, made by Stuart Hall in 1980, is a good starting point for a discussion of Thatcherism, raising as it does, several key questions. `Firstly, what is Thatcherism? Is it an ideology or is it, as Riddell believes, "an instinct, a series of moral values and an approach to leadership rather than an ideology"? (A view shared by Gamble, who regarded Thatcherism as being "essentially statecraft rather than ideology.") `Secondly, if Thatcherism is an ideology (and the majority of political commentators clearly see it as being so) then is it, as Hall claims, a new ideology or is it simply a continuation of traditional Conservative philosophy? Is it possible to distinguish between Conservatism and Thatcherism or are we in danger of losing sight of them altogether under an "overelaborate edifice of theory"? `We might even ask legitimately if Thatcherism is purely a British phenomenon (a view Beetham regards as one - dimensional) or whether or not it forms part of what Douglas calls the "international New Right movement". It may seem a paradoxical question but it is important in identifying that some of the most significant influences on Thatcherism have an undeniably international outlook. `"According to Hall and Gamble, Thatcherism is a
Social Work & Schizophrenia
Service User Group - Individuals with Schizophrenia Schizophrenia can be described as a chronic, debilitating disorder, characterized by an inability to distinguish between what is real and what is not (Tartakovsky, 2009). The individual usually experiences symptoms such as hallucinations and delusional thoughts, and they are unable to think rationally, communicate properly, make decisions or remember information. Some other symptoms include disorganised speech, disorganised behaviour, flat emotions, apathy and loss of drive. There are a number of theories that attempt to explain the onset of schizophrenia. This is an area of great debate. Many of the theories that have been put forward in the past have not yet been fully supported by strong scientific research. It is probable that there are a number of different causes. Modern techniques have demonstrated that some affected people have changes in the structure of their brains. There is also evidence that some of these individuals may have been affected by infections before they were born. Occasionally the disorder appears to run in families affecting many family members. The 'Diathesis-Stress Model' balances the cause of schizophrenia between internal and external influences. It emphasizes the impact that the environment can have on people who are deemed genetically vulnerable to developing schizophrenia.
Was Thatcherism just 'old-fashioned' Liberalism?
Was Thatcherism just 'old-fashioned' Liberalism? The panorama of the British political domain in the 1970s, and indeed since the end of the Second World War, has been one of apparent relative economic decline and social unrest. The Conservative election victory of 1979 marked the end of Keynesian economic management and consensus politics, signified clearly in the neoliberal rhetoric of the rising Thatcherite movement. In this context, Thatcherism can be seen in response to the 'creeping socialism' of the post-war period, but also in terms of Conservatism regaining the political ascendancy under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, following the disillusionment in the party caused by the what many saw as the failures of the Heath government of 1970-74. Thatcher and her allies, identifying the problems of the country illustrated by the economic decline since the war, the increasing role of the state and growing strength of organized labour, merely added zeal and vigour to New Right ideals and practice. Essentially this called for a rolling back of the state and the clear objective of promoting free market mechanisms as a means of preserving political freedom and individualism, the latter being diluted by the vastness of the bureaucracy of state. Indeed, this may lead to the conclusion that Thatcherism is, in its essence, Libertarian, echoing as it does (in theoretical terms)
Why is the single currency so important? Discuss with relation to issues of economic and political union.
Why is the single currency so important? Discuss with relation to issues of economic and political union. The introduction of the single European currency on 1st January 1999 represented, without doubt, a revolution in the way economic matters of Europe are managed. The economies of Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland are now to a large extent harmonized under the one common currency, the Euro. Never before has such a project been undertaken uniting currencies and cultures alike. As deepening and widening of the European Union (EU) continues at a rapid pace, how does the single currency fit into the aims and goals of the European Council, and more importantly the aspirations of European citizens? Why is the success Euro crucial to the EU's long term stability and longevity? What political opposition exists towards the importance of the Euro as a driving force for further political integration? It is these questions that this essay seeks to address, providing political and economic reasoning in support of my arguments. Economically speaking, the introduction of the Euro was primarily designed to create a more stable European economy. Indeed, it was set out clearly in the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 as the underpinnings of all the European Commission's financial objectives for the single
How revolutionary was Thatcherism?
How revolutionary was Thatcherism? The result of 1975 leadership election for the Conservative Party heralded a new era in right wing politics. Margaret Thatcher was not only in control of a male dominated and male orientated party but she had brought with her a new ideology that is best described by political theorists as Thatcherism. The British economy and state was transformed between 1979 and 1990 as 'she maximised her power to achieve the things she wanted'1. There is a dispute however as to whether the period of Thatcherism was a revolution of the British State or if it was more of a reaction to Labour Socialism that had taken hold of society in the 1970s. Furthermore there is a belief that Thatcher's revolution was more within the Conservative Party, providing it with a new sense of direction, rather than on Britain as a whole. It is these notions that I intend to analyse before drawing a conclusion as to what extent Thatcherism was revolutionary. Throughout Thatcher's leadership of the Conservative Party it was not uncommon for her opponents to claim that 'she was not really a Conservative at all'2, as a result of her transformation of it. Political observers are unclear as to whether the changes to the party were actually the rise of a new right or just a ideological return to the grass roots of Victorian politics, which is the judgement of one political
In this essay I will define client empowerment in planning care as it is applied to adults, especially adults at risk of neglect and abuse, and explore how care management policy aims to empower clients. There is a dilemma in Mr Bankss case which appl
Planning Care for Adults Balancing risk management, and client empowerment in planning care In this essay I will define client empowerment in planning care as it is applied to adults, especially adults at risk of neglect and abuse, and explore how care management policy aims to empower clients. I will then look at the notion of risk management, and explore what risks are associated with care and support for older people, using the example of Mr Banks as my case study. I will evaluate how risk can be minimised, managed and monitored, including risks to the health and welfare of informal carers. Care planning is a way of agreeing, arranging and managing the services or help needed to enable a person to live at home or to move into a residential or nursing home. It is the process of developing an agreement between the client and the social worker, where client problems, outcomes to be achieved and actions to be pursued in support of a goal achievement are identified. It involves noting both formal and informal services and intended results in a written document. In the assessment stage of care planning, each service user receives an assessment of their care needs and must meet appropriate criteria for the services to be provided. When a service or services have been arranged, a care plan will be written and a copy given to the user. This will contain details of what services
The literature I will be critically reviewing is an article entitled, Parental substance misuse and child care social work: findings from the first stage of a study of 100 families. It was written by Donald Forrester and Judith Harwin.
A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW ON PARENTAL SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND CHILD CARE SOCIAL WORK: FINDINGS FROM THE FIRST STAGE OF A STUDY OF 100 FAMILIES. BY DONALD FORRESTER AND JUDITH HARWIN, CHILD AND FAMILY SOCIAL WORK 2006, Vol. 11, pp325-335 The literature I will be critically reviewing is an article entitled, "Parental substance misuse and child care social work: findings from the first stage of a study of 100 families". It was written by Donald Forrester and Judith Harwin. Donald Forrester was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Social Work at the time the article was published in January 2006. He has written a number of articles on the subject of Parental Substance Misuse (PSM) of which three are included in my 50 literature search. The second author, Judith Harwin is a Professor of Social Work, Department of Health and Social Care at Brunel University in the UK at the time of publication. One of the aims of this article is to address the lack of British research on the topic by reporting on the first stage of a study of all cases allocated for long-term work in four London local authorities over one year. The study focused on cases in which there was alleged misuse of drugs and/or alcohol by parents. The findings address some important questions that have received little coverage in British research so far. These include: what is the extent of parental substance misuse
