Public Policy

Articles:
"Marshmallows and public policy- The Self-Control Test"-David Brooks - May 12, 2006
"Finding an acceptable balance"-Andy Ho May 11 2006

In the face rapid changes occurring in the world nowadays, the emphasis on values in society is gaining momentum and weight. Public policy makers are awakening to the need to balance economic and social policy to achieve the desired effects of policy making. Some important areas of consideration would be to address the problems of the co-existence of religion and state, and also to inculcate self-control in people so that they can become better citizens to contribute to the country beneficially.

Religion is an aspect that frequently clashes with public policy. In the recent controversy surrounding the release of the Da Vinci Code in Singapore, people are starting to question what it means to shape both religious identity and national identity simultaneously. The state should take this clash of beliefs seriously in making public policy. There were many past instances when there were differing view, once in 2001 about the stem cell and cloning debate, then there was the issue of gambling and casino debate. To achieve effective public policy making, the nation should be able to maintain a creative tension between moral judgment and political or national priorities. Sometimes there are clashes between economic requirements and religious beliefs so there is a need to achieve a delicate balance between the two. Ignoring either side might bring about repercussions.

The main thing about taking into consideration about cultivating self-control of the people is to inculcate in them a strong sense of self-discipline. This is advantageous to the state as people with self-discipline are usually more successful and are not a drain on state resources, so this measure effectively maximises the nation's human resource and is beneficial to the country. While pursuing a high quality education and to ace international grading exams on the level of proficiency in subjects, education systems should at the same time allocate some of its resources to cultivating this aspect of people. Public policy should take into account this aspect and accord required attention. In a classic experiment in 1970, psychologist Walter Mischel left a succession of 4-year-olds in a room witha bell and a marshmallow. If they rang the bell, he would come back and they could eat the marshmallow. But if they did not ring the bell and waited for him to return on his own, they could then have two marshmallows. Eventually, the children who waited longer went on to get into better colleges and earned higher incomes. On the flip side, the children who rang the bell quickest were more likely to become bullies and were more likely to have drug porblems at age 32.

In conclusion, public policy should achieve one main aim, which is to adequately balance state interests with personal beliefs. That is what concludes successful policy making.