Government policy is the governmental actions, laws, and regulations that establish broad social or economic goals and objectives, such as fostering economic growth, reducing inequality, or protecting the environment. These policies are the result of considerable research, debate, and compromise that occur over years and may be refined even after implementation at a local level. They are designed to achieve a particular purpose, which they accomplish through a variety of mechanisms such as funding initiatives, regulations, and programs.
As the name suggests, government policy affects all levels of society. From how much tax you pay, to where you live and where you go to school, government policies impact every aspect of your life.
Many people attempt to influence government policy by supporting candidates and political parties. While this is a good way to make an impact, it is not the only way. Government policy is shaped by many diverse stakeholders, including lobbying firms, non-profit organizations, and varied constituency groups. These other system actors are a valuable resource for the creation and implementation of policy, since they operate with different mixes of incentives than governments and have access to resources that help them overcome barriers to successful implementation.
A key challenge in policymaking is ensuring that the explicit goals of a policy are clearly articulated and understood. These goals can be extracted from the legislation that establishes a policy through an analysis of its stated intent. This provides a foundation for evaluating the intended effect of a policy in ambiguous situations, and it can also provide a normative basis for judging whether a policy has been successful.