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Why Government Fails So Often: And How It Can Do Better by [Schuck, Peter H.]

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Why Government Fails So Often: And How It Can Do Better Kindle Edition

by Peter H. Schuck (Author)

32 customer reviews

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From healthcare to workplace and campus conduct, the federal government is taking on ever more responsibility for managing our lives. At the same time, Americans have never been more disaffected with Washington, seeing it as an intrusive, incompetent, wasteful giant. Ineffective policies are caused by deep structural factors regardless of which party is in charge, bringing our government into ever-worsening disrepute. Understanding why government fails so often—and how it might become more effective—is a vital responsibility of citizenship.

In this book, lawyer and political scientist Peter Schuck provides a wide range of examples and an enormous body of evidence to explain why so many domestic policies go awry—and how to right the foundering ship of state. An urgent call for reform, Why Government Fails So Often is essential reading for anyone curious about why government is in such a disgraceful state and how it can do better.

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Product details

File Size: 4077 KB
Print Length: 476 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0691168539
Publisher: Princeton University Press (March 23, 2014)
Publication Date: March 23, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00GVHXJRW
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #604,093 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #333 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Public Affairs & Policy > Public Policy
- #419 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Law > Administrative Law
- #1409 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > Federal Government

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32 customer reviews

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Too many trees, not enough forest.

August 3, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The author goes into great detail about reasons for governmental policy failure. I think too much detail. The author will start discussing structural problems that cause failure, but then goes into such detail that the original point becomes lost. In short, I think he is over analyzing the problems.

Nearly all of the reasons for failure that author discusses can be put into the following categories:

Central planning of large systems is very, very difficult, arguably impossible. There are too many things that are unknown, and there will always be unforeseen consequences.

Large bureaucracies nearly always evolve, rather quickly, into into a form that is more concerned about preserving and growing the bureaucracy than accomplishing the mission is was originally created to do.

And, perhaps the biggest structural flaw, and maybe the root cause – when you are using other people's money, it is all too easy, nearly inevitable, that achieving the original goal of the project will become subordinate to other considerations, such as political agendas or personal and organizational gain.

While I applaud the author's thought that reforms should be done cautiously and incrementally, and while he proposes some reforms, I don't think they really address the basic structural problems I have listed here.

31 people found this helpful

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Carl A. Gallozzi

Engaging Analysis of the Problem - improvements suggested - important.

December 15, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Liked the detailed, analytical narrative concerning his review of US Government Programs effectiveness and efficiencies and failures.

Should be of interest to individuals of all political stripes - concerning how gov't could be more effective - unrelated to spending more money.

A reference point for me during the 2016 Republican Primaries then candidate Carly Fiorina suggested that all government agencies be subjected to a zero based budget reviewed by an outside third party. Additionally the concept of government programs having a set "Sunset Date" is an idea worth reviewing.

It's said ..."the people get the kind/type of government they deserve - this book indicates that there is "much room for improvement in government performance...."

Carl Gallozzi
Cgallozzi@comcast.net

Comment

An important Book on a neglected topic

April 25, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I recommend this book to anyone who believes that the level of government incompetence is totally unacceptable, but believes that government can be improved through a more rational scientific approach that brings the government into the 21st century. The amount of information, facts, analysis in this book is too detailed to be summarized in one review. One amusing section of this book on bureaucracy talks about layering government into endless supervisory positions. This results in job titles such as "deputy deputy assistant secretary,"associate deputy assistant secretary,"deputy associate deputy administrator" ,and "chief of staff to the associate deputy assistant secretary".

This is a book that would generally appeal to people who are moderate liberals, moderates or moderate conservatives. It is for people who are tired of ideology, while looking for practical solutions and are open to thinking outside the box. The author recognizes the limits to central planning by "experts" but recognizes that government plays an essential role in a modern complex society. Tea party conservatives who want to deeply slash government programs but usually don't know specifically what they want to cut are probably not going to like this book. Ultra-Liberal progressives who want to drastically increase taxes and throw money at problems by increasing spending by 2 trillion a year are also not going to like this book or be pleased by its findings. .

61 people found this helpful

Comment

Extremely thoughtful and well-written review of the history of American ...

March 9, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Extremely thoughtful and well-written review of the history of American domestic policy. There have been only a few triumps: Jefferson's National Road, The Morrill Act, the Homestead Act, the National Park System, LBJ's prodigies and a few others. The review features original research and careful readings of previously published studies. The book was a revelation to this serious minded citizen.

2 people found this helpful

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must read…really!

June 20, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

A book that every American citizen should read; written in clear, concise and excellent prose. Great primer for all kinds of stimulating political discussions at cocktail parties and academic conferences alike. A must read in my opinion; not just for political scientists. Our government can do better and this veteran political analyst and respected expert in this field offers some excellent guidelines for what we should tell our politicians to do and hold them accountable!

Comment

still need to stay focused on the reality that we have the best schools of management on earth in the US

September 26, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Reasonable take on government . . . explores various strategies in managing same . . . still need to stay focused on the reality that we have the best schools of management on earth in the US . . . and that management principles work in both private and public organizations.

Comment

Jonathan Gorman

Thorough, intellectual, and analytical discussion of failure in the US government

February 3, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book does a great job describing systematic problems in government without any ranting or fingerpointing. The drawback is that this book is a bit long and dry, and the reader does not walk away with a simple message. This is probably just the natural consequence of not oversimplifying government problems.

One person found this helpful

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May 8, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This was required material for a government and politics class. This breaks down the material really well and is very informative. For anyone interested in sources of policy failure in the American government system this is a good read.

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