Resumo

MONTECINOS MONTECINOS, Egon Elier. Limits of the approach of public policy in defining a “public problem”. Cuad. Adm. [online]. 2007, vol.20, n.33, pp. 323-335. ISSN 0120-3592.

This article reviews literature on the definition of a public problem. The objective is to identify the limits of the approach of public policy, in particular the definition of “public problem” when facing realities such as those of Latin America. The principal results of that theoretical reflection is that the limits encountered by the traditional approach of public policy to a public problem are related to its excessively technical and rational character, and its endogenous or elitist nature. Hence, we lose sight of the importance of political and public deliberation which could be conducted by discussing so-called “public” problems in a wider, pluralist forum. Hence, we deduce that social and political actors and political representatives often come up against a stronger “technical-political” power, which absorbs the real political and civic sense of the definition of public problems. The method used was to review specialized material.

Palavras-chave : Public policy; public problem; public agenda; government agenda; public policy process.