Policy and Complex Systems
output or outcome becomes amplified and has more of an impact on the democratic policy system . Both positive and negative policy feedback in the Democratic Policy Theory Model are interlinked with and impact on an ongoing basis the nested and complex policy system at all levels . Discussion
US policy cycle theory has evolved from a more rudimentary form as put forth by Harold D . Lasswell beginning in the 1950 to the conglomerate model of today . Since the 1990s , the study of US policy theory has fragmented and balkanized into separate theories that often focus on various aspects of the original linear policy cycle model . This has created a current impasse in terms of moving and nudging US public policy theory forward with competing theories and leaders of theories not agreeing on a unified theory .
Analysis for this paper moves US policy theory forward by providing a path analysis oriented conglomerate model of US policy theories that results in a comparative policy theory that incorporates democratic and complexity theory . The result of this analysis of US policy conglomerate theory indicates that the policy cycle theory has currently evolved into a more sophisticated and nuanced policy cycle model . At the center of how politics and influence operates in the current U . S . conglomerated policy theory are interest groups and individuals vying for and advancing their agendas through political competition and cooperation in individual policy issues also known as the theory of pluralism and rational choice .
However , the conglomerated model of US policy has missing elements . These include the nature of democratization in a policy system and accounting for complex system behavior in policymaking . The enhanced model of policymaking presented in this paper includes key features of whether a society is democratic or not as it evolves based on complex system behavior . Rather than public policy outputs that primarily focus on the meaning of citizenship , form and patterns of governance , and group power and advocacy including political agendas , this enhanced policy model includes whether this political activity is also democratic or not ( Heikkila & Gerlak , 2013 ; Mettler & Sorelle , 2014 ). Measurements of democratic policy outputs and outcomes are also commonplace amongst democracy scholars ( Freedom House , 2015 ; Levitsky & Way , 2013 ; Munck and Verkuilen , 2002 ). Thus this enhanced policy model is not only descriptive , but predictive as well . Ultimately , this enhanced policy model moves policy theory forward by reunifying policy processes such as the interest group , social movement , and revolutionary movement participation in the policy making with complex democratic policy outputs and outcomes . This enables us to describe and assess what is the ultimate impact of a policy process on how democracy , political and economic power , privilege , and influence may occur in a society .
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