On Versatility and Practical Meaning of Public Policy

The article attempts to analyze the main trends in the development of the concept and scientific direction of public policy. Despite the fact that for more than a decade and a half this concept and direction have been actively introduced into Russian scientific circulation and the education system, the discussion about the subject field and practical significance of public policy is far from over. Russia is not homogeneous in its search for the basic meanings of public policy. Within foreign scientific schools there are also various interpretations of this concept, which differ from each other not only from theoretical and methodological, but also from political and ideological points of view. According to the author, in order to understand the versatility and practical meaning of public policy, one should take into account the socio-political context in which this direction was born and developed. Being originally a product of socio-political and value changes in the second half of the 20th century, the conceptual framework of public policy helped researchers, politicians, bureaucrats and citizens take a different look at how to build communication between the state and society, how to make the decision-making process more problem-oriented and closer to people’s real lives. At the same time, the author underscores the lack of a single answer to the questions posed by public policy, highlighting two main traditions in its understanding. The first tradition gives priority to the state and public administration, while the second one focuses on the role of civil society. Today Russia is in the process of developing its own meanings of public policy that would adequately reflect the needs of the state and society and contribute to building effective communication between them in order to improve the quality of decisions. This article should be considered as a continuation of the corresponding discussion, which is crucial for the Russian scientific community both in theoretical and practical terms.