Reflections on Government Success and Failure

This discussion offers a survey of changes in the world that might impact the ability to solve policy problems as outlined initially in Glazer and Rothenberg (2001). While the basic premises of the original analysis hold, interrelated political and economic changes have occurred in ways that would produce a far different monograph than was authored roughly a quarter-century ago. Politically, four changes are highlighted: (1) polarization, (2) private politics, (3) globalization, and (4) media diversification. Economically, three notable features are also discussed: (1) industrial organization; (2) supply and value chains; and (3) artificial intelligence. While no universal statement can be offered, changes in these features, both individually and interactively, provide additional opportunities and new obstacles for policy successes to be realized.