ABSTRACT
(Received in final form April 15, 1988)
This analysis of the determinants of public policy in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) focuses on environmental policy in India. We find that the magnitude of the problem or market failure exerts the greatest influence in policy, while political and economic development are weaker and less consistent factors. This implies that problems must get worse before they get better, and that politicians are often suppliers of symbolic reassurance rather than tangible policy outputs. The findings are of interest to specialists in comparative public policy, Indian politics and political development.
