Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides historical documentation of the social forces that lead to legislation and reviews values that have been important in shaping government's role as mediator between individual, family, community and industry. It discusses the methods used to glean information from our sources. The book suggests some findings in each of the five areas of legislation -- air pollution, aviation safety, consumer products, occupational health & safety, and pesticides. It also presents a value framework for risks and concerns in the areas covered by such legislation and compare this framework with the values underlying the social forces. The changes in political emphasis have obscured not only the generating forces but the goals of health, safety and environmental legislation. Regulatory impact analysis by its very nature is a value that competes with those that prompted such legislation.