ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a little of the theory of how national policy is made, discussing influences on the process such as the role of the media, politicians' perceived need for the quick-fix solution, the role of the scientific community and of ideology. The chapter draws on neoliberalism because many see it as the dominant force in politics today. It gives some examples of politics in action, the welfare state, nurses as the policy instruments of politicians and the health care quasi-market. The chapter tries to discover the logic that operates in the UK's political system. The basis of political power in the UK and many other countries lies in the principle that the political party with the most elected candidates in parliament has a mandate to implement its policies. In the UK, as in most democratic countries, national newspapers express a spectrum of political views or orientations.
