The Political Economy of Water Policy in Israel: Theory and Practice

This article argues that the power of a sectorial interest group and its influence on public policy can be evaluated according to the level of centralization of the political, economic and bureaucratic systems, as well as the level and type of political participation at the social level. The essay presents the basic models dealing with these issues within public choice theory, and applies them to water policy in Israel. The article shows that inefficiencies related to this policy can be explained in the light of the motivation of politicians to be reelected, the centralization of most systems and the one-dimensional political agenda. The analysis draws comparative implications regarding the impact of forms of political participation and politician-bureaucrat relations in terms of public policy.