How does unthinkable policy become inevitable? The ‘Overton window’ is one possible answer
It was once deemed crazy to get rid of protective tariffs. Privatising state banks was inconceivable. Both are now commonplace, but how does this happen?
The concept of the Overton window is a way to understand how policy can shift over time. The window represents the acceptable range of political discourse in society at any given moment. In the past, Australians owned many public enterprises and lived behind high tariff walls. Today, the policy landscape is vastly different, with few state-owned enterprises and a focus on renewable energy.
The Overton window explains how previously unthinkable policies, like an emissions trading scheme, can become more acceptable and even inevitable. However, the window is not always a precise tool for explaining policy changes. Factors like issue salience, events, and advocacy campaigns also play a role in shifting the window. While the Overton window can help us make sense of policy shifts, it does not provide a complete explanation for how change happens.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
