background

the 3 theoretical approaches:

• rational

• cultural

• structural

1. rational:

• focus on individuals:

  • president

  • pm

  • mps

  • lords

  • senators

  • congressppl

• rational = individual’s actions guided by own interests more than influence from groups/structures

• these goals may be maintaining power within a political system/attempting to achieve ideological/policy goals

• this approach is best applied when looking at individuals within political systems

• eg:

  • comparing the PM and the pres:

    • both act in a rational manner, using their own power to achieve goals

    • they have authority as leaders to set political agenda or not

    • have power within executive to appoint ppl to key positions

  • trump and supreme court appointments

  • boris and his brexit policies

  • sunak rowing back on net zero after holding onto boris’ seat in the by-election, then calling an early election to minimise damage

  • mp n senator/congressppl level:

    • act rationally to maintain positions of power

    • need to please constituents

    • some labour mps in leave areas voted w govt. more recently some abstained over gaza

    • personal rivalry between mccarthy n gaetz which led to the Speaker of the House crisis n mike johnston taking over

2. cultural:

• focus on groups:

  • pressure groups

  • political parties

  • voter groups

  • factions

• cultural = ppl operate because of the groups they’re in » party/beliefs/pressure group/religion/gender/etc

• group has a culture ie shared beliefs, values n ideals = conformity, influence

• culture often habitual

• eg:

  • both president n pm:

    • may alter policy because of the culture of their party

    • trump » caved over shutdown when his senators started to grumble about federal workers’ poverty

    • biden stood down for good of his party

    • boris » stuck to his brexit plan coz of anti-eu sentiment

    • sunak » hardline on immigration to appease party’s right. rwanda policy

    • also travails within Labour party » starmer vs the left over 2-child cap

  • high levels of party unity in the uk n us lead to a dominant value system that leads to tribal politics

  • politicians may act on the basis of party culture, rather than self-interest

  • can be seen in strong views of Remainers n Brexiteers still

  • Republican acceptance of Trumpism while he furthers agenda of the Right

  • abortion issue largely divides Republicans from Dems

3. structural:

• focus on structures:

  • constitution

  • election processes

  • legislative processes

  • sovereign bodies

  • regional power

• structure = ‘big picture’ perspective

• political actions determined by wider structures eg constitution

• individual n group actions are limited n largely determined by structures

• both pm n president subject to constitutional rules:

  • boris’ parliament hiatus deemed illegal

  • trump’s immigration ban overturned

  • trump impeached

  • biden needed Speaker installed to get money bills going

  • uk: mps more controlled by govt n pm

examples:

• cameron resignation post-brexit:

  • rational: personal political ideolgy did not align with leaving the eu

  • cultural: tories not in favour of cameron leading us through brexit