Why is cabinet government so resilient? Despite many obituaries, why does it continue to be the vehicle for governing across most parliamentary systems? Comparing Cabinets answers these questions by examining the structure and performance of cabinet government in five democracies: the United
Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia.
The book is organised around the dilemmas that cabinet governments must solve: how to develop the formal rules and practices that can bring predictability and consistency to decision making; how to balance good policy with good politics; how to ensure cohesion between the factions and parties that
constitute the cabinet while allowing levels of self-interest to be advanced; how leaders can balance persuasion and command; and how to maintain support through accountability at the same time as being able to make unpopular decisions. All these dilemmas are continuing challenges to cabinet
government, never solvable, and constantly reappearing in different forms. Comparing distinct parliamentary systems reveals how traditions, beliefs, and practices shape the answers. There is no single definition of cabinet government, but rather arenas and shared practices that provide some
cohesion. Such a comparative approach allows greater insight into the process of cabinet government that cannot be achieved in the study of any single political system, and an understanding of the pressures on each system by appreciating the options that are elsewhere accepted as common beliefs.
Author(s): Patrick Weller; Dennis Grube; R A W Rhodes
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 277
City: New York
Cover
Comparing Cabinets: Dilemmas of Collective Government
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Figures
Tables
List of Abbreviations
1: Understanding Cabinet Government
What Is ‘Cabinet Government’?
Theoretical Approaches
Constitutionalist
Institutionalist
The Core Executive
Networks
The Interpretivist Approach
Situated Agency
Court Government
Dilemmas as Plausible Conjectures
The Process Dilemma: Predictability vs. Political Imperatives
The Policy Dilemma: Puzzling vs. Political Risk
The Political Dilemma: Self-Interestvs. Cohesion
The Leadership Dilemma: Command vs. Persuasion
The Accountability Dilemma: Maintaining Support vs. Making Unpopular Decisions
Summary
Approach and Methods
The Country Selection
Part I: National Traditions, Myths, and Practices
2: The United Kingdom: Traditions and Practices
Traditions
Cabinet
Prime Minister
Practices and Processes
Ministers
Confidentiality
Practices
Conclusion
3: Australia: Traditions and Practices
Traditions
Cabinet Government
Prime Ministers and Ministers
Practices
4: The Netherlands: Traditions and Practices
Context
Prime Minister
Cabinet
The Civil Service
Practices
Conclusion
5: Denmark: Traditions and Practices
Traditions
State–Civil Society Relations
Context
Prime Minister
Cabinet Government
The Civil Service
Practices: The Duopoly
Conclusion
6: Switzerland: Traditions and Practices
Traditions
The Federal Council
Collective Responsibility
Practices and Procedures
Understanding the Consensus
Federal President
The Federal Council, Parties, Parliament, and People
Conclusion
Part II: Dilemmas of Cabinet Government
7: The Process Dilemma: Predictability vs. Political Imperatives?
Interpreting Rules, Conventions, Norms, and Expectations
The Role of Conventions and Rules
Handbooks, Manuals, and Other ‘Rules’ for Cabinet
Schedules and Forums
Coping with Dilemmas
Predictability and Due Process
Negotiating the Disagreements
No Surprises
Conclusion
8: The Policy Dilemma: Puzzling vs. Political Risk
Bureaucracy: Evidence-BasedPolicy vs. Partisan Pressures
Ministers: Balancing Policy with Politics
Special Advisers: Managing the Politics
A Process within a Process
Conclusion
9: The Political Dilemma: Self-Interest vs. Cohesion
Political Prudence
Cabinet Politics in Majoritarian Governments
Cabinet Politics in Coalition Cabinets
Cabinet Politics: No Coalition Agreement
Conclusion
10: The Leadership Dilemma: Command vs. Persuasion
How to Survive: Leadership and Vulnerability
Managing Colleagues: Leading the Ministers
Managing the Processes: Agenda Setting and Practices
Expanding Responsibilities
Support for Prime Ministers and/or Cabinet
Central Agencies and Political Staff
Central Agencies
Political Advisers
Conclusion: The Changing Position of Prime Ministers and Presidents
11: The Accountability Dilemma: Maintaining Support vs. Making Unpopular Decisions
Dilemma One: Collective Accountability vs. Individual Accountability
Dilemma Two: Blame Games and How to Avoid Them
Dilemma Three: Success and Failure
Conclusion: In Search of Collective Accountability
12: Conclusion: Cabinet Government’s Open Secrets: Flexibility and Resilience
Empirical Comparisons
Traditions of Continuity or Disruption
Party Alignments
Accountability to Parliament
Stability
The Lessons of Comparison
Theory Revisited
Resilience and Practice
Conclusion: Working Myths
References
Name Index
Subject Index
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