An Introduction to Comparative Approaches (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

Rational theory can be applied to explain why US presidents, such as Joe Biden in 2024, or UK prime ministers, such as Rishi Sunak, make policy decisions in the face of party disunity

• They may choose to take a path of compromise because doing so ensures that their own political decision is more secure

  • This effectively maximises their own self-interest in maintaining their role and power

Rational theory can be used to analyse how US Congress may strategically use oversight hearings to limit executive overreach, while UK backbenchers may find such methods to be less effective

• Congress may be more willing to challenge the executive, as they owe their loyalty to their constituents due to the primary process, whereas UK backbenchers owe their loyalty to the party for putting them on the ballot

  • This means that members of Congress and UK backbenchers may both be acting to please those who ultimately placed them on the ballot, resulting in different actions when scrutinising the executive

Rational theory explains why representatives may pursue reforms or legislation that improve their re-election prospects

• In the UK, MPs may support constituency-level devolution proposals to maximise electoral advantage in Scotland or Wales, and in the US senators may seek federal grant allocations to maximise voter support

  • In both cases, representatives are acting to ensure support from their voters, ensuring they are most likely to maintain their position

Rational theory explains why lobbying groups in the US might have more influence than in the UK

• Interest groups in the US can help to fund incredibly expensive election campaigns, whereas UK elections do not require such high levels of spending and therefore require less interaction with interest groups or lobbyists

Cultural theory explains the US federal system as rooted in a strong belief in state autonomy, while UK devolution is much younger, with Scottish and Welsh Parliaments created in 1997

• This means that a focus on local issues and state politics may be much stronger in the US than in the UK

Cultural theory helps to account for differences in constitutional interpretation and Supreme Court power

• US courts reflect a long-standing culture of judicial review and sovereignty of the US Constitution, while the UK Supreme Court is not only relatively new (opening in 2009) but also reflects a culture of parliamentary sovereignty

Cultural theory can help to explain differences in party behaviour and party systems in the US and UK

• The dominance of the two-party system in the US reflects a culture of adversarial politics, while a more multiparty system in the UK illustrate a cultural preference for negotiation and compromise

Cultural theory helps to explain differences in executive behaviour in the US and UK

• US presidents may adopt strong individual leadership due to a cultural emphasis on personal responsibility, while UK prime ministers operate within a collective cabinet culture

Structural theory explains why US presidents have strong veto powers but UK prime ministers are constrained by parliament

• US presidents are given the power of the veto in the US Constitution whereas UK Prime Ministers are subject to the sovereignty of Parliament, which provides limits on their actions

Structural theory helps to explain the difference between federalism and devolution

• The US Constitution enforces federalism structurally, whereas UK devolution is a legal construct under the Scotland Act (1998) and Wales Act (2017), not constitutionally entrenched

Structural theory helps to explain the difference in legislative output between the US and UK legislatures

• US lawmaking is slow due to bicameralism and checks and balances, whereas UK Parliament can pass legislation rapidly under majority government