W2 - Prime Ministerial Power-2 Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is Steven Lukes’ definition of power?
Power is best understood as power over rather than the power ‘to do’.
This refers to the ability of one party to get another to act against their own preferences.
What are the three dimensions of power according to Steven Lukes?
- Decision making
- Agenda setting
- Shaping the preferences of others
What is the first dimension of power?
Decision making.
This involves the ability to influence the making of decisions.
What does the second dimension of power entail?
Agenda setting.
This reflects the capacity to shape the agenda, preventing some items from being included.
What is the third dimension of power?
Shaping the preferences of others.
This involves manipulating the opinion and thoughts of others.
How might the powerful shape the preferences of others?
- Manipulation
- Misinformation
- Negative rhetoric
- Cultural identities
- Ideology
- Apocryphal myths
What is the role of the Prime Minister in British politics?
- Head of the Executive
- Head of Government Policy
- Party Leader
- Party Leader in Parliament
- Senior UK representative abroad
What powers does the Prime Minister have regarding the Cabinet?
- Appoint, shuffle, and dismiss Ministers
- Decide when Cabinet meets and the agenda
- Chair the Cabinet and decide what it decides
What factors influence the Prime Minister’s power?
- Method of acquisition
- Majority size in Parliament
- Divisions within governing party
- Poll ratings
- Economic inheritance and circumstances
What is the significance of crisis management for Prime Ministers?
Each PM can be defined by their effectiveness at crisis management.
Examples include Eden during the Suez Crisis and Blair during the Iraq War.
What typology did Philip Norton create for Prime Ministers?
- Innovators
- Reformers
- Egoists
- Balancers
What are the constraints faced by Prime Ministers?
- Limited scope for autonomous decision making
- Need to build coalitions
- Administrative resources reduced compared to Ministers
What does the term ‘Presidentialisation’ of the Premiership refer to?
The centralisation of power in Downing Street and the distancing of the PM from Parliament.
Advocates include Foley and Webb.
What is the sceptics’ position regarding the Presidentialisation thesis?
The PMs can seem ‘presidential’ in foreign policy but not in domestic policy.
This position is supported by Dowding and Heffernan.
What are the conclusions regarding the evaluation of the Prime Minister’s office?
- Understanding variability of powers
- How circumstances influence PM performance
- Impact of the individual matters
- Perception by voters
Fill in the blank: The Prime Minister is the most powerful person in government, for example, designing the _______.
Cabinet
True or False: The Prime Minister can create, abolish or merge departments.
True
What did Harold Wilson call the process of reshuffling the Cabinet?
‘Nightmarish multidimensional puzzle’.
What is the effect of poll ratings on a Prime Minister’s power?
Higher poll ratings can enhance a PM’s power and influence.
What role does public opinion play in a Prime Minister’s decision-making?
Public opinion can influence the PM’s agenda and choices.
