Research Catalog

Title

Governing together : the extent and limits of joint decision-making in Western European cabinets / edited by Jean Blondel and Ferdinand Müller-Rommel.

Publication

New York, N.Y. : St. Martin's Press, 1993.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Blondel, Jean, 1929-2022
• Müller-Rommel, Ferdinand.

Description

ix, 338 pages : illustrations; 23 cm

Summary

"'Governing together' is the first truly comparative attempt at analysing how the national cabinets of Western European parliamentary systems take their decisions. There has been much talk about 'prime ministerial government' and about the end of the cabinet as an effective body. On the basis of the analysis of conflicts and, especially, of over 400 interviews of ministers in twelve Western European countries, this study examines the nature of the decision process. The role of procedures and rules, of parties and prime ministers' offices, of individual ministers, of ministers of finance, and, above all, of prime ministers, is thus examined for the first time on the basis of the evidence of those who belong to national cabinets. The work considers in particular how far governments composed of one party only and governments based on coalitions differ from one another, as well as whether large differences are due to the characteristics of individual countries. The overall conclusion is that, while cabinets no longer have, in most countries, the central position which they once had, they remain an essential focus for the national decision process"--Provided by publisher.

Subject

• Cabinet system > Europe
• Public administration > Europe > Decision making
• Cabinet system
• Public administration > Decision making
• Cabinets ministériels > Europe
• Administration publique > Europe > Prise de décision
• Europe

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-331) and index.

Contents

1. Introduction / Jean Blondel and Ferdinand Müller-Rommel. -- Part I. General framework of analysis. -- 2. A model of the cabinet system : the dimension of cabinet decision-making processes / Rudi Andeweg. -- 3. The single party/coalition distinction and cabinet decision-making / André-Paul Frognier. -- Part II. The role of structures in cabinet decision-making. -- 4. The organisational structure of Western European cabinets and its impact on decision-making / Jean-Louis Thiébault. -- 5. Organising the flow of business in Western European cabinets / Martin Burch. -- 6. Ministers and the role of the prime minister staff / Ferdinand Müller-Rommel. -- 7. The links between cabinets and parties and cabinet decision-making / Liéren de Winter. -- Part III. The role of individuals in cabinet decision-making. -- 8. Individual ministers and their role in cabinet decision-making / Jean Blondel. -- 9. The role and position of ministers of finance / Torbjörn Larsson. -- 10. Prime ministers and cabinet decision-making processes / Wolfgang C. Müller, Wilfred Philipp and Peter Gerlich. -- Part IV. Conclusions : achievements, problems and reforms. -- 11. Decision-making, policy content and conflict resolution in Western European cabinets / Jaakko Nousiainen. -- 12. Evaluating cabinet decision-making / Svein Eriksen. -- 13. Conclusion / Jaakko Nousiainen and Jean Blondel.

ISBN

• 0312099908
• 9780312099909
• 0333556569
• 9780333556566

LCCN

93017276

OCLC

• ocm27897445
• 27897445
• SCSB-1997666

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library