Political Science - Institutionalism Overview

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Questions and Answers

What was a significant outcome of the IATF ceding decision-making powers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines?

Strengthened relationships between national and local governments.

Increased efficiency in national agency responses.

A unified national response was successfully achieved.

Local Government Units (LGUs) had to compensate for inefficiencies. (correct)

Which factor contributed to the effectiveness of some local government units during the pandemic?

Failure to manage resources effectively.

Reliance on national directives.

High levels of corruption.

Strong partnerships with civil society. (correct)

What structural deficiencies affected subnational public health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines?

Clear direction from the national government.

Overabundance of resources and managerial skills.

Strong patronage politics and effective leadership.

Limited resources and ineffective management. (correct)

What model of governance is suggested by Francesco Kjellberg as a replacement for the autonomous local government model?

Integrational model suited for central-local relations. Signup and view all the answers

How did President Duterte's leadership style impact the response to the pandemic?

Led to a reliance on coercive measures and strong-arming tactics. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of traditional institutionalism in political science?

Comparing political systems based on their political institutions Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT associated with traditional institutionalism?

Focus on psychological motivations in political actors Signup and view all the answers

What was a key criticism that led to the emergence of new institutionalisms in the 1990s?

Limitations of behavioralism and rational choice theory Signup and view all the answers

In the context of sociological institutionalism, how is agency primarily described?

As contextual and influenced by cultural logics Signup and view all the answers

According to Samuel Huntington’s view, political development can be defined as what?

The institutionalization of organizations and procedures Signup and view all the answers

What does sociological institutionalism emphasize about institutions?

They can provide opportunities or constraints to actors Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the legalist aspect of traditional institutionalism?

It underscores the role of laws and constitutions in governance Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'institutionalization' as defined by Kamrava?

The establishment of authority through political structures Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main purposes of institutions as stated in the content?

Solving collective action problems Signup and view all the answers

How do political institutions influence actors’ behavior according to normative institutionalism?

By influencing their values, norms, and beliefs Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best reflects historical institutionalism?

It reflects and reinforces power relationships between social groups. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of institutions does rational choice institutionalism emphasize?

The structuring of situations for strategy selection Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, how do institutions provide a cultural infrastructure in society?

By creating subconscious frameworks for behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a core feature of the 'new institutionalisms' mentioned?

An understanding of institutional persistence and change Signup and view all the answers

How do institutions engage in the process of shaping societal interactions?

Through durable social rules and procedures Signup and view all the answers

What essential aspect does rational choice institutionalism provide to individuals within institutions?

Information about future behavior of others Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of the autonomous model of governance?

A clear separation between national and local levels Signup and view all the answers

What concept does Kjellberg propose as essential for advancing national goals?

Central steering Signup and view all the answers

How does Mann define despotic power?

Power exerted by state elites over civil society groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the key focus of infrastructural power as described by Mann?

The state's ability to engage civil society comprehensively Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does the bureaucracy in the Philippines face historically?

Weak capacity combined with strong patrimonial characteristics Signup and view all the answers

What impacts the integrity of the Philippine bureaucracy significantly?

Presence of a charismatic, populist leader Signup and view all the answers

What connection exists between central steering and patronage in the Philippines?

Political and electoral considerations often infuse central steering mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the relationship between national goals and local authority functions?

Local authorities explicitly define means while national goals remain central Signup and view all the answers

What was one significant effect of COVID-19 on President Duterte's governance?

It allowed him to enhance his politics of fear. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Weak Steering' in the context of pandemic response refer to?

Ineffective distribution of financial resources. Signup and view all the answers

What measures were taken against local governments during the pandemic?

Application of Show Cause Orders as a punitive measure. Signup and view all the answers

What is needed to build more effective local government units according to the recommendations?

Strengthening the regional national government bureaucracy. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a consequence of the security-focused approach to the pandemic?

Securitization of pandemic measures. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Institutionalism

Was the dominant paradigm in political science until the 1950s.
Traditional institutionalism focused on comparing political systems through analysis of their institutions.
The 1990s saw a resurgence of institutionalism, with the emergence of "new institutionalisms".

Traditional Institutionalism

Focused on "good government" (normative).
Emphasized the influence of formal structures on political behavior (structuralist).
Acknowledged the importance of history in shaping political systems (historicist).
Highlighted the role of laws, particularly constitutions, in governance (legalist).
Aimed at describing and comparing whole systems of government (holistic).

Interregnum

Samuel Huntington viewed political development as the institutionalization of political organizations and procedures.
Huntington defined political development as the establishment of stable, valued, and recurring patterns of behaviour.

New Institutionalisms

Emerged as responses to the limitations of behavioralism and rational choice theory (RCT).

Sociological Institutionalism

Institutions shape the actions of actors within a specific organizational context by providing constraints and opportunities.
The process of institutionalization is about perception, not evaluation, and is heavily influenced by cultural norms, conventions, and cognitive frames of reference.
Three key principles of sociological institutionalism:
- Human agency is context-dependent and influenced by cultural logics.
- These contexts are often heavily institutionalized, spreading their influence beyond their original fields.
- Institutions operate at a subconscious level, providing a taken-for-granted cultural infrastructure in society.

Rational Choice Institutionalism

Institutions shape behavior by influencing the "structure of a situation", where actors select strategies to pursue their preferences.
Institutions provide information about the likely future behavior of others and the incentives/disincentives associated with different courses of action.
Institutions are human constructions designed to solve collective action problems.

Historical Institutionalism

Explores how state structures reflect and reinforce power relationships between different social and economic groups.
Emphasizes that institutional development does not always follow a functional logic.
Explains institutional organization's influence on privileging certain interests while marginalizing others.
Focuses on how institutional change occurs when power relations shift.

Normative Institutionalism

Political institutions shape actors' values, norms, interests, identities, and beliefs.
Institutions simplify political life by establishing certain taken-for-granted assumptions.

New Institutionalism: Core Features

"New" refers to the focus on:
- Defining institutions.
- Providing systematic explanations for how institutions affect behaviour.
- Understanding the persistence and change of institutions.

Institutions

Defined as durable social rules and procedures, both formal and informal, that structure (but do not determine) social, economic, and political relations.

The Philippines and COVID-19

The national government's weak capacity and reliance on local government units (LGUs) led to inconsistent pandemic responses across the country.
Notable LGUs with larger resources, good coordination with national agencies, better administrative capacity, and civil society partnerships were exceptions to the norm.
Subnational pandemic responses were hampered by:
- Unclear direction from the national government.
- Limited resources, poor management skills, patronage politics, corruption, and other problems.

Fukuyama's Elements for Effective Pandemic Response

Competent states, skillful leadership, and a government that is trusted and listened to.

Duterte's Securitized Pandemic Response

Utilized "strong-arming" tactics to conceal deficiencies in national agencies.
The response was characterized by a reliance on coercive measures.

Alternative Model of Governance

Francesco Kjellberg proposed an "integrational model" of governance to replace the autonomous local government model.
Autonomous model: Clear separation between national and local levels.
Integrative model: Emphasizes integration between national and local levels and underscores the need for close cooperation.

Central Steering

Kjellberg argues for "central steering" in which national governments set goals while local authorities implement them.

Despotic vs Infrastructural Power

Michael Mann:
- Despotic power: Power exerted by state elites over civil society groups, not through institutionalized procedures but at the leader's discretion.
- Infrastructural power: State's capacity to penetrate civil society and implement political decisions effectively. This is power through, not power over, focused on the state's effectiveness in coordinating civil society activities.

Central Steering in the Philippines

Historically, the Philippine bureaucracy has had weak capacity and strong patrimonial characteristics.
The political system is heavily reliant on patronage, from the national to the local levels.
The Philippine national government provides central steering but is often influenced by political and electoral considerations.
The logic of a patrimonial and patronage-oriented polity undermines the integrity of the bureaucracy.

The Philippines' Pandemic Response

The national government's weak steering was evident in:
- Ineffective resource allocation, such as the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) distribution.
- Challenges with vaccine procurement and rollout.
Duterte's strong-arming tactics included:
- Weaponizing "show cause orders" to exert control over local governments.
- Securitizing the pandemic by using threats and force to enforce compliance.
- Withholding funds from barangays to support an anti-communist counterinsurgency campaign.
- Continuing killings of mayors and local politicians who opposed his policies.

Recommendations for Building More Effective Local Governments

Change the incentive structure for politicians running local governments.
Strengthen the national government bureaucracy at the regional level.
Build stronger administrative capacity at the local level to support devolution.

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Description

This quiz explores the evolution of institutionalism in political science, from its traditional roots to modern interpretations. Key concepts include the traits of traditional institutionalism, the interregnum period, and the rise of new institutionalisms. Test your knowledge on how these ideas have shaped political studies.