Rational Actor Model
Introduction: In this essay, I will combine information from both the textbook, in class discussion, and my syllabus in order to better understand and explain issues, ideas, concepts and models related to Texas government and politics. I will pay particular attention to the relationship between system and process within the Texas government and the dynamics of policy decisions, and the relationship between political actors outside government and those within government. In my conclusion, I will demonstrate that I understand how these ideas, issues, concepts and models –fully explained in the body of my essay-fit together.
Section A: Within the government there are multiple branches of power that have been divided in the Texas Constitution; …show more content…
In the state government there is about three hundred thousand bureaucrats, completely outnumbering the number of elected officials. According to the textbook, the elected officials in the state government who produce outputs, have the ability to control the unelected officials who produces outcomes. There are two models that look at bureaucrats and their responsibilities in the government, the rational actor model and the non-rational actor model. The rational actor model is a control model, it assumes that bureaucrats work in a tightly controlled environment with little discretion, and that they are all neutrally competent experts. Bureaucrats are there to respond to problems, however in the rational actor model, this is done in a heavily controlled environment with little to no discretion. Legislation, budget and the sunset advising commission are all control mechanisms to control the behavior of bureaucrats in the state government. The second model is the non-rational actor model, this model is said to give bureaucrats the ability to negotiate and use discretion when doing their jobs. Bureaucrats are the ones who produce outcomes, they are the officials who make things happen. Bureaucrats respond to the demands of political actors outside government, also known as stakeholders. Unlike the rational actor model, these responses can be made in a less controlled environment with the discretion of said bureaucrats. Though it is a less controlled environment, the non-rational actor model still has a structure, rules and slight oversight from upper level officials. In "Street Level Bureaucracy," Lipsky talks about the importance of discretion in bureaucracies, he states that policies should not be a one-size fits all, they should be applied on a case by case basis, but when discretion is not allowed then that makes it impossible for a bureaucrat to do
Section A: Within the government there are multiple branches of power that have been divided in the Texas Constitution; …show more content…
In the state government there is about three hundred thousand bureaucrats, completely outnumbering the number of elected officials. According to the textbook, the elected officials in the state government who produce outputs, have the ability to control the unelected officials who produces outcomes. There are two models that look at bureaucrats and their responsibilities in the government, the rational actor model and the non-rational actor model. The rational actor model is a control model, it assumes that bureaucrats work in a tightly controlled environment with little discretion, and that they are all neutrally competent experts. Bureaucrats are there to respond to problems, however in the rational actor model, this is done in a heavily controlled environment with little to no discretion. Legislation, budget and the sunset advising commission are all control mechanisms to control the behavior of bureaucrats in the state government. The second model is the non-rational actor model, this model is said to give bureaucrats the ability to negotiate and use discretion when doing their jobs. Bureaucrats are the ones who produce outcomes, they are the officials who make things happen. Bureaucrats respond to the demands of political actors outside government, also known as stakeholders. Unlike the rational actor model, these responses can be made in a less controlled environment with the discretion of said bureaucrats. Though it is a less controlled environment, the non-rational actor model still has a structure, rules and slight oversight from upper level officials. In "Street Level Bureaucracy," Lipsky talks about the importance of discretion in bureaucracies, he states that policies should not be a one-size fits all, they should be applied on a case by case basis, but when discretion is not allowed then that makes it impossible for a bureaucrat to do