Technology
Agenda-Setting and Punctuated Equilibrium Theory
Quick fact
The phrase 'punctuated equilibrium' was borrowed from biology, but in politics it describes a pattern where long periods of minor policy tweaks are interrupted by sudden, transformative shifts.
Why this is interesting
Why does government often seem stuck in the mud for years, and then suddenly overhaul major laws in a matter of weeks? The answer lies in how the political agenda works.