Technology
The Bureaucratic Politics Model of Foreign Policy Decision-Making
Quick fact
This model was famously introduced by Graham Allison in his book 'Essence of Decision' (1971), which used the Cuban Missile Crisis as a case study. Allison contrasted this model with the 'rational actor' and 'organizational process' models, showing that bureaucratic bargaining was a powerful explanatory tool.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever wondered why governments sometimes make decisions that seem irrational or self-defeating? The answer might be found not in one leader's mind, but in the messy tug-of-war among competing departments.