Hay - Political Analysis

Series Editors:

B.Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Gerry Stoker

Political science today is a dynamic discipline. Its substance, theory and methods have all changed radically in recent decades. It is much expanded in range and scope and in the variety of new perspectives and new variants of old ones that it encompasses. The sheer volume of work being published, and the increasing degree of its specialization, however, make it difficult for political scientists to maintain a clear grasp of the state of debate beyond their own particular subdisciplines.

The Political Analysis series is intended to provide a channel for different parts of the discipline to talk to one another and to new generations of students. Our aim is to publish books that provide introductions to, and exemplars of, the best work in various areas of the discipline. Written in an accessible style, they will provide a launching-pad for students and others seeking a clear grasp of the key methodological, theoretical and empirical issues, and the main areas of debate, in the complex and fragmented world of political science.

A particular priority will be to facilitate intellectual exchange between academic communities in different parts of the world. Although frequently addressing the same intellectual issues, research agendas and literatures in North America, Europe and elsewhere have often tended to develop in relative isolation from one another. This series is designed to provide a framework for dialogue and debate which, rather than advocacy of one regional approach or another, is the key to progress.

The series will reflect our view that the core values of political science should be coherent and logically constructed theory, matched by carefully constructed and exhaustive empirical investigation. The key challenge is to ensure quality and integrity in what is produced rather than to constrain diversity in methods and approaches. The series will provide a showcase for the best of political science in all its variety, and demonstrate how nurturing that variety can further improve the discipline.

Series Editors:

B.Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Gerry Stoker

Published

Colin Hay

Political Analysis

Jon Pierre and B. Guy Peters

Governance, Politics and the State

Forthcoming

Peter Burnham, Wyn Grant, Zig Layton-Henry and Peter John

Research Methods in Politics

Vivien Lowndes

Why Institutions Matter

David Marsh

Political Behaviour

David Marsh and Gerry Stoker

Theory and Methods in Political Science (2nd edn)

Martin Smith

Power, Politics and the State

Political Analysis Series Series

Standing Order

ISBN 0-333-78694-7 hardback

ISBN 0-333-94506-9 paperback

(outside North America only)

You can receive future titles in this series as they are published by placing a standing order. Please contact your bookseller or, in case of difficulty, write to us at the address below with your name and address, the title of the series and one of the ISBNs quoted above.

Customer Services Department, Macmillan Distribution Ltd, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS, England

Political Analysis

Colin Hay

Colin Hay 2002

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission.

No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP.

Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published 2002 by

PALGRAVE

Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010

Companies and representatives throughout the world

PALGRAVE is the new global academic imprint of St. Martins Press LLC Scholarly and Reference Division and Palgrave Publishers Ltd (formerly Macmillan Press Ltd).

ISBN 0333750020 hardback

ISBN 0333750039 paperback

This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hay, Colin, 1968

Political analysis : a critical introduction / Colin Hay.

p. cm. (Political analysis)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-333-75002-0 (cloth) ISBN 0-333-75003-9 (paper)

1. Political science.I. Title.II. Political analysis (Palgrave)

JA71 .H348 2002

320 dc212002020889

10987654321

11100908070605040302

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

Creative Print & Design (Wales) Ebbw Vale

To Elspeth, without whom it would not have been possible

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As was perhaps always likely to be the case, this book has taken rather longer to complete than I had originally hoped and anticipated. Nonetheless, it is, I think somewhat better for that. One of the reasons for this is the support, encouragement and advice that I have received from innumerable colleagues and other friends.

Given the rather lengthy gestation of my thoughts on political analysis, I have incurred an unusually extensive array of debts, both personal and intellectual. A large number of people have commented at various stages upon the ideas which have found their way in some form or another into this text. Still others have badgered me into clarifying, amplifying and developing the position I here seek to defend. Among those that spring immediately to mind are (alphabetically): Mark Blyth, David Coates, Mick Cox, Catherine Fieschi, Andrew Gamble, Peter Hall, Jonathan Hopkin, Chris Howell, Jeremy Jennings, Bob Jessop, Peter Kerr, Dave Marsh, Ben Rosamond, Paul Pierson, Vivien Schmidt, Steve Smith, Roger Tooze, Helen Wallace, Matthew Watson, Richard Weiner and Daniel Wincott. I must also thank my colleagues in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham for creating a unique intellectual environment in which to develop the argument I here present. Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Gerry Stoker provided invaluable feedback and detailed comments on an earlier draft of the entire manuscript. Whatever its remaining weaknesses, the book has benefited immeasurably from their wonderfully sage advice. At a late stage Keith Dowding also provided a range of characteristically incisive comments, giving me the opportunity to address a number of potential hostages to fortune. For this I am extremely grateful. I must also thank Steven Kennedy at Palgrave for being such an exemplary and, above all, patient editor. It was he who put the idea into my head to write such a book and he has, from its inception, offered a wonderful combination of sensitive advice and enthusiastic encouragement.