> A more accurate view, imho, is that viewing the policy process as a
> garbage can
> (see the garbage can theory of the organizational behavior). That is
> to
> say, because of many conflicting interests and agendas of various
> interest groups involved, the actual course of foreign policy the one
> that is most aggressively pursed by special interest groups and at the
> same time offers the least resistance to all stakeholder groups, but
> then it is ex-post-facto justified and rationalized by ideological
> claims and references that are appealing to various interest groups.
A very persuasive theory! Glad I heard about it (I really should go to business school and learn all of these cool theories that are coming out).
Of course, it applies equally well to political groups. Talk about ex post facto justifications!
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ A gentleman haranguing on the perfection of our law, and that it was equally open to the poor and the rich, was answered by another, 'So is the London Tavern.' -- "Tom Paine's Jests..." (1794); also attr. to John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) by Hazlitt