Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T07:43:10.719Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

“Stability” and “Competition” in Budgetary Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 1982

John R. Gist
John R. Gist*
Affiliation:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article argues that the differences in the findings of the incrementalist budgetary theory of Davis, Dempster, and Wildavsky and the “competition” theory of Natchez and Bupp have been wrongly attributed to the different units of analysis—program or organization—used in these studies. “Competition” as measured by Natchez and Bupp and incremental change as defined by Davis, Dempster, and Wildavsky can both be found among either programs or organizations. The differences in the findings of these theorists depend instead on the particular theoretical construction of budgetary behavior and the budget measures chosen. The same data will support either theory of budgeting if one adopts the theoretical constructs and budget measures peculiar to each theory. Thus the theories are not really in competition with each other.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 76 , Issue 4 , December 1982 , pp. 859 - 872
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Caldeira, G. A., and Cowart, T. 1980. Budgets, institutions and change: criminal justice policy in America. American Journal of Political Science 24:413–38.10.2307/2110826CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caspary, W. 1967. Richardson's models of arms races. International Studies Quarterly 11:68–88.10.2307/3013990CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crecine, J. P. 1977. Coordination of federal fiscal and budgetary policy processes: research strategies for complex decision systems. Pittsburgh: Carnegie-Mellon University.Google Scholar
Davis, O. A.; Dempster, M. A. H.; and Wildavsky, A. 1966a. A theory of the budgetary process. American Political Science Review 60:529–47.10.2307/1952969CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, O. A.; 1966b. On the process of budgeting: an empirical study of congressional appropriation. Papers on Non-Market Decision Making, pp. 63–132.Google Scholar
Davis, O. A.; 1971. On the process of budgeting II: an empirical study of congressional appropriations. In Byrne, R. F., et al., eds. Studies in Budgeting. Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Co.Google Scholar
Davis, O. A.; 1974. Towards a predictive theory of government expenditure: U.S. domestic appropriations. British Journal of Political Science 4:419–52.10.1017/S0007123400009650CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dempster, M. A. H., and Wildavsky, A. 1979. On change: or, there is no magic size for an increment. Political Studies 27:371–89.10.1111/j.1467-9248.1979.tb01210.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayes, M. D. 1975. Policy consequences of military participation in politics: an analysis of tradeoffs in Brazilian federal expenditures.” In Liske, C., et al., eds. Comparative Public Policy. New York: Halsted Press.Google Scholar
Hoole, F. W.; Handley, D. H.; and Ostrom, C. W. 1979. Policy-making models, budgets and international organizations. Journal of Politics 41:923–32.10.2307/2129824CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, J. 1972. Econometric methods. New York: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Kamlet, M. S. and Mowery, D. C. 1980. The budgetary base in federal resource allocation. American Journal of Political Science 24:804–21.10.2307/2110960CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kanter, A. 1972. Congress and the defense budget: 1960–1970. American Political Science Review 66:129–43.10.2307/1959282CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kmenta, J. 1971. Elements of econometrics. New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Kramer, F. A., ed. 1979. Contemporary approaches to public budgeting. Cambridge: Winthrop Publishers, Inc.Google Scholar
LeLoup, L. 1978. The myth of incrementalism: analytical choices in budgetary theory. Polity Summer 488–509.10.2307/3234402CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Likens, T. 1978. Models of budgetary competition: conflict, ‘trade-offs’ and interdependence in government resource allocation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association.Google Scholar
Mowery, D. C.; Kamlet, M. S.; and Crecine, J. P. 1980. Presidential management of budgetary and fiscal policymaking. Political Science Quarterly 95:395–425.10.2307/2150057CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Natchez, P. B., and Bupp, I. C. 1973. Policy and priority in the budgetary process. American Political Science Review 67:951–63.10.2307/1958637CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ostrom, C. W. 1978. A reactive linkage model of the U.S. defense expenditure policy-making process. American Political Science Review 72:941–57.10.2307/1955113CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ostrom, C. W. 1980. Reply. American Political Science Review 74:786–88.10.1017/S0003055400168406CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peroff, K. and Podolak-Warren, M. 1979. Does spending on defense cut spending on health? a time-series analysis of the U.S. economy, 1929–74. British Journal of Political Science 9:21–39.10.1017/S0007123400001605CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richardson, L. F. 1960. Arms and insecurity: a mathematical study of the causes and origins of war. Pittsburgh: Boxwood.Google Scholar
Schick, A. 1975. The appropriations committees versus Congress. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association.Google Scholar
Schick, A. 1980. Congress and money: budgeting, spending and taxing. Washington: The Urban Institute.Google Scholar
Smith, B. L. R. 1967. Communication. American Political Science Review 61:150–52.10.1017/S0003055400282968CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stinchcombe, A. 1968. Constructing social theories. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World.Google Scholar
U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Appropriations, Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, FY 1963–1977.Google Scholar
U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Armed Services, Authorizing appropriations for military procurement, research and development, etc., FY 1963–1977.Google Scholar
Wanat, J. 1974. Bases of budgetary incrementalism. American Political Science Review 68:1221–28.10.2307/1959158CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wanat, J. 1978. Introduction to budgeting. North Scituate: Duxbury Press.Google Scholar
Wanat, J. 1980. Comment on Ostrom. American Political Science Review 74:784–86.10.1017/S000305540016839XCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.