Political Constraints on Public Policy

Abstract

This exploratory research considers folkways devised by political leaders in general and specifically engaged in campaigning as cues to social and policy constraints and manipulative strategies. First, while we know a good deal about voter experience, we have little systematic knowledge of the politician's campaign experience, and thus our understanding of this important mass-elite linkage is limited. Kingdon (1968) has reported that politicians experience minimal learning in a campaign, whether they win or lose. The model developed here explores political folkways which may serve as important clues to (1) understanding the impact and learning of the campaign on the politician, and (2) determining whether these folkways lead to an accurate assessment and/or potential means of influencing the voters.