Strategy, Risk and Personality in Coalition Politics
The Case of India

This book presents a theory of behaviour in coalitions and presents an application of the theory to Indian political party coalitions.

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita (Author)

9780521126458, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 14 January 2010

212 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.2 cm, 0.32 kg

This book, originally published in 1975, presents a theory of behaviour in coalitions and presents an application of the theory to Indian political party coalitions. The major findings of the study are (a) the size of political parties is unimportant when important benefits are distributed in coalitions; (b) behaviour that combines a moderate degree of cooperation and competition with one's allies leads to a much greater political success than either highly competitive or highly cooperative behaviour; and (c) political parties with leaders whose personalities can be characterised as having a high need to achieve enjoy much greater electoral success than parties whose leaders are relatively low in need for achievement. The book is important because the theory is able to explain long term and short term consequences of coalitions; it presents a careful analysis of political party behaviour in India and it combines elements of positive political theory, empirical political science and psychology in explaining coalition behaviour.

Acknowledgements
Glossary of political party names
1. Introduction
2. A theory of coalition behaviour
3. The Indian context: 1967–1971
4. Size and coalition politics
5. Strategic behaviour and political influence
6. Need for achievement, risk and success
7. Conclusions
Appendices
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: General & world history [HBG]