March and Olsen. (1984). The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life.

new institutionalism emphasizes the relative autonomy of political institutions, possibilities for inefficiency in history, and the importance of symbolic action to an understanding of politics."

What is new institutionalism? institututions are not just the organizations themselves; they asre norms, rules, and laws.

key points:
see things coming our of institutions that you wouldnt see coming about if you just looked at individuals. institutions are contrraints. prefs change.

institutions affect the power of political actors and thereby affect political institutions. the authors conclude that we must move beyond rational choice as a predictor of political action. "political democract depends on the economy and society, just also on the design of political institutions" (739).


POLITICAL OUTCOMES according to new institutionalists: (are a function of...)
-preferences are developed within a society and transmitted through socialization.
-prefs are endogenous/everything is endogenous ("The distribution of politicla resources is also partly determined endogenously. Political institutions affect the distribution of resources, which in tern affects the power of political actors, and thereby affects political institutions. Wealth, social standing...are not easily described as exogenous to the political process and pol instit. HOlding office provides participation rights and alters the distribution of power and accccess...the outcomes of the political process modify reputtions for power, which in turn modify political outcomes" (739-740).
-instability
-interpretation, meaning, education, indoctrination


The traditional view of political outcomes is that they are a function of:
-individual preferences and interests (exogenous)
-resources (power)
-constraints imposed by rules of the game (i.e. the constitution)
-there is stability in politics