SCHOLAR: POLITICAL BROKER THEORY

An individual becomes a Political Actor when they converge with the government.  A Political Actor can be defined as a rational actor or unitary actor that makes rational decisions (Sens et al., 2005), or an individual that interacts with the government.  The Political Actor must review the phenomena (interaction with the government) and the bureaucracy and it's procedures and policy to process an action.  In this bureaucracy, the Political Actor is always going to experience a pulling and hauling with the government as the state’s decisions are based on “competition or bargaining amongst bureaucratic units with divergent perspectives on issues” (Sens et al., 2005).  With that in mind, the reason by which this occurs is the fact that in government bureaucracies’ decisions are made via rational choice and the bureaucratic politics model.  Akers et al.  says, “rational choice theory is based on the expected utility principle in economic theory.  The expected utility principle simply states that people will make rational decisions based on the extent to which they expect the choice to maximize their profits or benefits and minimize the costs and losses” (2013).  While Sens has a similar description of rational choice which they say that rational choice has four steps “recognizing and identifying the problem, establishing objectives and aims, establishing options and selecting an option” (2005).  This is consistent to what people working a profession do, for example, in the discipline of Nursing within Potter and Perry, it says that decisions are made via the Nursing Process which is the following:  Assessment, Nursing Diagnosis, Plan of Action, Intervention and Evaluation (Ross- Kerr 2006) which is an example of the organizational approach to decision making.  Sens says that the organizational process model uses, “decision-making outcomes [that] are the result of the constraints imposed on decision makers by the bureaucratic organizations [this then helps with the execution of] decisions of policy makers” (2005) and these “come in the form of standard practices or routines called standard operating procedures (SOPs)” (2005).  This means that the Nurse must make an assessment and this involves accessing specialized core specific competence of which have SOPs wherein the Nurse intermittedly within the discipline’s general competence is implementing or actioning a competency which could be expressed as a “virtue or value” in its shortest form.  The decision making of a Nurse happens all the time and this discipline is taught with applied learning and experiential learning in mind. 

For example:    A Client is complaining of pain- Problem.  The Nurse would be called, The Nurse would then approach the client at which point the Nurse would access general competence to determine the context of the interaction.  This commences the Introduction Phase of communication.  In the Introductory Phase the Nurse would observe bed side manner (Profession specialty core specific competence), he or she would use therapeutic communication techniques (Communication specialty core specific competence), and lastly, the Nurse would then be aware of the cultural sensitivities to pain (Client Demographics specialty core specific competence).  Within the Working Phase however, the Nurse would use specialty core specific competence involved in the previous phases and the following:  Knowledge, Systems and Processes.  Like what was explained regarding the Introductory Phase, in the Working Phase, the Nurse is assessing the client and going about it via the Nursing Process.  The Nursing Process is based off of the Scientific Method (Process specialty core specific competence).  The Nurse would also be mindful of the Public Health Care System (System specialty core specific competence).  And finally, the Nurse would be aware that there are two types of pain- acute and chronic and further there are treatments and interventions for these (Knowledge specialty core specific).  Below is a depiction of when the Nurse applies specialty core specific competence as it pertains to pain.

Lastly, within specialized core specific competence are “competencies.”  A competency is a specific part of the specialized core specific competence.  Within the discipline of Nursing, the following are competencies of their discipline as it pertains to specialized core specific competence.   Below is a depiction of competency within specialized core specific competence. 

With the above detailed, this means that as it pertains to interaction with the government bureaucracy, in a civilian context, the individual communicates via methods of negotiation- essentially a type of pulling and hauling as mentioned above but also a strategy used in the discipline of Business.  Business Negotiation is a form of communication and it helps facilitate a supply and demand request.  According to Parkin et al. the economic law of demand says, “the higher the price of a good, the smaller is the quantity demanded; and the lower the price of a good, the greater is the quantity demanded” (2016).  The Political Actor demands something from the government bureaucracy and the Political Actor can be self-interested and socially interested.  Parkin defines self interest as, “the choices that people make about how to use their time and resources” while social interest is defined as decision making “best for society as a whole” (2016).  The fact that the Political Actor demands something from the government and that it occurs through pulling and hauling via competing forces is likely the reason why some government cheques issued to people have NON-NEGOTIABLE on it.  Because in the past, interacting with the government involved negotiation as civilians demanded concessions from the it, and the government has to provide certain concessions because it is bound by the Constitution.  Regardless, the above as explained, causes a lot of uncertainty and many people are not formally educated in the workings of Law and the government as they operate under its shadow (Zariski, A. 2014).  As a matter of fact, however, citizens live in the shadow of Education, Political Science and Law. This is because in Law, citizenship grants individuals’ rights and concessions in exchange for government authority.  This means that the citizen is expected to live under the shadow of the government, its legislations and its operations.  Under the shadow of Education means that, education can be used for propaganda (ERATIONS CONGLOMERATE 2020), when this happens the citizen is socialized and educated via the public education system whereby he or she is programed into society.  With these in mind, the three shadows form government intelligence which creates a national interest.  When this occurs, diplomacy is the driving factor in the governments decision making.  Further there are various political regimes with different political structures which may add further uncertainty.  This uncertainty serves as a means by which Political Scientist can act as honest brokers in political decision making.  This is based on the grounds of tabula rasa.  The theory of tabula rasa can be defined as, the concept whereby individuals are born free and empty of any intellectual faculty and that individuals gain knowledge later in life from perceptions or senses (Brittanica 2023).  With the theory of tabula rasa explained, it becomes increasingly obvious why the Political Scientist is necessary within any industry.  The Political Scientist acts on the doubt of other professions and disciplines and in that they stand to provide innovation.  Innovation is the intrigue of Science. 

Now as it pertains to the use of general competence and specialty core specific competence and competencies, the developing profession of the Political Scientist has many avenues because it has such a broad scope.  The scope is defined under the Theory of Structural Functionalism which says that:  the government operates as a system with functions.  Its system functions are socialization, recruitment and communication while process functions are interest articulation, interest aggregation, policy making and policy implementation (Powel et al.  2012).  An example of an interaction with a Political Scientist using general competence, specialized core specific competence and competencies are detailed below: 

 “I am a Political Science graduate INSERT 1.  I'm thinking about |John being verbally abusive to Jane| INSERT 2.  |SUBJECT MATTER| isn't it a legal violation?  I think it is.  It says here it's an assault | INSERT 3.  Yes, it is an intentional tort.  This is because the person had actus reus and men's rea.  Actus reus can be defined as the malicious act.  Men's rea on the other hand the guilty mind or intent.  Jane was assaulted and this is defined under the Criminal Code of Canada.” 

In this interaction, the Political Scientist makes contact with a civilian that has a legal problem.  Upon contact, the context becomes a matter of the discipline of Political Science via technical competence under section 1 of the table above and in that the Political Scientist is able to analyze, evaluate and comprehend the problem through the lens of the discipline.  The interaction progresses wherein the Political Scientist has performed critical thinking (legal analysis) and has concluded that there has been a legal violation.  The Political Scientist says that it is an “assault.”  When this occurs, the Political Scientist has used discipline competence to access general competence section 2, specifically, he accessed subject matter Law.  When the Political Scientist says that it is a tort and when he explains that there are actus reus and mens rea to be considered, the Political Scientist has achieved accessing a competency- section 3 (concept backed by a virtue or value resulting in a standard within that discipline) within the discipline of Law via general competence through Political Science discipline competence of which as explained by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has six core parts which are the following:  Knowledge, Systems, Processes, Professionalism, Communication and Clientele (Kavic 2002).  Section 3 becomes important because, the Political Scientist has achieved access to that discipline via a standard- legal inquiry which is part of legal research then part of the process of Law (Zariski, A. 2014).  In the Paralegals Rules of Professional Conduct within the province of Ontario it says, “competence involves more than an understanding of legal principles; it involves an adequate knowledge of the practice and procedures by which such principles can be effectively applied” (Law Society of Ontario 2023). 

Case Scenario:  In the scenario above, the Political Scientist employs the Scientific Method in order to achieve polity.  Within the processes of the Scientific Method, the Political Scientist, uses various specialized core specific competence categories.  The Political Scientist makes a inquiry on why strawberries grow.  He researches the subject matter, under the process of the Scientific Method.  He gathers data about the subject matter and creates a knowledge base.  He is concerned about the taxonomy of the specific species of strawberry hence aware of the biological systems and demographics that that particular plant belongs.  By doing it this way he observes professionalism.  Lastly, within the research section of the table the Political Scientist articulates and aggregates data as he seeks a consult, fulfilling the communication category.  Within the hypothesis section, the Political Scientist used the collected data to create a hypothesis.  This fulfills the specialized core specific competence of processes and systems because it is part of the Scientific Method.  He is still yet aware of the genus of the plant which validates knowledge and demographic categories of specialized core specific competence. In the experimentation section, the Political Scientist designs an experiment this then fulfills knowledge, demographics, systems and processes of the specialized core specific competence of the discipline.   As for Observation, Conclusion and Publication, various specialized core specific competence are used and they are used in the fashion as explained above per the three detailed sections. 

General competence is information about the domestic environment and individuals within society have varying degrees of literacy with concern to it and this consists of three of the six specialty core specific competence – Professionalism, Communication and Clientele.  This assumption establishes a standard because, the population at large has been socialized into Law- specifically, the Employment Standards Act and the School Act thereby Professionalism, Communication and Clientele are guaranteed because of it. 

Within the Structural Functional Theory, it defines, Socialization, Communication and Recruitment as processes used by Political Scientist to obtain political objectives via democratic practices and democratic inclusion.  On another note, within the Structural Functional Theory, the Political Scientist employs the Scientific Method and the Policy Process for the purposes of polity.  Polity seeks to maintain an establishment that is legitimate and accountable and this has no concern for the practice of democracy.  When a Political Scientist access General Competence, he or she uses the six specialized core specific competence to analyze and evaluate a phenomena so that a decision can be rendered. 

Case Scenario:  Within the Structural Functional Theory, there are two processes, Interest articulation and interest aggregation.  Interest articulation can be defined as, a method to express needs to the government body while interest aggregation can be defined as, demands that are organized and then organized into policy programs.  Interest articulation can involve activity such as canvasing or campaigning while interest aggregation are such activity as creating a PETITION to express a demand or conducting a Scientific Experiment.  The difference between how these two function is that, interest articulation can be performed through the democratic processes of socialization, communication and recruitment processes while, interest aggregation requires polity.  Within the process of interest aggregation, all the categories defined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta are practiced and this extends to the Policy Process where then the Political Scientist renders decisions.  

WORK CITED

Akers et al.  (2013).  Criminological Theories.  New York.  Oxford University Press. 

Britannica.  (2023).  Tabula Rasa.  Retrieved from:  https://www.britannica.com/topic/tabula-rasa

Erations Conglomerate.  2020.  SCHOLAR:  EDUCATION IN MOLDOVA.  Retrieved from:  http://hourplaces.blogspot.com/2020/07/scholar-education-in-moldova.html?m=1

Kavic, M.  (2002).  Competency and the Six Core Competencies.  National Library of Medicine.  Retrieved from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043418/

Law Society of Ontario.  (2023).  Paralegal Rules of Conduct.  Retrieved from:  https://lso.ca/about-lso/legislation-rules/paralegal-rules-of-conduct

Parkin et al.  (2016).  Microeconomics.  Toronto.  Pearson.  

Powel et al.  (2012).  Comparative Politics Today.  Illinois.  Pearson. 

Ross-Kerr, J., et al.  (2006).  Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing.  Ontario, Canada.  Elsevier.

Sens et al. (2005). Global Politics. Toronto. Thompson Nelson. 

Zariski, A.  (2014).  Uncertainty and Indeterminacy in Law.  Canlii.  Retrieved from:  https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2014CanLIIDocs355#!fragment/zoupio-_Tocpdf_bk_7/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zhoBMAzZgI1TMA7AEoANMmylCEAIqJCuAJ7QA5KrERCYXAnmKV6zdt0gAynlIAhFQCUAogBl7ANQCCAOQDC9saTB80KTsIiJAA