The relationships among political process variables, socioeconomic variables, and public policy outputs in the American states : toward a more precise measure of inter-party competition.

The Relationships .Vinong Political Proccs.s Variables, Sociocconoraic Variables, and Public Policy Outputs in the Auerican States: Toward a Uovo Precise Measure of Inter-Party Competition December 1975 Gerard S. Qryski, B.B.A., City College of New York II. A., University of Massachusetts, Ainherst Directed by: Dr. Pliilip B. Coulter The stimu]u;> for tliis dissertation was provided by V.O. Y.ey in Southern Politics (New York: Knopf, 19^^9) . In his study of politics and policy in the southern states, Key found that policy decisions were more redistributive in states v;ho3C political arrangc-onts v;ero more competitive. In recent years advances in quantitative metliodolo[',y and approaches to comparative inquiry have facilitated the testing of Key's original position. Ikisically the contemporary debate has been concerned witli tlio question of the wliich of socioeconomic and political variables is more useful in explaining interstate va r i a tions in expenditure patterns. Generally, the research has indicated that social variables are more povjerful. A major contention of this research is that the debate cannot be resolved as yet because political competition has not yet been measured adequately. Previous measures have relied on a distribution of seats measure of legislative competition. This study, for its measure, concentrates on competition witliin the context of each inaividual legislative district. The theoretical rationale undorgirding each rp.easure is crucial: the conventional mcaGuros are supported by a responsible parties model of politics which docs not reflect the realities of politics in the states; the new raeasure addresses itself to the more pluralistic pattern of politics in the American states.