The Rationality of Decision Making during International Crises

The rationality of decision making during international crises was questioned by a number of studies in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Subsequent research demonstrated that the bureaucratic politics, organizational process, and individual stress models are still useful reminders of the limits to rationality in crisis situations. Yet, the author of this article contends, none of these alternatives captures the essence of decision in a time of crisis. Instead, the weight of evidence, he argues, indicates that, as a rule, policy makers do adopt rational decision-making procedures in critical situations. This finding, he concludes, underscores the responsibility of national leaders for their actions, enables political scientists to address the practical concerns of policy makers, and calls attention to the role that values play in shaping international politics.