Rationality in policy formation : a case study of the National Party in 1972

The intention of this essay is to examine the concept of rationality within the context of policy formation in the National Party in 1972. In essence it seeks to determine the degree to which Anthony Downs' concept of a rational political party can be applied to the New Zealand situation. The basic argument is that parties, as organisations, have collective goals apart from those of the individuals within the organisation. The attempt is then made to examine the ways in which the party attempts to maximise its chances of gaining the goal - in this case that of winning the election