Question

20.) To what extent can their evolution and distribution be explained by Maslow’s need hierarchy; Stimson’s theory of “policy mood”; and MacKuen, Erikson and Stimson’s theory of macro-partisanship?

Answer 1

20). Maslow's need hierarchy theory explains itself as follows: The basic needs are the primitive ones that need to be catered to before the next level can be achieved. The basic needs in this case includes food, water, sex, excretion, shelter, etc. The next is the safety and security needs. The third level includes the need for affiliation or belongingness. The fourth levell needs according to the hierarchy of needs is self esteem whereby an individuals derives his/her sense of identity depending on their core values & belief systems. Finally the last level includes the highest form of human need i.e. need for self actualization. This pertains to achieving the maximum potential possessed by a person. Distribution and evolution can be explained by this theory since the needs may change depending on the SES a person may belong to. This is because a person whose basic needs are not satisfied, may not reach the next level whereas a person who already has a high self esteem (lower needs satisfied), may now move towards a higher purpose in terms of search of self (an example). Distribution therefore tends to play a role in this case.Public policy mood is a theory and operational definition of public support for government activity created by James A. Stimson. Perhaps its greatest insight is to recognize that public support for government activity is not fixed in time.In the work of MacKuen and his colleagues, as well as in the later work drawing on the concept, macropartisanship theory begins with the notion that short-term shifts in the party balance are systematic, rather than random. This again relates to the concept of era/circumstances highly controlled by the process of evolution. Different circumstances may therefore have different ways in which these dynamics operate.