Positive political theory

Positive political belief PPT or explanatory political picture is the discussing of politics using formal methods such(a) as social pick theory, game theory, as well as statistical analysis. In particular, social choice theoretic methods are often used to describe together with axiomatically analyze the performance of rules or institutions. a outcomes of the rules or institutions remanded are then analyzed by game theory, where the individuals/parties/nations involved in a given interaction are modeled as rational agents playing a game, guided by self-interest. Based on this assumption, the outcome of the interactions can be predicted as an equilibrium of the game.

The founder of the field was William H. Riker. In his book The Theory of Political Coalitions 1962, he applied the principles of game theory to the inspect of politics. The original defining of PPT was developed while Riker was the leader of Rochester School of Political Science, generating the Rochester School movement.

Positive political theory has been used to study democratic institutions such(a) as political bargaining. PPT provides researchers to develop how outcomes of political bargaining differ based on whether political actors are equals or if energy to direct or determine is unevenly distributed. PPT also gives the identification of institutional together with contextual mechanisms that administer some multinational members additional influence in determining collective outcomes. By focusing on the mechanisms, PPT also allows researchers to determine whether outcomes are a or situation. of asymmetric bargaining or deliberative persuasion.