The Three Models Of Foreign Policy Decision Making

Running head: FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 1

The Three Models of Foreign Policy Decision Making

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FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 2

The Three Models of Foreign Policy Decision Making

International relations between countries are meant to be healthy and productive.

Countries are to relate with each other harmoniously and with little of relational conflicts. More

than that, the relation between countries is supposed to promote greater utilities achieved with

international deals. However, that’s achieved when foreign policies are decided wisely for each

individual country. Individual political leaders bear the burden of leading the country into

prudence foreign policing. Politicians must make states' decisions that reflect and serve the

interests of the citizens. At the same time, the productive relationship promoted by political

leaders has to remain harmless and friendly to its partners and other countries. That calls for

well-thought models of foreign policymaking. The book Essence of Decision by Allison and

Zelikow provides insightful models that political leaders can use their decisions that bear

national interests. An evaluative analysis of the three models set out in the aforementioned book

reveals prudent foreign policing as a factor of consultative discussions between leaders and the

public.

1. The “Rational Actor” Model

This is the first model to explain the various moves by various states in the international

spheres, particularly the economic, social, political ones. It’s based on the rational choice theory.

According to this theory, the government is assumed to be a primary or monolithic unitary actor.

It bears the ultimate power and discretion of pursing a foreign related move. Secondly, the same

government goes through the set goals by evaluating their utility. Then, it picks one that has the

highest payoff in terms of international gains. In practical application, decisions are made in

serious of armchair analysis. Notably, every desired goal is specified and the reasoning behind

the goal given out. Therefore, a consideration of the likely net pay-offs as a result of a particular

FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 3

foreign move is necessary for the sake of national satisfaction. Rational and united governments

pursue the highly paying choice amongst themselves.

There are various cases of historical political moves in which the ‘rational action’

approach was used. The decision by Soviets during the renowned Cuban nuclear missiles reflects

the rational model consideration. Soviets wished to attain a reasoning that justified their

contemplated actions as effective for their expected goals. However, this rational model is

characterized with weaknesses as far as implementation of prudent foreign policing and

governance is concerned. For instance, the values set as the maximum are not realized or met.

Also, the right information to articulate the rational goals isn’t guaranteed. The perfect

information is not always possible to find. Secondly, the decision arrived at isn’t always the best

as there are anomalies left as a result. Thus, in relation to rational expectations, the decision

made by Soviets was not optimal. Instead, it was deemed as effective in closing the widening gap

between the nuclear capabilities between the United States and Soviet Union.

2. The Organizational Process Model

This model was propounded in the acknowledgement of the fact that not all foreign

policies and decisions required rational consideration. According to this model, the governmental

bureaucracy defines the kind of actions a national government is expected to take. The model

holds that state leaders are expected to approach an international crisis from the bureaucracy on

place. That implies, the decision making is based on the standard operating procedures or

routines. The government approaches an issue by breaking it into various pre-set organizational

lines. More important is the emphasis on the setting of procedures and process before the action

is taken. Lastly is the emphasis on the limitation of leaders from coming up with new plans to

FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 4

crisis. According to Allison and Zelikow (1971), the adopted process determines the final

outcome of the international interventions.

This approach to international relation has been applied severally nations around the

world. For instance, the soviet’s secretive mission of deploying nuclear bases beyond its borders

was implemented from an organizational process model. When developing a missile base, the

Soviet Rocket Forces are likely to copy the method used by Soviet Union since it’s the best and

secretive to the US surveillance. Also, the transportation of missile is likely to be done at night.

Also agencies such as KGB, the American navy, and Air Force make decision from

organizational procedures. Most of their missile related tasks aren’t started from scratch. Rather,

they use the already applied or experienced method for assembly. The Soviets were able to set

highly unnoticeable buildings using this model. Some were decorated with Soviet barracks’ flags

to hide the United States government of the reality of what was happening. On the other side,

once the US government learnt of the missile plants, it had to consider the approach to curb the

production harmlessly. That because, engaging a forceful step such as combat attacks would

ignite attack and later leave relations devastated. For instance, the secretive production plants

needed massive bombings that would be more destructive. However, the US commander in

chief, Kennedy opted for blockade as the second option that addresses short-term anxieties of the

continued production of nuclear weapons.

3. The Governmental Politics Model

This model of foreign policy decision making admits on the ever-present palace politics.

These are court politics resulting from opposition by the statesmen over foreign relations and

intervention. According to this model, the nation’s international move is understood from a

politicking and consultation of top leaders. In some points, leaders will disagree and differ on

FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 5

how to achieve international goals. That requires the nation’s president to take heed of the

disagreements and work-out on the most desired choice. Notably, the model disregards the

absolute power held by national leaders and calls for consensus agreements. Lack of consensus

sees some of opposition leaders taking advantage of the choices taken. Also, different statesmen

and political leaders hold different leadership charisma. That implies, such leaders command the

public despite not being custodians of the supreme power of a country. Leaders should make

decisions that would be preferred by the politicking statements and government men. That way,

the nation’s international moves are agreeable by the large proportion.

This model had been instrumental in the governance of states during the cold war. For

instance, Nikita was heavily criticized by the presidium once the United States discovered of the

weakness with soviet’s inadequacy of missiles. That’s because, after the discovery, the Soviet

Union was disabled from its secretive move. Similar cases of misunderstandings with the internal

statesmen were witnessed when Soviet Union leaders decided to reduce the size of the army as a

result of the overstretched economy. Military leaders were unhappy with the decision as they

were left less powerful. There was a need for consensus agreements between leaders over the

nation moves towards international stability. A similar battle of opinion was witnessed with the

topmost leaders of United States in their response to Cuban missiles. The President, his attorney

general and a brother, Kennedy, and special counsel were against the air strikes. That’s because,

it was a diplomatic sign of military strength it bore as a superpower as compared to the Soviet

Union. However, their agreement arrived at blockade after strong opposition.

Notably, and in conclusion, these models are relevant for the study of contemporary

foreign policy decision making. That’s because they are applicable even to our society with

similar challenges ailing the international relations. For instance, western states are experiencing

FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING 6

nuclear threats almost every day. Thus, they need to continually enhance their international

relations through necessary policies. Decision making related these nation’ foreign policy is as a

critical as their international relation itself. The belief that foreign policies are arrived at from

various approaches that seek the greater goods for the nation is to. First approach is the “Rational

Actor” model that has to explain the various moves from a rational point of view. The

government is assumed to be a primary or monolithic unitary actor that sets goals by evaluating

the utility of its available choices. Secondly is Organizational Process model that cites

governmental bureaucracy as key to international actions a leader takes. The model holds that

state leaders are expected to approach an international crisis from the bureaucracy on a place.

Lastly is the Governmental Politics model that admits on the ever-present palace politics. The

nation’s international move is understood from the politicking and consultations between top

leaders.

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Reference

Allison, G. T., & Zelikow, P. (1971). The essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban missile

crisis. Boston: Little, Brown.

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