Course on Game Theory

On Saturday I posted about game theory in politics. On iTunes U there is a video course from Yale on the subject - which I have been working through over the weekend. It is an economics class - but counted at Yale as a Political Science course for those whose major was Poli Sci. It certainly used lots of examples relevant to politics.

The lectures are given by Ben Polak, Professor of Economics and Management.

I found the 24 lecture course on iTunes U, but it is also available here. On the Open Yale Courses website there are links to the lecture handouts and notes made on the blackboard.

The first lecture can be viewed below

Game Theory in Politics

I am currently reading Bruce Bueno de Mesquita's book "Prediction" (ebook downloaded from Random House on my iPad). In this video he explains 'game theory' - and how it can be used to predict political behaviour.

In addition to being a Professor of Politics at New York University, he has been consulted by the US Government.

I found this presentation, and the book, to be engaging - which is quite an achievement - as much of the literature on Game Theory looks too mathematical to be attractive to me. I think after this I might try dipping into the maths a little!

Politics in America

I have been buying CQ's "Politics in America" since the start of this century. It's a VERY useful guide to Members of the House and Senate and their districts.

I understand that the 2012 edition has now been sent to the printers. For further information about publication date and costs in the USA contact CQ Press at http://www.cqpress.com/product/pia2012.html.

In the UK Sage will be publishing in August at a price of £58. Further details at http://www.uk.sagepub.com/iPad.sp

All off on holiday?

Neither the House of Commons nor the Lords are sitting this week, but does that mean Westminster is deserted? Far from it, a tweet from Laura Kuenssberg (Chief Political Correspondent for the BBC News Channel) yesterday noted how many MPs were around in Portcullis House despite being in the middle of recess. There is a myth that MPs have long holidays - and so work less than 'ordinary folks' (one version of this myth points out that on Mondays and Tuesdays they don't start work until 2.30 in the afternoon - and now go home 'early' the rest of the week). The reality is of course very different.

So what do MPs (and for that matter, Peers) do with their time? There are lots of meetings - with constituents (nowadays most MPs have regular and frequent 'surgeries' in their districts - as well as meeting constituents who have come down to Westminster; with experts; with lobbyists (all claiming to be working for the interests of a Member's constituents); with Ministers - most MPs have pretty full diaries! There are interviews to give to local (and if the MP is known nationally, or a spokesperson on a national issue) national and even international) media.Working at Westminster, I would often see members arriving, or even going off to their first meetings around 7.00. A couple of days a week there may be votes at 10pm - as well as the Select Committees, Public Bill Committees; All Party Parliamentary Groups and so on...

There's a game aimed at young people that takes them through some the activities that MPs that MPs engage in. Have a go here.

Delegation

It is a principle of Administrative Law in the UK that only the person or body given the power to make a decision, can take that decision. Where it is passed on to someone else, the decision can be challenged on the grounds of "unlawful delegation".

One example of this would be where a committee is given a statutory power to make a decision, but appoints an advisory committee or an individual to make recommendations. That in itself is fine. The problem arises if the committee merely rubber stamps the recommendation. There needs to be evidence that they have considered the recommendation - and come to a decision themselves that the recommendation merits being adopted.

One "exception" to the rule is that a senior civil servant can make decisions on behalf of the Minister. This was established in the Carltona Ltd v Commissioners of Works case. [1943] 2 All ER 560. Martin Stanley in his note "How to be a Civil Servant" explains "It is essential to note at the outset that a person exercising a power for and on behalf of another does so as the ‘agent’ or ‘alter ego’ of the person in whom the power is vested. That is, the act of the authorised person is, at law, the act of the person in whom the power is vested. This is fundamentally different to the act of a delegate which, at law, is the delegate’s and not the delegator’s act."