{"id":63,"date":"2025-08-07T20:44:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/politicsuk\/?p=63"},"modified":"2025-10-10T13:02:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T13:02:55","slug":"chapter-19","status":"publish","type":"content","link":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/politicsuk\/part-5-the-executive-process\/chapter-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\tHome\n<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 19<\/h1>\n\n\n

Ministers, departments and civil servants<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ministers of the Crown head government departments. Those departments are extensive and complex bodies. Ministers enjoy substantial formal as well as political powers. The extent to which they can utilise those powers will depend upon the purpose and skill of the individual minister as well as the power situation, the climate of expectation and international developments. Ministers face considerable constraints, especially in recent years as the domain in which they operate has been constricted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministers operate in a complex political environment. Different models seek to locate the place of ministers in that environment. The principal\u2013agent model contends that minis-ters are agents of the Prime Minister or of civil servants. The power-dependency model posits an environment in which ministers have to negotiate with other actors in order to achieve desired outcomes. The baronial model posits that ministers have their own policy territory, castles and courtiers and fight or build alliances in order to get their way. The last two models suggest that ministers enjoy a greater role in policy making than is generally realised in the literature on British politics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Learning Objectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • To promote an understanding of the place and significance of government departments in British government.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To identify the role and political impact of ministers in policy making.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To assess the relationship between ministers and civil servants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To summarise and assess competing models of policy making.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Quizzes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Test your knowledge with the Chapter 19 quizzes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Quiz<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n