Conflict in Congress: A Call for Moderation

The book introduces Legislative Conflict Theory, which suggests that conflict in legislatures is two-dimensional and that a moderate level of conflict is most productive. The theory is tested using the US Congress as a testing ground and novel indicators of conflict and productivity. The research concludes that specific Congresses and historical eras experienced a median level of two-dimensional conflict and that the most effective legislators will be context dependent.

Format: Hardback
Length: 162 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2024
Publisher: Lexington Books

The book introduces Legislative Conflict Theory, which posits that conflict in legislatures is two-dimensional and that a moderate level of conflict is most productive. The theory identifies two types of conflict: policy differences and relational conflict. Using the US Congress as a testing ground and novel indicators of both forms of conflict and legislative productivity, the book tests the theory in various ways. The testing reveals that specific Congresses and historical eras, easily identified as more productive, experienced a median level of two-dimensional conflict. The research has implications for effective legislative processes in all political settings, including democratically elected legislatures and 'rubber stamp legislatures' in authoritarian environments. Ultimately, the research argues for recruiting the right type of people to serve, with the most effective legislators being context-dependent. In low-conflict scenarios, rabble-rousers become the most effective legislators, while in high-conflict scenarios, disciplined-mannerly legislators committed to compromise are needed.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 237 x 160 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666940343