Accounting for Ministers

Samuel Berlinski is Lead Research Economist in the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank. Torun Dewan is Reader in Political Science in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Keith Dowding is Professor of Political Science in the School of Politics and International Relations, Research School of Social Sciences and Director of the Research College of Arts and Social Sciences at the Australian National University.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Managing the Cabinet: principal-agent relations in government; 3. The structure of British government; 4. Who serves in government and how long do they last?; 5. The Prime Minister and Cabinet; 6. Performance measures and forced exits; 7. Ministerial performance and tenure; 8. Conclusions; Bibliography; Index.

'For those used to studies of parliamentary systems in which the government is treated [as] The Government - that is, as a unitary actor, the present volume by Berlinski, Dewan, and Dowding will come as welcome relief. In this superb piece of theoretical and empirical analysis, the authors 'unpack' the government and provide us with a model of its internal workings. In the process we are given a theoretical account of who serves as government minister, their comings and goings, their management by the prime minister, and ultimately their performance. The analysis is clear and accessible; the empirical work persuasive; and the conclusions illuminating. This is a fine piece of work.' Kenneth A. Shepsle, Harvard University