Unlocking the Cabinet

Comparative studies of politics have neglected the cabinet and cabinet committees which are at the centre of the decision-making process in Western parliamentary democracies. Unlocking the Cabinet provides the first comparative analysis of cabinet structures in parliamentary systems, revealing the powerful role of cabinet committees.

Part One outlines a framework for comparing decision arenas in political executives. Part Two uses the comparative framework, and analyses the history, structures and changing roles of cabinet committees in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland.