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A test of the adequacy of the power index
Author(s) -
Riker William H.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830040205
Subject(s) - index (typography) , politics , generalization , economics , game theory , test (biology) , power (physics) , power index , profit (economics) , mathematical economics , positive economics , microeconomics , computer science , operations research , epistemology , mathematics , political science , law , philosophy , paleontology , world wide web , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
The economists once invented the Economic Man whose aim in life was to maximize profit or a suitable generalization of it. Game theory suggests the possibility of a theory of coalitions. Presumably, such a theory relates to the Political Man. Does the Political Man seek to maximize “power”? To determine this one must develop an index of power and then discover whether in actual cases real men attempt to maximize what it measures.