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11 Nat. Resources J. 102 (1971)
Patterns of Politics in Water Resources Development

handle is hein.journals/narj11 and id is 120 raw text is: PATTERNS OF POLITICS IN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT HELEN INGRAM* While economists and engineers have fairly concrete and explicit criteria for judging water projects as economically justifiable and technically feasible, political scientists have yet to provide compar- able insight into the process by which water development becomes politically viable. The basic intention here is to develop a model of the political rationality of water policy, a frame of reference quite different from economics or engineering. It entails looking at things in political terms, i.e., as the activist, seeking to influence public policy, must see them. A political activist cannot simply make judgments, he must con- cern himself with constructing support for his decisions. He must take care of his ability to influence, and the consequences of actions and events upon his future ability to influence. He is a finely tuned instrument to measure political rationality, which is the process of balancing support generated for a proposal against opposition aroused by it.' For a political activist, a rational decision involves minimal expenditure of the resources he has to influence and maximum return of credit and obligations which strengthen his posi- tion in decisions to come. The model in this paper represents the pattern of politics in water resource development, mapping the way in which water issues are perceived onto the risks and rewards confronted by activists in mak- ing decisions. It will link the kinds of activists who have a stake in water policy to the particular arena where political rationality, or the extent of support for a proposal, is tested. Policy making in our political system requires that proposals be consented to or legitimized through established procedures in institutions which have authority. The model will indicate the relationship among activists in the process of creating sufficient support to obtain consent. It will connect this support building relationship to the stakes of activists involved and the setting or political arena in which they operate. *Staff Political Scientist, National Water Commission; member, University of New Mexico Advisory Council of the Natural Resources Journal; Former Professor of Political Science, University of New Mexico. 1. A. Wildavsky, The Political Economy of Efficiency: Cost Benefit Analysis, Systems Analysis and Program Budgeting, in Political Science and Public Policy, 78-83 (A. Ranney ed. 1968).

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