POLI 260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Plausible Deniability, Antimilitarism, Standard Operating Procedure
Document Summary
Standard operating procedures: the failure of individual group memebrs to speak up (and explore all alternatives) due to pressures to conform, often contributing to poor decisions. Symptoms: leaders who declare preferences before full vetting of information / policy options, mind guards who police others, suppression of own doubts due to loyalty, going with the flow to prevent being ostracized. Prescriptions: critical evaluators, impartial / open leaders, independent groups, more/equal communication. How much does public opinion matter: limits: government leading opinion (rather than reacting)
