COSTS, BENEFITS AND CAREERS IN THE UNITED-STATES HOUSE-OF-REPRESENTATIVES - A DEVELOPMENTAL-APPROACH

Many have observed the rise of, and changes in, careerism in the U.S. House of Representatives, but few have attempted an explanation for careerism’s emergence and change. We posit a cost-benefit model as an explanation for careerism with the House’s structure and environment affecting the cost-benefit calculus. The model is not testable per se, but it is compared, and seems to fit well with the historical record of careerism and the political environment. © 1991 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.