Institutionalism Review

Theory, Institutions and Comparative Politics
By Mark Pennington

Rational Choice Institutionalism
Ontology
Taking as an assumption that individuals search and seek only for personal goals,the rational choice institutionalism starts with the premise that the way to look at institutions and to analyze them has to start on an individual level and then continue to a more general conceptionof the problem to analyze. Therefore, the institution is the legal conjunction of institutionalize rules that seek the union of several individual goals in a collective way.
Explanation of matterThe institutions matters for a simple reason, their outcomes on society. Even though institutions answer to personal purposes of the politician, their pursuit of this goals can bring positive outcomesto society. And the main interest of rational choice institutionalism if focus in how to channel the self-interested choices into the outcomes of the institution in benefit of the majority.Institutions both hard and soft are object of analysis for the rational choice institutionalism in order to overcome and lower the costs of collective actions and controlling the free-riders actions.Explanation of origin
* Strong version
Rational responses to problems with a self-interested motivation in order to change a structure.

* Weak Version
Ideas that answer in response of a socialneed in order to solve them.

Cultural Institutionalism
Ontology
Decisions are taken in response to a communal belief that has been part of the society for a long time. The decisions taken are notalways response to ideas but the actions will be according to common practices.
In contrast with Rational Choice Institutionalism answer to a collectivism and not to a personal purpose. And thedecisions that are taken are always influenced by their cultural environment.
It answers to the question: Who they are? That it’s the sum of all the things that make them part of a society, language,...