Prime Ministers and Rhetorical Governance (Palgrave Studies in Political Leadership)

Prime Ministers in Westminister style democracies are forever talking to and communicating with the electorate. This ground-breaking book explores and analyses the uses of political rhetoric by Prime Ministers to explore patterns of communication and shows that the manner in which they talk to the electorate is central to day-to-day governance. Why do prime ministers talk so much and yet all sound the same? Is it just 'empty rhetoric', or is something deeper going on? Prime ministers use rhetoric not simply to beguile voters, but to fulfill the responsibilities expected of them under the Westminster system of government. There are various rhetorical roles that prime ministers cannot help but play if they are to govern effectively. This book argues that there are institutionalised patterns in the speeches that prime ministers give. Like an old-style jukebox, there are only a certain number of records in the prime ministerial machine. Inevitably, each prime minister will play the same songs in the same order as their predecessor. This repetitive rhetoric has an impact not just on the minds of voters, but also on day-to-day governance in Westminster system democracies "It is a well-known fact that Prime ministers are fond of talking, in fact at times it seems impossible to get them to do anything else. The reason for this constant talking is that Prime Ministers are all too aware of the importance of frequently talking to and communicating with the electorate. Political rhetoric has a central function that goes far beyond the need to rouse people at election time or in times of great crisis but rather persuasive political talk by prime ministers is central to the practice of modern government itself. This book argues that there are institutionalised patterns in the speeches that prime ministers give. Like an old-style jukebox, there are only a certain number of records in the prime ministerial machine. Inevitably, each prime minister will play the same songs in the same order as their predecessor. This repetitive rhetoric has an impact not just on the minds of voters, but also on day-to-day governance in Westminster system democracies"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-viii The Mutual Delusion....Pages 1-21 Extra-Parliamentary Rhetorical Leadership: From Gladstone to Blair....Pages 22-41 The Rhetorical Prime Minister in Comparative Perspective....Pages 42-62 Persuading Voters: Cycles of Election-Defining Rhetoric....Pages 63-83 Prime Ministers and Policy Narratives....Pages 84-103 Policy Intervention in Sub-National Jurisdictions....Pages 104-128 Defining a Legacy....Pages 129-143 Prime Ministers and Mandarins: Rhetorical Consistency across Government....Pages 144-169 Conclusion: In Search of Authenticity....Pages 170-177 Back Matter....Pages 178-207 Cover 1 Contents 6 List of Tables and Figures 7 Acknowledgements 8 1 The Mutual Delusion 10 2 Extra-Parliamentary Rhetorical Leadership: From Gladstone to Blair 31 3 The Rhetorical Prime Minister in Comparative Perspective 51 4 Persuading Voters: Cycles of Election-Defining Rhetoric 72 5 Prime Ministers and Policy Narratives 93 6 Policy Intervention in Sub-National Jurisdictions 113 7 Defining a Legacy 138 8 Prime Ministers and Mandarins: Rhetorical Consistency across Government 153 9 Conclusion: In Search of Authenticity 179 Notes 187 References 190 Index 213