Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Presidential Power: Assessing The Unitary Executive As The Strongest Determinant Of Presidential Success, Maxwell J. Fuerderer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Unitary Executive Theory, which implies that the president should have plenary authority over executive branch functions, and is the sole arbiter of executive power, can be attributed to increasing the powers of the presidency and overall making a president more successful in his policy endeavors. I have concentrated my research to contextualize different variables for presidential success, including prior experience, bureaucratic loyalty, historical context, and, most importantly, the unitary executive. I apply these determinants to two case studies to determine which are most effective. Using the examples of Andrew Jackson and Jimmy Carter, I show how their contrasting uses …