The Other Elites: Women, Politics and Power in the Executive Branch.
WALSH, MAUREEN A.
MARYANNE BORELLI AND JANET M. MARTIN, eds., The Other Elites:
Women, Politics and Power in the Executive Branch (Boulder, CO: Lynn
Rienner, 1997), 238+ pp., $55.00 cloth (ISBN 1-55587-658-7).
Touting their book as one of the first collections of articles
dealing with the issue of gender as part of the study of the presidency,
the editors approach the subject using the theoretical theme of
representation. Representation is defined as descriptive, symbolic,
substantive, or a combination of categories. Using statistical data,
surveys, anecdotes, and case studies, the articles included in this
volume provide a broad brushstroke of the role of women in the executive
branch--how far it has come and where it is going. If the purpose of
this publication is to begin the political discussion of women and the
presidency, then the book achieves its goal. The type of representation
women have in the halls of power is critical in understanding the way
power is distributed and defining real or perceived advancement. The
authors certainly make this point. Within its limits, this book is a
springboard for discussion of gender's role in the study of the
presidency.
The book is divided into four parts: theoretical and comparative
perspectives, institutional perspectives (women as officeholders),
institutional perspectives (the president, Congress, and the courts),
and policy and participation. Each part provides a look into the
presidency from a gender perspective of representation.
The first chapters lay theoretical basis, defining the types of
representation as well as offering insight into the role of gender and
its impact on power. The discussion of stereotypes (i.e., women are
viewed as nurturers and men as warriors) provides a backdrop for
understanding that women are more likely to be found in
"nurturing" cabinet posts such as health and human services or
environmental protection rather than in the role of secretary of state
or defense. Unfortunately for the reader, the book was published prior
to the appointment of Madeline Albright as secretary of state. To her
credit, the author of the first article does highlight the importance of
appointments like Janet Reno to justice in changing the traditional
accepted roles of women from outer cabinet offices to the inner circle.
Stereotypes are slow to change, but maybe these appointments represent
the beginning of Duerst-Lahti's call for the transgendering of the
executive. In choosing to begin with the theoretical and ideological
issues, the editors provide a strong foundation for the rest of the
book.
Within this theoretical part, Piper Hodson presents a comparative
analysis of women in the American executive with those in
"developing" countries. Arguing that this comparison is
effective because women from "developing" countries are more
frequently found in the chief executive role than their counterparts in
Western democracies, the author suggests that by understanding the
factors that account for political success in other democratic states,
scholars and practitioners may be more successful in their efforts to
advance women toward the U.S. presidency. She used Zia in Sri Lanka;
Bhutto in Pakistan, and Gandhi in India. While these women certainly
attained power reflecting substantive representation, their initial
power came from the deaths of the men around them (husbands or fathers).
It is critical to remember that once this door was open, these leaders
achieved much in their own right and, in the case of Gandhi, were strong
military leaders. However, for the purpose of moving beyond stereotypes
and providing a more resonant comparison in terms of the overall U.S.
political structure, Aquino of the Philippines (won power after her
husband's assassination) and Britain's Margaret Thatcher (who
won on her own right) would have been more effective choices for
analysis as their electoral systems are more Western and are more useful
for the articles stated point of strategizing for a female U.S. chief
executive. In the case of Thatcher, it would be important to consider
how she obtained the power base that led her to prime minister.
The articles concerning women as office holders highlighted both
descriptive and symbolic representation. With the backdrop of
"inclusive" politics and the attempts by presidents to
"make the cabinet look more like America," this section relied
heavily on historical data. It considered appointments to the cabinet as
well as to the courts. Consideration was given to "pipeline"
issues, meaning that you have to be part of the pipeline either through
experience or campaign participation to make the list for consideration
by the president. The expansion of government may have provided more
opportunities, but in many cases women found their positions watered
down (i.e., Dee Dee Myers). A clever student of politics should pick up
on the lack of women in campaign roles as well.
The final parts consider policy and participation and the impact of
women and "their" issues in terms of the office of the
president. An interesting and important discussion was the role of the
first lady as a presidential adviser (who is not subject to confirmation
and cannot be fired). It provides insight into how various first ladies
have used this role in shaping policy and influencing the public agenda.
Any study of gender and the presidency must include examination of this
pivotal role, and consideration must be given toward a future female
presidency and how the role might change. The section also includes a
discussion of the role women's issues have played in opening the
halls of government and more generally providing an activist training
ground for women in terms of the executive branch. This is handled by
examining the role of the solicitor general. While this article provides
a thorough discussion of the office, it relies heavily on case law,
which makes for difficult reading if these cases are unfamiliar. The
article on participation provides insight as to the issues on which
women cast ballots and how women in elected office are viewed as well as
their achievements, especially at state and local levels.
In terms of meeting its goal of beginning to consider gender as
part of the study of the presidency; this book is useful within its
limits. As a practitioner of electoral politics, I would have liked to
see greater attention to the role of campaign management as a means for
women to advance and a comparative analysis between women elected in
state and local government and women in federal and executive office. It
seems to me that the electoral success of women as managers in state and
city government may provide insight into changing the future
representation of women in the executive branch.
In conclusion, I would recommend this book as an introduction to
women, gender, and the study of the presidency, but I would be
hard-pressed to pay the fifty-five dollar price. Ultimately, I found
myself asking more questions than getting answers.
MAUREEN A. WALSH
Former Director New York City Elections Project
