Discuss David Easton’s model of system analysis

System analysis is part of the behaviouralist movement in political science  and as a reaction to traditional approach .In this search of theory building some scholars saw the potential of General System Theory  by Ludwig Von Bertanalffy.

David Easton was the first to think to analyzing politics from the point of view of system analysis in his work Political System (1953) . Acc to Easton , political system is an interaction in any society through which authoritative and binding allocations of values  are made and implemented. He selected political system as a unit of analysis and concentrated on intra system behaviour .He holds that all political systems are both open and adaptive.He studied the nature  of exchanges and transactions that takes place in a closed circuit but is made because of the demands from the society or  environment.Because of the supports from the environment they become authoritative.

Easton’s input   consists of demands and support . The demands can be excessive in quantity , political system does not allow all  the demands to enter into the system. Demands can be  –

1. For allocation of goods and services such as wages and working conditions, education, health  etc
2. Regulation of behaviour – public safety , control over market etc
3. Participation in the political system – right to vote , form political associations
4. Communication and information  regarding policies of the government.

Demand cannot be satisfied without support . Support can be –

1. Material support like payment of taxes.
2. Obedience of laws,rules.
3. Participatory support – voting , political discussion etc
4. Paying attention to gvt communication like ads , ceremonies,symbols etc

Easton’s Output  : Policies and decisions 

1. Taxation and economic  policies
2. Regulation of human behaviour
3. Distribution of resources ; provide opportunities
4. Symbolic outputs , communication of policy intent.

Feedback  is communicative process which produces action in response to information  about the political system . It appraises the PS of the position of its goal and the changes brought by its performance.

Thus its a flow model of PS , in every PS a cyclic and continuous  process is going on.

It has been useful for comparative study of PS. Example if a PS does not take care of demands of people and arbitrarily makes policies it can be termed as dictatorial system , if PS takes into consideration of only market forces -capitalist system and if PS consider demands of poor and downtrodden – welfare state.

It has also served as as basis for Almond’s model of structural functional analysis and Karl Deutsch’s model of communications theory .