Positive Theories of Congressional Parties

In recent years, positive theories of congressional parties have been elaborated to encompass a variety of institutional features. The seasoning of the field is reflected in its contrasting theoretical accounts of the existence of parties and their effects, and the return to empirical evidence in a set of insightful studies of modem congressional decision making. This paper provides a critical review of this recent literature and suggests some unfinished tasks in the development of this field.