The INPUT and Faithfulness in OT Syntax

I consider some of the claims that have been made for and against the nature of the INPUT in OT syntax as developed within the assumptions of the Minimalist Program, leading to suggestions for further specification of the architecture of this approach. Comparing with the role of faithfulness in the OT approach developed from Lexical-Functional Grammar, I argue that specific linguistic analyses crucially involve reference to faithfulness constraints (MAX and DEP in correspondence-based OT) which apply across different parts of the output structures, but do not need to refer to the INPUT. I conclude that while OT syntax does not need INPUTs per se, it does need faithfulness constraints.