01 Introducing Comparative Politics

Question 1

The hostile relations that prevailed between the United States and the Soviet Union from the late 1940s until the demise of the latter in 1991

Answer 1

Cold War

Question 2

A democratic system of government that officially recognizes and legally protects individual rights and freedoms and in which the exercise of political power is constrained by rule of law.

Answer 2

Liberal Democracy

Question 3

A style of mobilization by a political party or movement that seeks to gain popular support by emphasizing antiestablishment rhetoric, decrying elite concentrations of power as the source as national decline, and a promising to be responsive to the needs of ordinary people.

Answer 3

Populism

Question 4

The field within political science that focuses on domestic politics of countries and analyzes patterns of similarity and difference among countries.

Answer 4

Comparative Politics

Question 5

An important historical event when political actors make critical choices that shape institutions and future outcomes in both individual countries and the international system.

Answer 5

Critical Junction

Question 6

A distinct, politically defined territory in which the state and national identity (that is a sense of solidarity and shared values based on being citizens of the same country) coincide.

Answer 6

Nation-State

Question 7

The groups with which people identify, including gender, class, race, region, and religion, and which are the “building blocks” for social and political action.

Answer 7

Collective Identities

Question 8

The intensification of worldwide interconnectedness associated with the increased speed and magnitude of cross-border flows of trade, investment and finance, and processes of migration, cultural diffusion, and communication.

Answer 8

globalization

Question 9

A political scientist who studies the similarities and differences in the domestic politics of various countries.

Answer 9

comparativists

Question 10

An international financial institution (IFI) comprising over 180 member-states that provides low-interest loans, policy advice, and technical assistance to developing countries with the goal of reducing poverty.

Answer 10

World Bank.

Question 11

A composite number used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure and compare levels of achievement in health, knowledge, and standard of living.

Answer 11

Human Development Index (HDI)

Question 12

A measure developed by the World Economic Forum of the extent to which women in 58 countries have achieved equality with men

Answer 12

Global Gender Gap

Question 13

Developed by Yale University and Columbia University, a measure of how close countries come to meeting specific benchmarks for national pollution control and natural resource management.

Answer 13

Environmental Performance Index

Question 14

A measure developed by Transparency International that ranks countries in terms of the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians.

Answer 14

Corruption Perceptions Index

Question 15

An index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), based in the United Kingdom, that measures and rank the state of democracy in 167 countries. It classifies the world’s states as Full Democracies, Flawed Democracies, Hybrid Regimes, and Authoritarian Regimes.

Answer 15

Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index

Question 16

Named after British economist John Maynard Keynes, an approach to economic policy in which state policies are used to regulate the economy to achieve stable economic growth.

Answer 16

Keynesianism

Question 17

A term used to describe government policies aiming to promote free competition among business firms within the market, including reduced governmental regulation and social spending.

Answer 17

neoliberalism

Question 18

A territory defined by boundaries generally recognized in international law as constituting an independent nation.

Answer 18

Countries

Question 19

The most powerful political institutions in a country, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, as well as the police and armed forces.

Answer 19

state

Question 20

The agencies of government that implement or execute policy. The chief executive, such as a prime minister or president, also plays a key policy-making role.

Answer 20

executive

Question 21

The body of officials (e.g., ministers, secretaries) who direct executive departments presided over by the chief executive (e.g., prime minister or president).

Answer 21

cabinet

Question 22

The political institutions in a country in which elected or appointed members are charged with responsibility for making laws and usually for authorizing the taxation and expenditure of the financial resources enabling the state to carry out its functions.

Answer 22

legislature

Question 23

The political institutions in a country responsible for the administration of justice, and in some countries, for determining the constitutionality of state decisions.

Answer 23

judiciary

Question 24

A belief by powerful groups and the broad citizenry that a state exercises rightful authority.

Answer 24

legitimacy

Question 25

The historical development of a state, often marked by major stages, key events, or turning points (critical junctures) that influence the contemporary character of the state.

Answer 25

state formation

Question 26

An influential approach in comparative politics that involves trying to explain why “if X happens, then Y is the result.”

Answer 26

causal theory

Question 27

The variable symbolized by X in the statement that “If X happens, then Y will be the result;” in other words, the independent variable is a cause of Y (the dependent variable).

Answer 27

independent variable

Question 28

The variable symbolized by Y in the statement that “If X happens, then Y will be the result;’’ in other words, the dependent variable is the outcome of X (the independent variable).

Answer 28

dependent variable

Question 29

A largely quantitative approach to analyzing political decision making and behavior that assumes that individual actors rationally pursue their aims in an effort to achieve the most positive net result.

Answer 29

rational choice theory

Question 30

A theory that seeks to explain phenomena in a limited range of cases, such as countries with particular characteristics, such as parliamentary regimes, or particular types of political institution (such as political parties) or activities (such as protest).

Answer 30

middle-level theory

Question 31

A form of government in which power and political control are concentrated in one ruler or a few rulers who have concentrated and nearly absolute power.

Answer 31

dictatorships

Question 32

The process of a state moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system.

Answer 32

democratic transitions

Question 33

A largely quantitative approach to analyzing political decision making and behavior that assumes that individual actors rationally pursue their aims in an effort to achieve the most positive net result.

Answer 33

rational choice theory

Question 34

The institutional arrangements that define the relationships between executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and between the national government and subnational units, such as states in the United States.

Answer 34

institutional design

Question 35

A global international organization that oversees the “rules of trade” among its member-states. The main functions of the WTO are to serve as a forum for its members to negotiate new agreements and resolve trade disputes. Its fundamental purpose is to lower or remove barriers to free trade.

Answer 35

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Question 36

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a global institution whose mandate is to “foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty.” It has been particularly active in helping countries that are experiencing serious financial problems. In exchange for IMF financial or technical assistance, a country must agree to conditions and policies that promote economic liberalization.

Answer 36

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Question 37

A treaty among the United States, Mexico, and Canada implemented on January 1, 1994, that largely eliminates trade barriers among the three nations.

Answer 37

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Question 38

A method of classifying by using criteria that assign cases to categories whose members share common characteristics.

Answer 38

typology

Question 39

A democratic political system that has been solidly and stably established for an ample period of time and in which there is relatively consistent adherence to core democratic principles.

Answer 39

consolidated democracies

Question 40

A country whose political systems exhibit some democratic and some authoritarian elements.

Answer 40

hybrid states

Question 41

A state where the government has been brought to power (and perhaps reelected) by democratic election, but then takes steps to seriously limit political competition, undermine the rule of law, and deprive citizens of their basic rights.

Answer 41

illiberal democracy

Question 42

A form of government in which power is highly concentrated at the top, political freedom is limited, and those with authority are not accountable to those they govern.

Answer 42

authoritarian regimes