85 will be the minimum Flashcards
Market Economy
individuals and firms exchanges goods and services without government interference.
Capitalism
Market economy plus private property.
Command Economy
Price, property and production controlled by the state.
Key Point
Rise of modern state coincided with market economy; when the economy became a free market, individuals have freedoms
Essential Roles of the State
Providing security, establishing and enforcing property and contract rights, creating and controlling currency.
Beneficial Roles of the state
infrastructure, education, healthcare and correcting market failures.
politically generated roles
Those functions where the state interacts with the market due to the will of the people/ political demands.
Causes of market failure
externalities, imperfect information, monopolies.
Externalities
Pollution and long term health
Imperfect information
Variable interest rate mortgages and mortgage backed - securities.
Monopolies
competition removed, so key efficiency is gone. can occur naturally.
Keyneianism
The state could and should be more involved in economic crises and fiscal policy to minimize boom and bust cycles. Gov’t should engage in deficit spending (borrowing and spending more than revenue) in order to increase demand. Debt could be paid off once economy improves and inflation by decreasing demand.
Stagflation
A problem for Keynes in that high inflation and high unemployment can’t really be corrected by more gov’t spending and borrowing…it makes the situation worse by increasing inflation.
monetarism
Milton Friedman; only monetary policy can affect economic well-being in capitalism. Gov’t should be LESS involved in the economy. Gov’t should spend less and be concerned with the amount of money printed and circulated (monetary policy).
Comparative Advantage
Maximum benefit if all produce what they do best and trade with others doing the same
Structural adjustment programs
World Bank and IMF programs (loans) that require neoliberal reforms such as privatizing industry, reduced deficits, less gov’t spending, and free trade
Globalism
has changed the role of the state in the economy. International influence and private capital alter gov’t capacity and influence.
Vertical Accountability
Between the Government and the peopl
Horizontal Accountability
Between the branches of Government
Majoritarian democracy
power concentrated in a single party, executive which dominates the legislature. Often single legislative branch, constitution easily amended.
consensus democracy
Multiparty executive in a coalition government, executive-legislative balance, bicameral legislatures with roughly equal power, rigid constitutions which are not easily amended
Coalition Government
parliamentary practice requiring at least 2 parties to negotiate to rule.
Veto Player
Parties with veto power over policies and laws; SHOULD make government more horizontally accountable
Head of state
Official, symbolic rep. of a state; speaks on behalf of the country; primary actor in world affairs; often king or president
Head of Government
Implements and executes the laws of the land; often plays a key role in passing legislation; often a president or prime minister
Parliamentarian Government
Oldest democratic model; no real separation between Leg. and Exec. Branches as the two are fused together; members of parliament elect a chief executive (typically PM)
When voting for your member of parliament, you are also basically voting for the chief executive due to party alliances
Collective Responsibility
Cabinet members all agree to support legislation once introduced to Parliament, so it SHOULD pass
Separation of powers
Functions of Exec. and Leg. Branches are clearly defined, distinct, and separate (often includes Judicial Branch too)
Semi presidential
Executive power is divided between a directly elected president and a prime minister chosen by parliament
President is Head of State WITH many governing powers as well; appoints Prime Minister with approval of parliament
Prime Minister is official Head of Government and leader of majority party/coalition
Parliament can force cabinet to resign; President can dissolve parliament and call for new elections
Splits in power must be clearly written in constitution; often President = foreign, PM = domestic
Cohabitation
President and PM from different parties; forces compromise
Most democratic system of government
In theory, Parliamentarian…because the “people’s representatives” are supreme. Presidential is more accountable horizontally and thus may actually protect democratic practices better. Coin flip in reality.
Most effective at policy government
Typically Parliamentarian. Compromise is built in and gridlock can typically be avoided by dissolving/forcing elections
Most stable government
Based upon evidence—Parliamentarian. History has shown that Presidential systems are dangerous to new democracies. Winner-take-all risk.
Common Law
British origin; judges base decisions on written law AND past court decisions (stare decisis)
Code Law
Roman and French origin (Napoleon); judges may only follow the law and make decisions based upon the written law—no real interpretation or past decisions
Judicial review
The right of the courts to determine whether a law is constitutional or not; MOST democracies
Concrete (Common) or Abstract (Code)
Judicial Independence
Judges must be willing and able to act independently when making decisions; there should not be undue influence from outside groups or individuals in power…KEY COMPONENT
bureaucracy
provide a number of benefits to a modern state: continuity of gov’t, efficient management of resources, capacity to rule over territory and people, etc.
Principal agent problems
Interest of the hired doesn’t align with that of the elected; can lead to corruption
political appointees
Serve at the pleasure of the President or PM; oversee bureaucracy in a way consistent with those in power want
In democracies, legislators can limit the discretion of bureaucrats…or not.
Legislative Oversight
Risk for bureaucracy
Patronage, “runaway states”, bribery, rent seeking
Federalism
State’s power is legally and constitutionally divided among multiple levels of government
Why? (See blue box on pg. 293)
Larger countries can better manage large areas and populations
Limits power of a majority by adding “veto players”
Protects interests of religious and ethnic minorities; often provides for regional autonomy
Accountability of federalism
Federalism allows for built in autonomy and checks & balances between branches and levels of government (Think of bicameral interests in the US)
Devolution
Recent trend in federalism; decentralization of power from central gov’t to lower levels
Electoral Systems
Formal, legal mechanisms that translate votes into control over political offices and shares of political power
Who votes, when, and how
Standard systems involve voting for REPRESENTATION instead of POLICIES
Key areas to compare: Elections, Parties, and Civil Society
Rational Choice Theory
No rational reason; one person has no real impact
Collective action Problem
Individuals make the rational decision to NOT participate because one person can’t change things, but this leads to collective suffering when all individually opt out
Closed list elections
Party provides ranked list of candidates, voters vote for the party
Open list elections
Voters vote for actual candidates and seats are allocated based upon party performance and given to individuals with the most votes
Semi proportional elections
Voters cast ballots for a SMD representative and for a party list (proportional)
All SMD winners are seated, then seats allocated based upon overall party list votes for the nation
Single Non transferable elections
Large, multimember districts where voters vote for only 1 candidate
Alternative vote elections
SMD system where voters rank each candidate; after the first-place votes are counted, the lowest ranked candidate has votes reallocated based upon the voter’s second choice
Populism parties
Latin American growth; socialist and promises to provide for the masses, but nationalist as well; often use ethnicity and patronage
Conservative parties
strong state, nationalism, preservation of the social fabric, free market
Christian democrats
centrist regarding social welfare, very conservative on social/moral issues
liberals
CLASSIC liberalism, free market and limited social programs and limited government
Socialist/social democrats
largely the voice of labor/workers, expanded social welfare
Communist
expanded social welfare BUT only in elections until revolution occurs
Right wing extremist
severe nationalism and anti-immigration
Ecology movement
socialist PLUS environment first
dominant party systems
Multiple parties, but the same one always wins (South Africa & ANC)
Two party system
Multiple may exist, but only 2 are actually in contention (US and UK)
two and a half party system
Two dominate, but typically they need the third party to join and form a coalition to govern (Germany & UK)
multiparty system
Um, multiple parties
Why different systems?
Economic battle between capital and labor
Religious battle between Protestant and Catholic
Duverger’s Law
Civil Society
The layer of organized political activity between the state and individuals/families/firms
Trade unions, business groups, farmers groups, etc.
Collective action increases influence
Pluralism
Many groups represent a variety of interests and the government remains neutral towards these groups
Corporatism
(Societal or Neocorporatist here) Multiple smaller, local groups align under a few PEAK ASSOCIATIONS which work closely with government to develop policy; these peak associations are officially recognized by government
Social Movement
A component of civil society where citizens perceive inadequate representation and inequality in politics and government. These individuals work together to seek socioeconomic or political changes through collective action (but outside of established, organized interest groups).
Social Capital
Networks of people and social norms created through interaction…with real people
Authoritarian executive branch
Almost always a Supreme Leader with few limitations on power; often consults with top leaders from the party/regime
Tools of control in authoritarian regime
Repression, Co-optation, Efforts at Legitimation…and always “security”
Personal security is of utmost importance; often form a special military wing to provide it
Dictators dilemma
Repression creates fear, which breeds uncertainty about actual support of the ruler, so the paranoia leads to making irrational choices and spending too much to try to ensure support
Spies, intelligence, secret police, etc.
Means of maintaining control
Repression: Expensive but effective
Buying Loyalty: As discussed under dictator’s dilemma, paranoia is especially strong in those who came to power by military overthrow
African roads example—build support with your base
Institutionalized Corruption
Co-Optation: Utilize formal institutions such as a legislature or bureaucracy to “keep your enemies closer”
Allows for controlled dissent and perception of access/influence among opposition and minority groups
In legislature, opposition typically has little real power (Kenya)
Legitimation: Institutions without real power
