Begrippen week 1

Question 1

power

Answer 1

the ability to make other people do what they do not want to doe. power is the ability to apply force.

Question 2

state

Answer 2

the organization that issues and enforces binding rules for the people within a territory

Question 3

legitimacy

Answer 3

the condition of being in accordance with the norms and values of the people. legitimate power is accepted because it is seen as a right

Question 4

cleavages

Answer 4

deep and persistent differences in society were (1) objective social differences are aligned with (2) subjective awareness of these differences

Question 5

4 stages of development

Answer 5

1. state formation: creation of state institutions / system of government
2. national building: create common culture for people
3. mass democracies: all people get the opportunity to participate in democracy
4. welfare states: strengthening of the economy and solidarity

Question 6

failed state

Answer 6

a country that has lost control of some of its territory and government authority and is unable to fulfill the basic functions of a sovereign state

Question 7

normative political theories

Answer 7

based on values and judgements about how the world should be

Question 8

empirical political theories

Answer 8

try to understand, by examining evidence, how the political world actually works and why it works that way

Question 9

4 common approaches on modern states

Answer 9

1. constitutional approaches: the state is established by some agreement or
   social contract between citizens and rulers. Main concern is question how the
   legitimacy of the state is established.
2. Ethical and moral approaches: how can we organise society so that individuals
   can live together in harmony and peace.
3. Conflict approaches: stress the conflicting nature of interests and values in
   society and see the state as the device to exercise power to regulate conflicts.
   State is instrument of oppression.
4. Pluralist approaches: also see the state as necessary to regulate conflict, but rather see the state as a kind of referee that uses its legitimate authority to make sure competing interests are resolved.

Question 10

globalization

Answer 10

the growing interdependencies and interconnectedness of the world that reduces the autonomy of individuals states and the importance of boundaries between them

Question 11

NGO’s

Answer 11

non-profit, private and non-violent organisations that are independent of government but seek to influence or control public policy without actually seeking government office

Question 12

representative democracy

Answer 12

the form of democracy in which citizens elect leaders who govern in their name

Question 13

participatory democracy

Answer 13

that form of democracy in which citizens actively and directly participate in government

Question 14

etatism

Answer 14

a very strong emphasis on state power and accompanying reduction of social and individual rights

Question 15

supranational organization

Answer 15

organization in which countries pool their sovereignty on certain matters to allow joint decision-making

Question 16

intergovernmental organizations

Answer 16

organizations in which member states work together on policies of common concern but still remain their full sovereignty

Question 17

opt-outs

Answer 17

specific exception that are granted to a member state when it is unwilling or unable to fully accept all provisions of a treaty or a law

Question 18

ordinary legislative procedure

Answer 18

decision-making procedure that is most commonly used in the EU for adopting legislation, giving equal powers to the EP and the Council

Question 19

Copenhagen criteria

Answer 19

fundamental conditions regarding institutions, human rights and economic readiness aspiring member states have to meet before being able to join the EU

Question 20

Euroscepticism

Answer 20

term used for people, member states or political parties that have
been highly critical of European integration.

Question 21

two approaches to explaining European integration that fall under the heading of ‘integration theories’

Answer 21

neofunctionalism and inter-governmentalism

Question 22

neofuntionalism

Answer 22

Integration theory which states that members will work together to reap economic benefits, setting in motion a process in which ever more tasks are delegated to the supranational level.

EU: groups are not restricted to the boundaries of their country but can forge transnational alliances with like-minded groups in other countries in order to further advance their interests.

Question 23

Spillover

Answer 23

refers to the way in which the creation and deepening of integration in one economic sector creates pressure for further economic integration within and beyond that sector and greater authoritative capacity at the European level. 3 varities

Question 24

functional spillover

Answer 24

technical: abolition of tariffs for example. economic gains can only be derived if certain sectors are integrated as well.

Question 25

cultivated spillover

Answer 25

role of supranational actors such as Commission, EP, Court of Justice

Question 26

political spillover

Answer 26

politicians decide that the interests can be better served by seeking supranational rather than national solutions

Question 27

intergovernmentalism

Answer 27

integration theory which holds that member states are fully in charge of cooperative steps they take and only collaborate with a view to their direct self-interest

Question 28

2 branches of studying eu politics. multi-level governance and comparative politics approach

Answer 28

Multi-level governance: argues that EU in many respects is a one-of-a-kind
political system that has organized its policy-making process in a unique fashion.
Comparative politics approach: argues that the EU in fact shares many of the
features of national political systems and therefore can best be studied using the tools that have been developed for that purpose.

Question 29

federal system

Answer 29

political system in which sovereign states have a

higher federal level of government.