Chapter 1 Flashcards
1st dimension of power
A has power over B, A can get B to do what A wants, that B would otherwise not do. “concrete observable behavior”
2nd dimension of power
Not giving a person all the options. Only allowing them to choose from what you want them to choose from. “agenda setting”
3rd dimension of power
Ability to influence someone regardless of that persons core beliefs. “manipulation” “false sense of consciousness”
5 political issues
Political Development Regime Change & Type Participation & Representation Policymaking Political Economy
Poltical Development
Process through which modern nations/states arise and how political institutions/regimes evolve
Regime Type & Change
A set of formal and informal political institutions that define a type of government
2 regime types
Democratic
Authoritarian
5 government types
Representative democracy Direct democracy Rule by experts Strong leader Rule by military
Representative democracy
Citizens elect representatives and they decide what is law for us “U.S.A”
Direct democracy
Citizen vote directly, and they decide what comes into law
Rule by experts
Scholars make decisions based on what they think is best for the country, bypassing politics.
Strong leader
The strong leader makes decisions on what they think is best and pushes laws without interference
Rule by military
Military rules the country
2 types of political theories
Empirical
Normative
Empirical theory
Describes a pattern, explains it, predicts what will happen next
Normative theory
What ought to happen
3 research methods
Single case study
Comparative method
Quantitive statistical techniques
Single case study
studies a political phenomenom in 1 county and generates ideas for a new theory
What explains political behavior?
Individual motivation (Interests) Culture & Ideology (beliefs) Underlying structure (structure)
Individual motivation
The assumption that people are involved in politics for their own self interest.
Culture & Ideology
Involved because of values and beliefs.
Underlaying structure
Political behavior if influenced/determined by broader structures, such as class divisions
Comparative method
scholars try to mimic laboratory conditions by carefully selecting similar cases.
Pluralist theories
explanation of who has power that argue that society is divided into various political groups and that power is dispersed among these groups so that no group has complete or permanent power
Elite theories
theories that all argue that societies are ruled by a small group that has effective control over all power
Pluralist theories (Key arguments)
Society is divided into political groups
Power is dispersed among groups
No group has complete or permanent power
Even authoritarian regimes
Elite theory (Key arguments)
All societies are ruled by and elite with control over virtually all power Marxism The power elite Patriarchy Critical race theories
Marxism
Political power reflects control of the economy; its based on economic power of the bourgeoisie; who owns and controls capital and is the ruling elite in capitalist society
Quantitative statistical techniques
research method used for large-scale studies that reduce evidence to sets of numbers so that statistical analysis can compare huge number cases
Compulsory Voting
A requirement that eligible voters to vote
in elections, or show up at the polling station on
election day. Punishments are imposed on eligible
voters who don’t vote.
The State
An ongoing administrative apparatus that develops and administers laws and generates and implements public
policies in a specific territory.
4 traits of a state
Territory
Sovereignty
Legitimacy
Bureaucracy
Territory (State)
Clear defined boarders
Sovereignty (internal) (State)
sole authority within a territory capable of making and enforcing laws and policies
Sovereignty (external) (State)
relative to outside powers that is legally recognized in international law
Legitimacy (State)
recognized by the right to rule
Traditional legitimacy (State)
right to rule based on a societies long standing patterns and practices
Charismatic legitimacy (State)
Right to rule based on personal virtue, heroism or other extraordinary characteristics
Rational-legal legitimacy (State)
right of leader to rule based on their selection according to an accepted set of laws, standards or procedures
Bureaucracy (State)
Large set of appointed officials whose function is to implement laws of the state, directed by the executive
Recognition
A formal way of showing that you recognize the state and want to work with the political leaders of that country.
3 characteristics of recognizing a state
Exchange ambassadors
Economic trade
Free travel
3 key questions in Comparative Politics
What explains political behavior?
Who rules?
Where and why do particular types of political behavior occur?
Who rules?
Elitest
Pluralist
Strong states (3 characteristics)
Deliver the crucial political goods
Critical political good is, security. (Other key goods: political freedoms, rule of law, medical care, schools, roads, banking system)
Tend to be wealthier, less corrupt, less violent, and more
legitimate
Weak states (3 characteristics)
Partially able to provide adequate political goods to its
citizens.
Schools and hospitals show signs of neglect.
Ruled by despots.
Failed state (2 characteristics)
So weak that it loses effective sovereignty over part or all
of its territory.
Tense, deeply conflicted, dangerous, and contested bitterly by warring factions. Its enduring character is violence. Warlords take over.
Why are weak states weak?
Colonialism
Collapsed State
An extreme case of a failed state
Colonialism (weak)
Acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Resource curse
when a state relies on a key resource for all of it revenue, allowing it to ignore it citizens, resulting in a weak state.
