chapter 2 Flashcards
what is the political reason?
The system of governement in a nation
what is political economy?
The political, economic, and legal systems of a country.
what are the two dimensions of political reason?
Emphasis on collectivism or individualism.
*Degree to which they are democratic or totalitarian.
what is collectivism?
Emphasizes collective goals over individual goals → try to look at big picture, whatever is good for the group has priority over what is good for the individual
needs for society are more important that individual freedom
“good of society”
what is socialism?
Modern version of collectivism
Public ownership of the means of production for the common good.
Karl Marx: the few benefit at the expense of the many in a capitalist society where individual freedoms are not restricted.
everyone shares everything
what was socialism split into
communism and social democrats
what is communism?
use of dictatorship (people dont make decisions)
cvfwhat are social democrats?
using democratic means to achieve socialism
what is privatization?
selling state-owned companies to private investors
Privatization is a sign of commitment towards free market economic→ individualistic economy
what is invidiualism ?
an individual should have freedom in economic and political pursuits→ better chance of benefiting the society
The interest of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state
say that yes they are certain things that are good for the whole society but we have to let people decide for themselves
what are the two underlying tenets of individualism?
- Guarantee of individual freedom and self-expression (legal guarantee - if you invent something you can get a patent on it)
- Welfare of society best served by letting people pursue their own economic self-interest (motivation pushes you forward, you create more than what you can consume)
what is democracy?
government is by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives → people decide for themselves, people have a voice over their future
Real democracy is theoretical
what is totalitarianism
one person or political party exercises absolute control over all spheres of human life and prohibits opposing political parties → political party controls everything, nobody has a say
which two political systems go hand and hand together
Democracy and individualism go hand in hand, as do the communist version of collectivism and totalitarianism
Doesnt mean that a collectivist society is necessarily a totalirism society
china as a grey zone?
A lot of buts, no absolute sense of totalitarianism or communism
Young generations moved toward more individualism in China → changing jobs, choosing jobs, move towards company that pays more, don’t care about organization but you care about your own salary and lifestyle
More of a convergence towards individualism
why is Iran an interesting case?
They have all of the mechanism of democracy on the surface but very individualistic society, not collectivist with totalitarianism regime
what is representative demoracy>
citizens periodically elect individuals to represent them.
Includes a multitude of safeguards that are typically based in constitutional law
what are the different safeguards of democracy?
Freedom of expression.
Free media
Universal adult suffrage: the right to vote for as many people who are bound by a government’s laws as possible, as supported by the “one person, one vote” principle.
Fair court system.
what is communist totalitarianism
socialism can be achieved only through a totalitarian dictatorship
what is theocratic totalitarianism
monopolized by a party, group, or individual that governs according to religious principles (ex: Saudi arabia)
what is tribal totaliranism
a party, group, or individual that represents the interests of a particular tribe monopolizes political power. → in african countries, one tribe dominates others, other tribes dont have a say in how the country is done
what is right wing totalitarianism
generally permits individual economic freedom but restricts individual political freedom, including free speech, on the ground that it would lead to the rise of communism
what are pseudo democracies
Lie between pure democracies and complete totalitarianism systems
Looks like a democracy but not a democracy
Authoritarian elements have captured some or much of the machinery of state and use this to deny basic political and civil liberties.
ex: russia,
what is economic freedom?
Based on the concept of self ownership
Individuals have a right to choose