comparative politics 1

Question 1

why compare politics

Answer 1

-Identify patterns
-Understand causes and effects
-Avoid biases
-Build and test theories
-Learn from others

Comparing politics helps us make a better sense of politics by depending our understanding and avoiding narrow views

Question 2

John Stuart Mill: Method of Difference

Answer 2

“If, within the systems we are comparing, there is an occurrence and a non-
Occurrence of the phenomenon, and the circumstances in which these are observed are the same in all factors save one, then that one is the cause of the occurrence.”

Question 3

north and South Korea

Answer 3

-commonality : both emerged from the same historical context (post-world war II division) and share long cultural heritage
-Key differences: different political and economic ideas and systems (authoritarianism vs. democracy, centrally planned economy vs. markets) resulted in very different trajectories and outcomes

Question 4

Spain and South Africa

Answer 4

Both Spain (mid-1970s) and South Africa (early 1990s) transitioned from authoritarian regimes to democracies. Very different countries, but similar:

*Strong civil society

*International pressure

*Pivotal leaders

Question 5

A key thing to compare: Institutions

Answer 5

Regular patterns of behaviour that give stability and predictability to social life … and politics

*Informal- birthdays

*Formal - the charter of rights and freedoms

Institutions are sticky and they matter

Question 6

European States

Answer 6

*In Europe, State and ruler inseparable until the 17th century

*Become more rational, legal and impersonal since then

*From personal→institutional rule
Central question in comparative politics:

*Why and how did this occur? Why in some places and not others? What explains variation over time and space?

Question 7

Charles Tilly: The state as a protection racket

Answer 7

-War making
-State making
-Protection
-Extraction

Question 8

Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

Answer 8

1.Sovereignty of states and fundamental right to self-determination

2. Legal equality between states
3. Non-intervention of one state in the affairs of another

Question 9

The Spread of the western state model

Answer 9

Colonialism
Imitation

Question 10

States have grown in capacity

Answer 10

*Some are strong and resilient

*Others are weak and fragile