Exam 1 Flashcards
What is Harold Lasswell’s definition of ‘Politics’?
The authoritative allocation of scarce resources and values resulting from a struggle among competing actors.
This definition emphasizes the competitive nature of politics and the importance of resource allocation.
List the eight values included in the definition of politics.
- Power
- Wealth
- Skill
- Enlightenment
- Well-being
- Respect
- Deference
- Affection
These values represent what is often contested in political arenas.
According to Robert Dahl, what is ‘Power’?
Actor A’s ability to get Actor B to do that which B normally would not do, due to a threat of force, perception of a threat of force or USE of FORCE.
This definition highlights the coercive aspect of power.
Define ‘influence’ as per Robert Dahl.
Actor A’s ability to get Actor B to THINK about doing something B normally would not do, with no force involved.
Influence operates without coercion, relying on persuasion.
What does ‘authority’ refer to in political science?
Rests with an institution, not a person, who has been delegated the ability to make decisions.
Authority is tied to institutional legitimacy rather than individual power.
Describe the evolution of authority according to Max Weber.
From traditional, to charismatic, to legal-rational.
This framework illustrates how authority structures change over time.
What is ‘Hard power’ in the international system?
Military power, weapons, armed forces, military equipment.
Hard power emphasizes coercive force and military capabilities.
Define ‘Soft power’ as introduced by Joseph Nye.
Attraction to other nation-states due to its values, products; a non-military source of power.
Soft power relies on attraction and influence rather than coercion.
What is ‘Smart power’?
Combination of soft and hard power.
This approach suggests a balanced use of both types of power for effective diplomacy.
Define ‘Sharp power’.
Cyber warfare, manipulation via technological hacking.
Sharp power highlights new forms of influence and coercion in the digital age.
What are the levels of analysis in political science?
- Micro
- Middle range
- Macro
These levels help categorize political phenomena from individual to systemic perspectives.
What is a ‘Nation’?
The people who share traditions, culture, often language, religion, etc.
Nations are often defined by shared identities and cultural bonds.
Define ‘State’ in political terms.
A legal and empirical concept; territory recognized by the United Nations, a monopoly on the means of force and sovereignty.
The state is a recognized entity with authority over a specific territory.
What does ‘sovereignty’ mean?
The state’s ability to make laws, change laws, and enforce laws, having internal control and external autonomy.
Sovereignty is essential for state authority and independence.
According to Plato, what is the ideal state?
Ruled by philosopher Kings or ‘Guardians’.
Plato believed that rulers should be wise and knowledgeable.
What is Aristotle’s view of the evolution of the state?
The state evolves organically out of nature from the family to the village to the city-state.
Aristotle saw the state as a natural progression of human social organization.
Describe Aristotle’s cyclical model of government.
Monarchy degenerates into tyranny, replaced by aristocracy that degenerates into oligarchy, followed by revolution to polity, which degenerates into democracy, then starts over.
This model illustrates the instability and cyclical nature of political systems.
What is the social contract theory according to Thomas Hobbes?
Man in nature is ‘nasty, brutish, solitary’ leading to a contract for a strong monarchical government.
Hobbes believed a powerful authority was necessary to prevent chaos.
What is John Locke’s view on the social contract?
Limited to preventing individuals from killing one another and taking private property.
Locke’s ideas laid the foundation for classical liberalism.
What does Jean Jacques Rousseau mean by ‘collective will’?
Each individual gives up a little of their individual will for the collective will, leading to enlightenment.
Rousseau emphasized the importance of communal decision-making.
Who is considered an antecedent to conservatism?
Plato, due to his belief that some are better and should rule based on their knowledge of the good.
Plato’s ideas influenced later conservative thought.
What is classical liberalism?
A political ideology emphasizing individual rights and limited government intervention in the economy.
Classical liberalism is grounded in Enlightenment principles.
What economic principle did Adam Smith advocate in ‘Wealth of Nations’?
Laissez-faire free market and the ‘laws of supply and demand’.
Smith’s ideas are foundational to modern economics.
What is the ‘litmus test’ for government intervention proposed by John Stuart Mill?
Distinction between self-regarding and other-regarding acts.
Mill argued that government should only intervene in actions affecting others.
