First Midterm POLI 201 Introduction to Government and Politics Flashcards
What is Politics
who gets what when and how Harold Lasswell 1936
allocation of scarce resources like land, money and energy.
conflict
Politics as Defined by Karl Marx
the organized power of one class for oppressing another. to eliminate the basis for classes is to eliminate the need for politics.
Politics as Defined by Francis Fukyama
end of history thesis
liberal democracy or democratic triumph that puts an end to all ideological conflict.
Aristotle’s Classification Scheme
a judgment of the degree to which it ruled in the interests of all as opposed to the interests of some small section of the population.
Good Forms of Aristotle’s Classification
1 RULER: monarchy
FEW RULERS: Aristocracy (best people in power) most preferred by Aristotle
MANY RULERS: Polity
Corrupt Forms of Aristotle’s Classification
1 RULER: Tyranny
FEW RULERS: Oligarchy
MANY RULERS: Democracy (mob)
Meritocracy
rule by the people who are the ‘best rulers’
most education and best in their field
Power
the ability to force behavior upon those who would not otherwise choose it; implies coercion. possession of violence.
unstable
force
Authority
associated with legitimacy. Has the consent of the ruled.
Agreement; Consent
power in to authority is the goal of most regimes - through the law, constitution
People must believe in the law to uphold the authority
Plato’s Cave
Republic: what the state ought to be like. What does the good life look like.
Fictional conversation between Socrates and Glaucon
Argues that rulers must go back
The role of leaders to liberate their people.
Sovereignty
highest form of authority in society.
Supreme law making body
Larger entity containing bureaucratic, judicial, military, police and security institutions.
Civil Society
the body non governmental institutions that link the individual and the state
examples include trade unions, religious institutions and voluntary organizations.
Approaches to International Relations
Realist: traditional approach. state as the key actor . difficulty of securing agreement between states can be barrier to resolution of supranational problems.
Governance
traditional governmental institutions and all other inputs such as the market, interest groups
Normative Analysis
whether when why ought
classic method
what constitutes the good life
not resolvable by an appeal to empirical facts
imagined future
intersection of individualism and collectivism
Empirical Analysis
seeks to identify observable phenomenon in order to establish what is.
testable and measurable
value free
came with the rise of behaviorism: human behavior capable of being measured in a precise way
Positivism
science must limit itself to what is observable. separation between fact and value.
logical positivism - normative claims are meaningless
Deductive vs Inductive
ALL UNDER EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
deductive method associated with rational-choice theories: politics as a response to the problem of collective action. starts with an assumption of human behavior.
inductive method associated with behaviorism. start with empirical observations
Semantic Analysis
meaning of the concepts we use.
there aren’t commonly accepted definitions
The State
Max Weber: the state has a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force in enforcing its order within a given territorial area.
The State must have- monopoly on power, legitimacy, physical force, citizens/people, land/territory with internationally recognized borders.
Sovereignty (Jean Bodin)
Jean Bodin: the most high absolute and perpetual power over the citizens and subjects in a commonwealth.
Night-Watchman State
role of the state is minimal
ensures external and internal security+ property rights
little role in civil society
maximizes freedom, protect individual rights to life liberty and property
large military to be used only in self-defence
Interventionist or Developmental State
government and private business partner together to concentrate on rapid economic growth
social and economics system or programs focused on equality
robust education system or programs
How Subject the Leaders of a State are the Will of the People
very- liberal democracy
illiberal democracy
authoritarian state
not at all- totalitarian state
Liberal Democracy
free and fair elections universal suffrage personal liberty protection of individual rights effective and accountable to the people