Lec 1- introduction

Question 1

Institutions Defined

Answer 1

The rules, formal and informal, that govern economic and political life. our concern is in the main with politics.

this is the mechanism through which power is exercised

Question 2

how is power defined

Answer 2

Robert Dahl: “A has power over B to the extent that (they) can get B to do something that B would not otherwise do.”

in simpler terms: getting someone or something to do what they/it would not otherwise do is an exercise in power.

Question 3

formal vs. information institutions

Answer 3

formal: based on sanctioned rules that are relatively clear

information: unwritten and unofficial rules

Question 4

more on institutions

Answer 4

• Eg. army, police, legislature, courts
• Institutions set the stage for political behaviour
• Organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake
• Embody norms or values that are considered central to people’s lives and thus are not easily dislodged or changed
• Set the stage for political behavior by influencing how politics is conducted
• Vary from country to country
• Exemplified by the army, taxation, elections, and the state

Question 5

what is comparative politics

Answer 5

• politics is the pursuit of power in any organization, and comparative politics is the study of this struggle around the world