Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is Political science?
helps understand how the government works, role and authority of leaders and institutions, dynamics of processes such as elections and why people act the way they do on political matters.
Institutions
the organizations in a government that create, enforce, and apply laws. They often mediate conflict, make (governmental) policy on the economy and social systems, and otherwise provide representation for the population, for making and enforcing collective decisions, usually applied to major bodies of national government (particularly those described in constitution such as legislative, executive… and sometimes political parties, however sometimes the term is applied to the rules, interactions and practices that distinguish such entities as the family, marriage, religion, money, law and even language)
Politics
the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power. Unavoidable because of the social nature of humans. Involves assessing different opinions and options, ideally brings members of a community together into a compromise course of action.
Aristotle “the ideal citizens rule in the interests of all, not because they are forced to by checks and balances, but because they see it as right to do so”
In reality politics is more of a competitive struggle for power and resources between people and groups seeking their own advantage and perhaps aiming to impose their values on everyone else.
3 aspects of politics
1 It is a collective activity occurring between and among people.
2 It involves making decisions regarding a course of action to take or avoid, or a disagreement to be resolved.
3 Once reached, political decisions become policy for the group, binding and committing its members even if some of them continue to resist
Power
the ability to achieve goals rather than the more specific exercise of control over other people or countries.
Steven Lukes’ 3 dimensions of power: how to measure power
1 Power should be judged by identifying whose views prevail when the actors involved conflicting views on what should be done (more wins = more power)
2 Capacity to keep issues off the political agenda by preventing the discussion of topics which would run counter to the values or interests of decision-makers
3 Formation of preferences: idea of manipulated consensus. Agenda control is achieved by manipulating the flow of information so as to prevent disputes from arising in the first place.
Authority
the acknowledged right to act/rule. It exists when subordinates accept the capacity of superiors to give legitimate orders.
3 ways of validating political power (sources of authority)
1 Tradition: the accepted way of doing things
2 Charisma: intense commitment to a leader and their message
3 Appeal to legal-rational norms: based on the rule-governed powers of an office rather than a person
Three Worlds system (post cold war)
1 First World of wealthy, democratic industrialized states most of which were partners in the Western alliance against communism
2 Second World of communist systems, including most of these states ranged against the Western alliance
3 Third World of poorer, less democratic and less developed states, some of which took sides in the Cold War but some of which did not
Democracy
a political regime in which the government is based on a fair and open mandate from all qualified citizens of a community.
Best model of democracy: Norway (stable and egalitarian, full rights to minorities and genders, rare corruption, freedom of press and assembly, considerable oil wealth, managed resources well)
Direct democracy
a system of government in which all members of the community take part in making the decisions that affect that community. Citizens debate and reach decisions on matters of common interest. Examples of this are rare.
Rare in modern politics, limited to referendums and initiatives or at the local and community level,
E-democracy - a form of democratic expression through which all those with an interest in a problem or issue can express themselves via the internet or social media. Expression of the idea of the public sphere - arena in which citizens come together to discuss shared interests and concerns free from the influence of government, the state and the media
Representative democracy
an indirect form of government in which members of a community elect people to represent their interests and to make decisions affecting the community. Incomplete and theoretical.
Allows large populations to exert some popular control over their rulers but has plenty of critics (Joseph Schumpeter: doubts the ability of ordinary voters to make informed political choices, elections as means to elect representative who carry out their will rather than a device to produce a government)
Valuable division of labor (whoever wants to can participate)
Liberal democracy
a form of indirect democracy based on a limited government that combines representation with the constitutional protection of individual rights. Theoretically what most democracies should look like.
Based on the idea of limited government: a belief that guarantees must be made for citizens by placing limits on the powers and reach of government
Liberalism: a belief in the supreme value of the individual whose natural rights exist independently of government and who must be protected from too much government
Checks and balances: an arrangement in which government institutions are giver powers that counterbalance one another, obliging them to work together in order to govern and make decisions
Illiberal democracy
a political regime in which governments are democratically elected, but then work to weaken citizen rights and civil liberties. Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey.
Human rights
the natural, universal and inalienable rights to which all humans are entitled.
Don’t have political origins
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
