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POLI 100 > Midterm 1 > Flashcards

Midterm 1 Flashcards

1
Q

politics

A

process by which groups representing divergent interests and values make collective decisions

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2
Q

2 assumptions in politics

A
  1. all complex societies will need ways of sorting out different interests/values and try to reconcile them
  2. economic scarcity is inevitable
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3
Q

3 political questions

A
  1. what values such decisions serve
  2. concerns who makes the decisions
  3. how those who make the decisions are able to enforce them
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4
Q

political system

A

the totality of institutions within a state and all the connections between them

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5
Q

sovereign

A

the principle of self-government; to say a state is sovereign is to claim that it has a monopoly of force over the people and institutions in a given territorial area

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6
Q

civil society

A

community of citizens, but the modern definition specifically refers to the institutions (ex. interest groups and nongovernmental organizations) that stand in an intermediary position between the individual and the state
- links individual to the state

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7
Q

realism

A

a school of thought in the human sciences (esp. phil, soci, and IR)
- focused on war and peace

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8
Q

governance

A

term often preferred now to government since it reflects the broader nature of modern government, which includes not just the traditional institutions of government but also the many other factors that may influence the decisions that steer society, such as subnational and supranational institutions, the workings of the market, and the role of interest groups

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9
Q

3 arguments of animal rights

A
  1. animals and humans are similar (conscious and sentient beings)
  2. animals are innocent
  3. treating animals well creates a benevolent society
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10
Q

3 streams of political teaching

A
  1. political ideas (theory/philosophy)
  2. political institutions (comparative politics)
  3. relations between states (global/intl relations)
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11
Q

normative analysis

A

the basis of political philosophy. Normative analysis is concerned with what “ought to be” as opposed to what “is”. Thus, instead of asking whether democracy, freedom, or a pluralist state exists, it asks whether these things are desirable

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12
Q

empirical analysis

A

analysis of factual information (what is)

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13
Q

semantic analysis

A

analysis focusing on the meaning of the concepts we use, where they came from, and why and how we use them

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14
Q

rational choice theory

A

the theory (borrowed from economics) that humans are self-interested and rational beings and therefore will analyze cost and benefits of their choices to maximize gains and minimize losses

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15
Q

behaviouralism

A

uses inductivism, where it focuses on the quantifiable (ex. voting behaviour)

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16
Q

deductive method of politics

A

associated with rational choice theories of politics

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17
Q

inductive approach

A

starts with empirical observations and fraw explanatory generalizations from them (ex. behaviouralism)

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18
Q

falsification

A

the process of testing a hypothesis, and its results amy either disprove or support the existing theory

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19
Q

state

A

(Max Weber) an institution claiming a “monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force in enforcing its order within a given territorial area”

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20
Q

two types of sovereignty

A
  1. de jure: legal right to rule supremely

2. de facto: the actual ability of a govt to wield political power

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21
Q

night-watchman state

A

government concentrates on ensuring external and internal security, plays little role in civil society and allows the economic market to operate unhindered
- primary duty is to protect lives, liberty and property

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22
Q

developmental state

A

strong relationships with private economic institutions to promote economic development

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23
Q

liberal democracies

A

characterized by free and fair elections, universal suffrage and a high degree of personal liberty and protection of individual rights

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24
Q

illiberal democracies

A

hold regular elections but give relatively little protection to rights and liberties
- control means of communication

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25
Q

authoritarian regimes

A

do not have fair elections and their political rulers lack accountability

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26
Q

totalitarian regimes

A

use brutal and oppressive state police aiming to control all aspects of life

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27
Q

pluralism

A

in political theory, is usually associated with a theory of the state according to which political power is diffuse, all organized groups having some influence on state outputs

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28
Q

classical pluralism

A

society comprises thousands of groups of all shapes and sizes pursuing thousands of activities and competing for political, social and economic influence

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29
Q

political pluralism

A

the states role is to regulate and mediate between these groups, who have their own agenda

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30
Q

interest group

A

an organization set up to promote or defend a particular interest or cause

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31
Q

sectional groups

A

concerned with protecting the economic interests of its members

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32
Q

cause/promotional groups

A

promote the interests of a particular group of people or an ideal

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33
Q

elite pluralism/elitism

A

power is concentrated in the hands of a powerful elite that dominates the economic, military and governmental spheres

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34
Q

corporal/neo-corporatism

A

the state incorporated economic interests, coordinating policy with trade unions and industries, in order to control them and civil society in general

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35
Q

modern social corporatism/neo-corporatism

A

shares with pluralism the belief that groups are a crucial part of the political system, rejects pluralist notion that the various groups theoretically have an equal opportunity to be heard

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36
Q

iron law of oligarchy

A

there will always be one dominant group that for some reason = whether because of the resources it can muster, its psychological characteristics or its position within society - is able to take control

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37
Q

economic sphere of society

A

those who have economic power have political power

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38
Q

negative rights

A

rights to life, liberty and property are rights against state interference

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39
Q

legal rights

A

statements of what the existing law is in a particular society at a particular time

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40
Q

natural rights

A

rights that humans consider to possess no matter what legal and political system they live under

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41
Q

natural law

A

a higher law handed down from nature or God

42
Q

positive rights

A

rights to social goods (ex. free education)

43
Q

classical liberal theory

A

the state should remain neutral in debates over different conceptions of the good

44
Q

communiatarianism

A

call for the state to play a role in uniting society around a common set of values

45
Q

power

A

the ability to make others do something that they would not have chosen to do (coercion)

46
Q

2 possible alternatives for coercion

A
  1. ideological control: manipulates preferences of the ruled to reflect the ruler’s interests
  2. convert power to authority: make the rule legitimate in the eyes of the rules
47
Q

authority

A

legitimate power, in the sense that rulers gain the acceptance of the ruled by persuading them to recognize the rulers’ right to exercise power

  • associated with consent
  • can still be illegitimate
48
Q

constituency

A

an electoral district

49
Q

traditional authority

A

based on traditional customs and values

50
Q

charismatic authority

A

based on the personal traits of an individual

51
Q

legal-rational authority

A

based on the status of either the ruler’s office as a part of a system of constitutional rules (in a democratic country) or a religious text

52
Q

is power the same as force?

A

power can be exercised through the use of force, using force usually means power has failed

53
Q

must power be exercised deliberately

A

power stems from production of intended results

- unforeseen effects of power cannot be called power

54
Q

is power a good thing?

A

power can be used for good and bad

55
Q

can we eliminate power?

A

power cannot be eliminated but its nature changes over time

56
Q

Michael Foucault’s view on poweer

A

power is inescapable, and we cannot liberate ourselves from it

57
Q

Steven Lukes’ view on power

A

people can escape domination but they have to recognize this domination

58
Q

Indigenous peoples

A

the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, normally divided between First Nations, Inuit, and Metis

59
Q

Inuit

A

Indigenous peoples of what is now the Canadian Arctic and subarctic

60
Q

Steven Lukes’ first face of power

A

A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something B would not otherwise do
- pluralism

61
Q

Steven Lukes’ second face of power

A

Power is also exercised in less obvious ways (ex. a dominant elite keeps issues that might threaten its position off the public agenda)

62
Q

Steven Lukes’ third face of power

A

A may exercise power over B by getting him to do what he does not want to do, but he also exercises power over him by influencing, shaping, or determining his very wants

63
Q

pluralism

A

theory of a state according to which political power is diffuse, all organized groups have some influence on state outputs

64
Q

critiques of pluralism

A
  • issues are not ranked by importance, and an elite group may allow a small group to have its way, so that the elite gets it way on more important issues
  • assumes barrier of entries are low
  • elite may set their own agenda
65
Q

methodology

A

a particular way in which knowledge is produced

66
Q

First Nations

A

one of three officially recognized Indigenous peoples of Canada (alongside Inuit and metis)
- FN with legally recognized status are members of one of 634 govt-recognized govts or bands that can benefit from treaty rights

67
Q

how to identify third face of power

A
  1. identify convert grievances (those that clearly exist are not openly discussed)
  2. identify reasons they might have been excluded from public discussion
68
Q

James C. Scott’s critique of the third face of power

A

argues researchers tend to mistakenly assume that dominated groups will always comply with those who try to manipulate them ideologically

69
Q

socialism

A

a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole

70
Q

false consciousness

A

a belief or perspective that prevents someone from assessing the true nature of a situation

71
Q

hegemony

A

a form of domination that appears to be legitimate to those within the system

72
Q

democracy

A

a system of rule in which political power is widely distributed and power in some way rests with the people

73
Q

direct democracy

A

system in which the people rule directly; possible in only a very small-scale society

74
Q

representative democracy

A

people theoretically choose others to represent their interests

75
Q

demos

A

citizens within a city-state

76
Q

kratos

A

power or rule

77
Q

liberal democracy

A

a state characterized by free and fair elections, universal suffrage, a relatively high degree of personal liberty, anf protection of individual rights

78
Q

polyarchy

A

a term coined by Robert Dahl to refer to a society where govt outcomes are the product of the competition between groups
- the rule of minorities, not majorities, is postulated as the normal condition of pluralist democracies

79
Q

democratic elitism

A

a model of democracy in which voters have the opportunity to choose between competing teams of leaders; an attempt, most closely associated with Joseph Schumpeter, to reconcile elitism with democracy

80
Q

deliberative democracy

A

a model of democracy based on the principle that discussion and debate among citizens lead to rational, legitimate, and altruistic decision making

81
Q

political obligation

A

the question of what, if anything, obliges individuals to obey the state; a central preoccupation of political theorists

82
Q

consociational democracy

A

a form of rule practised in some divided societies whereby the elites of different communities within the society share power

83
Q

cosmopolitan democracy

A

a system based on popular control of supranational institutions and processes

84
Q

harm principle

A

the principle, associated with JS Mill, that all actions should be allowed unless they harm others

85
Q

procedural justice

A

the fairness of the process by which an outcome is reached, regardless of what the outcome actually is

86
Q

social justice

A

the principle that goods ought to be distributed according to need, merit, or the principle of equality

87
Q

Meritocratic theory of justice

A

a theory that advocates distributing resources to those who display some merit, such as innate ability or willingness to work hard, and therefore deserve to be rewarded

88
Q

original position

A

a term used by John rawls to denote a hypothetical situation in which individuals under a “veil of ignorance” as to their personal circumstances would decide which rules of justice should govern the society in which they will live

89
Q

cosmopolitanism

A

the idea that humans ought to be regarded as a single moral community to which universal principles apply, irrespective of national boundaries

90
Q

intergenerational justice

A

principles of justice relating to non contemporaries, that is, between parents and children or those living now and still to be born

91
Q

intragenerational justice

A

principles of justice relating to contemporaries, that is, people who are living at the same time

92
Q

ideology

A

a set of ideas designed to describe the existing political order, present a vision of what the ideal political order should look like

93
Q

classical liberalism

A

developed in the 18-19th centuries, theory promotes limiting the state’s role in political, economic, and social life
- state does little except ensuring internal and external security and enforcing private property rights

94
Q

new liberalism

A

a version of liberalism that advocates a more positive role for the state than classical liberalism, argues that the state, in corrected the inequities of the market, can increase liberty by creating greater opportunities for individuals to achieve their goals

95
Q

negative liberty

A

liberty that can be increased by removing external obstacles, such as physical constraints or legal prohibitions

96
Q

positive liberty

A

liberty that can be increased either by state action or by removing internal obstacles such as immortality or irrationality

97
Q

authoritarian

A

a form of rule that restricts personal liberty and is not accountable to the public

98
Q

utopia

A

an ideal state of affairs that does not exist but can be aimed for

99
Q

neoconservatism

A

a political theory developed in the US that focuses on the expansion of US military power to accomplish democratic regime change and other goals to further US primacy
- value patriotism, the ability to distinguish between allies and rivals internationally, have a tendency to distrust intl institutions like the UN

100
Q

nationalism

A

in poli and IR, the doctrine or ideology according to which the nation is entitled to political autonomy, usually in a state of its own

101
Q

self-determination

A

the principle (embodying elements of both democracy and nationalism) that “peoples” have the right to determine their own political future

102
Q

communitarianism

A

a school of thought that emphasizes the individual’s particular community as the rouse of his or her identity, rights, and duties, often contrasted with cosmopolitanism

POLI 100 (3 decks)

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