Midterm Flashcards
What is Comparative Politics?
Study of politics within a state other than your own
Example: Aristotle
Define Conservatism in political ideologies.
Natural, religious, harmonious, traditional order of all creations in a society
What is Liberalism?
Focus on traditions to individuals, freedom, rationalism, and property as per John Locke
Define Socialism in political ideologies.
Sharing production you have produced with your labor
What is Science?
Quest for knowledge that relies on criticism
What does ‘not falsifiable’ mean?
Cannot be proven false
What are tautologies?
Statements that are true by definition
What is the Scientific Method?
Method in Order: Question, Theory, Hypothesis, Test Hypothesis, Evaluation
What is logic?
Convincing us through arguments; assessing if the argument is valid or not
Define an Argument.
Logically connected statements, consisting of premises and a conclusion
What is a Premise?
Assumption or idea that supports an argument
What makes an argument valid?
Accepting the premises leads to accepting the conclusion
What is a Categorical Syllogism?
Argument with major and minor premise and conclusion
What is a Major Premise?
General statement about a category
What is a Minor Premise?
Specific statement about a member of that category
What is Politics?
Subset of human behavior that involves the use of power or influence
What is the Theory of EVL?
Involves quitting, speaking up, or staying silent
What does ‘Exit’ mean in the Theory of EVL?
Leaving or withdrawing from the system
What does ‘Voice’ mean in the Theory of EVL?
Trying to change or improve the system through protests, voting, or activism
What does ‘Loyalty’ mean in the Theory of EVL?
Accepting that your environment has changed and doing nothing
What is a Failed State?
An entity that can’t control or enforce order in a certain area
What are the three components of a state according to Max Weber?
- Given territory
- Monopoly on legitimate use of force
- Ability to maintain order
What are Contractarian Views of the State?
The state is created when people agree to give up some freedom for protection and security
What is the State of Nature?
Describes situations in which there is no state, as per Thomas Hobbes
What are Predatory Views of the State?
States can threaten the security of citizens and exploit them
What is Democracy?
Regime that outlines the rules of governance
What is Early Democracy?
Direct democracy with small-scale assemblies, e.g., Athens
What is Modern Democracy?
Representative democracy that is larger and more complex
What is Modernization Theory?
Countries are more likely to become democratic as they become richer
What are critiques of Modernization Theory?
Suggests only one path to development; Korea and China are counterexamples
What influences whether a country is a democracy or dictatorship?
Cultural factors and ethnic identities
What is Primordialism?
Ethnic identities are deeply rooted and unchanging over time
What is Constructivism?
Ethnic identities are socially constructed and can change over time
Conclusions about attitudes toward democracy suggest what?
Less to do with doctrine and more with circumstances and leadership
