Midterm

Question 1

Quantitative method

Answer 1

study data from a large number of cases. Emphasis on breadth.

Question 2

Qualitative method

Answer 2

Study a few cases in depth. Emphasis on depth.

Question 3

Legitimacy

Answer 3

recognizing and accepting something as right. Traditional; Charismatic; Rational-legal

Question 4

Ethnicity

Answer 4

Attributes or social institution that makes a group of people culturally different from others

Question 5

National Identity

Answer 5

Bound together by a common set of political aspirations. Common territory; language; culture; enemies

Question 6

Liberalism

Answer 6

Freedom to make choices. minimum regulation. Laissez-faire. Foundation of capitalism(wealth gap)

Question 7

Communism

Answer 7

total state ownership= no market competition. benefits equally distributed among people.

Question 8

Social Democracy

Answer 8

private property and market forces. large welfare state. corporatism. Policy system involving state, labor, and business

Question 9

Fascism

Answer 9

no personal freedom. denies equality to achieve state power. hierarchy.

Question 10

Anarchism

Answer 10

rejects notion of state and private property. people cooperate without state

Question 11

Market

Answer 11

interaction between forces of supply and demand

Question 12

Inflation

Answer 12

increase in the overall prices in the economy when demand outstrips supply.

Question 13

Absolute advantage

Answer 13

equal trade of goods between countries. One country produces more efficiently than the other.

Question 14

Comparative advantage

Answer 14

one country produces a product more efficiently compared to other products relative to another country.

Question 15

Presidential System

Answer 15

Separation of powers. fixed term=stability. directly elected=legitimacy. hard to remove president. divided government=political deadlock.

Question 16

Parliamentary System

Answer 16

Fusion of powers. appoint prime minister. legislation easily passed. no fixed term=flexibility. legitimacy problem? lack of checks and balances.

Question 17

Single-member district electoral system

Answer 17

most popular vote of a single candidate. holds all seats in parliament. Good for majorities.

Question 18

Proportional representation electoral system

Answer 18

Percent of votes for each candidate=percent of seats in parliament. vote on parties. good for minorities. hard for parties to work together=deadlock.

Question 19

Herbst “War and the State in Africa”

Answer 19

war is crucial for forming a state. brings people together=nationality. State will collect more taxes and people will be more willing. Africa has weak nationalism and economy. current lack of interstate war.

Question 20

Jorgensmeyer “The New Religious State”

Answer 20

nationalism and religion both bring order. binding religion and nationalism together causes conflict between views and religious beliefs. can’t check the authority of God. absolutism of nationalism and religion may result in a weakly checked authority that can ruin the state.

Question 21

Hobsbawm “Nationalism”

Answer 21

People were educated=literacy. Ability to read and write=national language. Common language=nationalism.

Question 22

Huntington “The Clash of Civilizations”

Answer 22

civilizations clash over cultural differences and economic regionalism. Non-western countries will try to catch up and be more modern. West should protect its interests. civilizations should learn to understand each other and coexist.

Question 23

Sen “Civilizational imprisonment: How to Misunderstand Everyone in the World”

Answer 23

Criticisms of the clash thesis. Classifications are crude. we have to view ourselves they way we would choose to.

Question 24

Alesina et al. “Why Doesn’t the United States have a Eruopean Style Welfare State?

Answer 24

US poor are very poor. US redistributes less to citizens than European countries.

Question 25

Lijphart “Constitutional Choices for New Democracies”

Answer 25

Parliamentary system and Proportional representative is best combination. Single party and include minorities.

Question 26

Caplan “The Myth of the Rational Voter”

Answer 26

Voters are rationally ignorant. voters gravitate to same mistake (do not cancel each other out). Democracy is worst form of government but there is nothing better. rely less on democracy, more votes for educated people, political slack in supreme court, experts should speak up

Question 27

Putnam “Social Capital:

Answer 27

Important for a sense of trust between people. civic engagement and norms of reciprocity. Declining due to generational changes (technology).