test three

Question 1

what are the electoral systems?

Answer 1

majoritarian, proportional representation, or mixed

Question 2

what is a majoritarian electoral system?

Answer 2

plurality (candidate with the most votes) or majority (candidate with the majority of votes)

Question 3

what are the advantages and disadvantages of a majoritarian system?

Answer 3

adv: fewer and larger parties, clear mandates, and political accountability
dis: less representative, disproportionate results

Question 4

what is a proportional representation electoral system?

Answer 4

parties gain legislature seats based on percentage of votes received

Question 5

what are the advantages and disadvantages of a proportional representation system?

Answer 5

adv: more representative, proportional and fair results
dis: more and smaller parties, frequent coalition governments, reduced political accountability, risk of fragmentation

Question 6

what is a mixed electoral system?

Answer 6

individual candidates follow majority rules and parties follow PR rules

Question 7

what are the advantages and disadvantages of a mixed system?

Answer 7

adv: less wasted votes
dis: individual far less important than party vote

Question 8

what are some similarities of developed democracies?

Answer 8

• institutionalized
• high levels of capitalist economic development
• service sector dominates
• high HDI rankings
• liberal regimes –> freedom and equality
• private property
• free markets

Question 9

what are some differences of developed democracies?

Answer 9

• social welfare spending
• financial inequality
• tax burdens
• employment protections

Question 10

what is integration?

Answer 10

more power to international organizations, reduces state capacity and autonomy

Question 11

what is devolution?

Answer 11

more power at local and regional level, reduces state capacity and autonomy

Question 12

what is the general history of the development of the Eu?

Answer 12

It began with the post WWII Schuman declaration and creation of the European coal and steel community in order to increase harmony. over the next 40 years, it combined with the EEC and Euratom, more countries joined and in 1991 it became the EU. Since then it has grown to 28 members, created the Lisbon treaty and the EU constitution, and has a common currency, the euro.

Question 13

what are nondemocracies characterized by?

Answer 13

aka authoritarianism. a small group exercising power over the state without consideration from the public, individual freedom is restricted. the regime may be institutionalized and legitimate

Question 14

what are characteristics of an authoritarian regime?

Answer 14

• modernization produces inequalities and class divides (urbanization, economic and job insecurity, conflict with social values and gender roles)
• elites unwilling to share power which creates a resource trap
• a weak or controlled civil society
• international factors, foreign occupation or backing of nondemocratic force
• culture, democracy is a western/christian concept as it emphasizes individualism and secularism

Question 15

what is totalitarianism?

Answer 15

a rare variant of non democracy. it is a highly centralized, strong ideology which uses violence to remake institutions and seeks to transform/absorb fundamental aspects of the state, society, and economy

Question 16

what is Arendt’s theory on totalitarianism?

Answer 16

world domination is the goal, strong ideology, a dictatorship

Question 17

what is friedrich and Brzezinski’s theory on totalitarianism?

Answer 17

strong ideology focused on unanimity, single party and leader, terroristic police, weapons and communications monopoly (propaganda), centrally directed economy

Question 18

what are different means of non democratic rule?

Answer 18

coercion and clientelism/co-optation

Question 19

what is coercion?

Answer 19

uses fear, sanctions violence, requires surveillance but can undermine legitimacy, is costly to maintain, and still need some people to benefit

Question 20

what is clientelism/co-optation?

Answer 20

benefits/rewards such as jobs, goods, or business for specific groups in return for public support

Question 21

what are characteristics of military rule regimes?

Answer 21

rule by 1+ military officials or bureaucratic authoritarianism which is a statement where bureaucracy and military share the belief in technocratic leadership (superiors with technical knowledge make decisions) without relying on political public participation. often brought to power through coup d’etat with promises of stability. commonly uses coercion

Question 22

what is one party rule?

Answer 22

all other parties are banned or excluded from power, may be combined with totalitarianism or corporatist/clientelist rule (soviet union, china)

Question 23

what is a theocracy?

Answer 23

religion is the foundation of the regime, no true cases (i.e. islamic republic of Iran), supreme religious leaders instead of head of state, “ruled by god”

Question 24

what is the definition of a liberal or hybrid regime?

Answer 24

it combines democratic and nondemocratic features, ruled by elected leadership but through procedures of questionable democratic legitimacy

Question 25

what are characteristics of a liberal or hybrid regime?

Answer 25

• weak or poorly respected rule of law
• executives hold an overwhelming degree of power
• lack of political competition
• elections are manipulated
• few rights or freedom
• controlled media (iran, russia, venezuela)

Question 26

what are the two major antagonistic classes?

Answer 26

bourgeoise and proleriat

Question 27

what is the marxist labor theory of value?

Answer 27

in capitalist societies, products exchanged for money and profit. labor became a commodity exchanged for money, but its exchange value was lower than the value of the product it created.. if labor was able to produce value higher than its own value, that would be surplus value taken by the capitalist. profits come from surplus value, but so do expidentures. the struggle between capitalists and workers was for the rate of surplus value

Question 28

what are communist state features?

Answer 28

• highly centralized authority and hierarchal system
• organizational parallelism/dual bureaucracy
• unclear demarcation between the functions and responsibilities of the party and the state
• uncontested elections
• impotent legislature
• political control of the economic system
• nomenklatura
• feature of clientelism
• political police and fear as a means of control
• banning of “hostile” organizations
• controlled civil society

Question 29

what are key features of a planned economy?

Answer 29

• centrally planned economies replaces market
• state allocates resources by planning types and amounts of productions
• the final price of goods and where they should be sold
• investments are motivated by political priorities: military, strategic industries (steel, aluminum, machinery, gas, oil), secret service forces
• no consideration for return on investments (profitability)
• state provides extensive public goods and social services

Question 30

what kinds of property are there in a communist state?

Answer 30

• collective property: means of production, building, most land, and natural resources were in socialist (state) ownership
• personal property: cars, furniture, clothes, etc.