AP Comparative Government and Politics

Russia Bureaucracy

Recruitment based on nomenklatura, many siloviki hold key positions; little separation or political independence from the President, President can expand an agency or create new ones.

Russia Federation Council

170 seats; 2 appointed from each 84 federal region, 1 by legislative body and 1 selected by regional governors (who are selected by Putin); prior to 1995 members were directly elected. Example of power vertical and of becoming less democratic.

Nigeria Senate

109 members; 3 from each of 36 states and 1 for the federal district. Rep geographic (ethnic) districts.

UK Bureaucracy

"Whitehall"; Each cabinet member heads an existing bureaucracy, civil servants do not change when a new party comes to power. Collective responsibility (all members back decided policies/decisions)

Iran Majles

290 members; FPTP with qualified plurality of 25%, candidates screen by the Guardian Council; 5 seats set aside for religious minorities. Debates and writes statutes subject to approval by the Guardian Council and Supreme Leader.

Mexico Senate

3 Senators per state, 32 reserved seats; 2 senators go to party that is FPTP, 1 seat goes to party with the second most votes. The remaining seats are set aside for national proportional representation.

China National People's Congress

3,000 members; multi-step elections at local, city, county and provincial congresses; except at lowest level, candidates must be approved by the CCP. Meets for 2 weeks once a year; during the rest of the year the business of the Congress is carried out by the Standing Committee of the CCP. Limited power to affect policy; "rubber stamp" legislature.

Nigeria House of Representatives

360 members; FPTP in single member districts based on equal population

Russia Duma

450 seats; nationwide proportional representation with 7% threshold.

Mexico Chamber of Deputies

500 Seats; 300 seats FPTP, 200 national proportional representation.

UK House of Commons

650 members; FPTP in single member districts. Approves legislation initiated by PM and Cabinet.

UK House of Lords

720 members; hereditary but being phased out. No power to initiate or veto, but can delay bills

China Bureaucracy

Appointed State Council of appointed ministers directs large bureaucracy; extensive powers to manage all aspects of political, economic and social life; guanxi connections are key

Failed State

Government cannot implement its own policies; WORSE than Nigeria (although reason for Nigeria's coup detat)

Iran Migration

Brain Drain; slow economic recovery after 1979 revolution means students study abroad to ensure families socioeconomic stability, families later joined out West for job opportunity.

Nigeria Bureaucracy

Characterized by corruption due to prebendalism, civil servant positions treated as rewards or political favors; federal character ensures that positions are divided among different ethnic groups (result in the creation of unneeded positions to maintain ethnic balance).

Unicameral Legislatures

China, Iran

Nigeria Internal Migration

Displacement by Boko Haram; policies unsuccessful: refugee centers, curfews; govt not equipped, political platforms based on BH (Goodluck Jonathan)

Nigeria Migration

ECOWAS (1975) allowed people to migrate to these West African States for jobs and sense their family was being economically self-sufficient.

China Internal Migration

Floating population; migrant workers from rural areas moved to larger cities to find jobs, cleavages between urban/rural; people migrate to Special Economic Zones because of a higher standard of living.

Mexico Internal Migration

From South to North; north is more prosperous while south is more rural and less educated; prompted by NAFTA, maquilladora districts.

Iran Bureaucracy

Increased in size since the Revolution; Shia clerics hold many positions and policy decisions are reviewed to make sure they are compatible with Islamic law; Government rules bonyads (ex: Foundation of the Oppressed which employs a large number of Iranians and is run by the Revolutionary Guard).

UK Migration

Increased negative attitudes (perceived that immigration drains welfare), policies to combat include UK 2016 referendum on EU membership.

Economic Liberalization Mexico

NAFTA; Zapatista movement in response to NAFTA, poor southern farmers hit hardest because US can now sell "cheaper" (subsidized) crops to Mexico. Created Maquilladora Districts (more harm than help?)

Russia Migration

None notable; Putin campaigning for more births because population is shrinking

Federal Systems

Russia, asymetric (not all regions have same constitutionally granted powers); Nigeria, modeled after US but weak because exec has power of the purse; Mexico, traditionally weak states. State and local governments make citizens closer to their government who can solve the problems specific to their area, national government can focus on bigger issues. Policies can differ and contradict each other which can make for legal difficulty and for disagreement between regions.

Bicameral Legislatures

UK, Russia, Nigeria, Mexico

Unitary Systems

UK, significant devolution (welfare, education and environment, Scottish parliament); China, some power devolved (Hong Kong); Iran, some devolution. All of our examples have separate HoS and HoG; in a unitary system national govt has all the power, too much power if one person was in charge, so HoS and HoG balance power

Mexico Bureaucracy

Upper level civil servants: President appointed (patron client system); Lower level: unionized, positions protected by civil service laws; Parastatals (PEMEX) employ over a million Mexicans.

Iran Internal Migration

limited; industrialized country means people don't need to move to cities to work.

Russia Internal Migration

limited; industrialized country means people don't need to move to cities to work.

UK Internal Migration

limited; industrialized country means people don't need to move to cities to work.