PoliticalScience Exam 1

Timocracy

A government in which the love of honor is the ruling principle. Valued concept: courage.

Feudalism

A medieval form of social economic and political organization. Feudalism had a pyramidal structure. At its head was the king; below the king was a hierarchical chain of nobles, down to the lords of individual manors- the manor being the basic social and economic unit.

Counterinsurgency

A military strategy that includes military, political, economic, and humanitarian efforts in attempt to win over the hearts and minds of the domestic population. More American troops were later dispatched to Afghanistan in order to implement a counterinsurgency policy, where the US military employs both hard power and soft power in an attempt to win over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. -Too costly, too many troops, sometimes winning hearts results with a failure.

Fascism

A nationalistic, authoritarian, anticommunist movement founded by Benito Mussolini in 1919. Fascism was a response to the economic hardship and social disorder that ensued after the end of World War I.

Normative

A normative approach is any approach that seeks to determine how one "ought to Iive."

Liberal

A person who believes it is the duty of government to ameliorate social conditions and create a more equitable social.

Counterterrorism

A police or military strategy that employs offensive tactics to preempt or deter future terroristic attacks. Counterterrorism policy employed hard power in that it relied primarily on the American military to use force to eradicate al-Qaeda operatives from Afghanistan.

Utilitarianism

A political philosophy developed in England in the 19th century by thinkers such as Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, which says that the duty of government is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number.

Conservatism

A political philosophy that trends to support the status quo and advocates change only in moderation. Conservatism upholds the value of tradition and seeks to preserve all that is good about the past.

Socialism

A political system in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange are mostly owned by the state, and used, at least in theory, on behalf of the people.

Theocracy

A state or government that is run by priests or clergy.

Totalitarianism

A system of gov. where the ruling authority extends its power over all aspects of society and regulates every aspect of life.

Republican

A system of government in which power is exercised indirectly through representatives who are voted into office by citizens of the state.

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which the people elect agents to represent them in a legislature.

Democracy

A system of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free electrons.

Hypothesis

An educated guess about a particular experiment.

Direct Democracy

Democracy in which the peace as a whole make direct decisions, rather than have those decisions made for them by elected representatives.

Variable

Features or attributes of social science research. In particular, a variable might look at the relationship between race and voting, age and voting, or religious preference and voting.

Arab Spring

Refers to the pro-democratic political movements (2011) spreading throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen- tried to wrestle power from authoritarian governments- started from a self sacrifice for the Tunisians)

Allegory of the Cave

Revealing how some forms of judgment or opinions are more valuable than others. The vast majority of citizens are unqualified to rule because most never leave the cave. Most citizens confuse the shadows for reality or come to mistakenly accept their opinions as truth. Opinion is the opposite of truth for Plato (it's only a starting point to the arduous road to knowledge).

Public-Opinion Polls

Surveys that seek to determine how different groups of people perceive political issues.

Spirit

The Human Soul. Behavior guided by impulses stemming from feeling of pity, compassion, and/or remorse. (Plato)

Libertarianism

The belief that government should not interfere in the lives of citizens, other than to provide police and military protection.

Subfields of Political Science

The different content approaches within the overall discipline of political science. Subfields include political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations.

Pacifist

The doctrine holding that war is never justified and that all disputes between nations should be settled peacefully.

Ionians

The earliest Greek philosophers who believed in using rationality rather than mythology to understand the universe. Advocated employing greater rationality to reason through the important questions. Concentrated on the material world, debating the form and substance of our universe.

International Relations

The field of political science that studies the way nations interact with one another and the influence of global trends or nation-states.

Republic

The form of government in which ultimate power resides in the people, who elect representatives to participate in decision making on their behalf.

Traditionalism

The methodological tradition that seeks to understand if certain government or political institutions are behaving in accordance with how they "ought to behave." Rely on normative evaluations. (Avoid numerical or quantitative determinations in their analyses because they seek value judgments in their outcomes, which are largely unquantifiable.)

Communism

The political system under which the economy, including capital, property, major industries, and public services, is controlled and directed by the state and in that sense is "communal."

Political Socialization

The process by which citizens develop attitudes, opinions and values are shaped that enable them to support the political system. The various groups that define our lives contribute to the way we view the world.

Terrorism

The pursuit of a political aim by means of violence and intimidation.

Civil Disobedience

The refusal to obey governmental demands or commands, especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government.

Correlation

The relationship between two items or variables.

Social Contract Theorists

Thinkers beginning in the 17th century who sought to explain human nature by looking at the terms by which governments are set up in the first place. Ex) Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Typically make observations on: 1) whether humans are more generally cooperative or competitive with one another, 2) the types of problems that are likely to occur in the absence of government, and 3) their preferred form of government for addressing these problems.

Nation-state

Usually used to describe the modern state, but strictly speaking applies only when the whole population of a state feels itself to belong to the same nation.

Peloponnesian War

War between Athens and Sparta. Sparta, with the assistance of Persia built a massive fleet that destroyed the Athenian navy at Aegospotami. This war destroyed Athens.

The Sophists

Were skeptical about everything and that we can not truly come to understand our ultimate reality or acquaint ourselves with the mysteries of our universe. Primarily responsible for shifting the focus of Greek philosophy from the universe to the INDIVIDUAL. Were focused on human behavior. Said that people find happiness by pursuing virtue or excellence in their human activities. Like a painter finding happiness through their paintings. They link happiness to a person's capacity to excel at a particular skill/occupation.

Plato's Theory of Forms

1) The world of appearances (things we can see) 2) The intelligible world (things beyond our physical world) For Plato, world of appearances is nonpermanent and ever changing. Intelligence world includes a more permanent design that transcends our material world (state of being). World appearances are actually imperfect representations of their ideal form. This is later challenged by his student Aristotle.

Positive Law

A body of law established or recognized by a governmental authority.

Natural Law

A body of law or a special principle held to be deprived from nature and binding upon human society.

Anarchism

A doctrine that advocated the abolition of organized authority. Anarchists believe all government is corrupt and evil.

Authoritarianism

A form of government in which a large amount of authority is invested in the state, at the expense of individual rights.

Autocracy

A government in which almost all power rests with the ruler. The Soviet Union under Stalin and Iraq under Saddam Hussein are examples of autocracies.

Aristocracy

A government in which power is vested in a minority, consisting of those believed to be best qualified. Valued concept: justice and knowledge.

Oligarchy

A political system that is controlled by a small group of individuals, who govern in their own interests, over the masses. Valued Concept: work ethic and wealth.

Meritocracy

A society in which power is wielded by those who deserve it, based on their talents, industry, and success in competition, rather than through membership in a certain class or possession of wealth.

Tyrant

An absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution. Valued concept: freedom to pursue lawful and unlawful unnecessary desires. This is the lowest form of justice. Tyrant will be immune to the appeals of reason.

Quantitative Analysis

An analysis that uses data to interpret political phenomena to better understand the political world. The data may come from survey research or established data sets.

Capitalism

An economic system in which the means of production, such as land and factories, are privately owned and operated for profit.

Theory

An idea that has been tested that aims to demonstrate a correlation between political phenomena.

Social Sciences

Any number of academic disciplines that seek to understand human behavior. Classically they have been understood to include anthropology, archaeology, economics, criminology, political science, and psychology.

Normative Theory

Any theory that examines the way something "should" or "ought" to be rather than focusing on the way something actually "is" -Socrates.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Author of "The Prince", he wandered away from this Greek view by asserting that "power" and not "justice" is the most important unit of analysis in politics. Said that in order to truly comprehend the most important unit of analysis in politics, it is more important to have an understanding of how leaders can best acquire and maintain political control over the populace. His amoral approach to politics stressed that the primary purpose of government is to prevent civil unrest and to promote security at home and abroad.

Thomas Hobbes

Author of Leviathan, this book sets out to prove the correctness of Machiavelli's contention that power rather than justice is the most important variable in studying politics. Hobbes argued that the purpose of political power should not be used to primarily promote ethical governance, but should instead be used to promote the more limited goal preventing social turmoil and war. His social contract advocated for an authoritarian system of government, where individuals surrender all political power to the government so that the gov. can more efficiently prevent civil unrest and violence.

Demographics

Classifications of different groups of people that usually refer to one's race, class, ethnicity, gender, level of wealth, age, place of residence, employment status, level of education, and so on. Allows political scientists to determine if relationships exist between one's group and how one feels about a number of political issues.

Plato

First written work considered political science is Plato's classic text THE REPUBLIC. The Republic highlights Socrates's contention that knowledge goes well beyond simply understanding individual self-interest and is needed in order to understand a larger objective truth: that the highest form of happiness is attained when we nurture the human soul by pursuing justice rather than self-interest. He introduces the teachings of Socrates through the method of dialogue. Sometimes it's difficult to tell their views apart. Student of Socrates. He believed politics should be a means to bring about justice in society. Plato's parents seized power in Athens only to be overthrown a year later by the democrats (this new democratic government executed Socrates couple years later). Plato was very distrustful of Democracy and popular government. Founder of the academy. Plato traveled to counsel the despot Dionysus and the autocrat grew tired of plato's moral counseling and sold Plato into slavery rather than heed his advice to reform the political system. Unlike Socrates, Plato accepted the support of his friends and escaped a life of slavery.

Monarchy

Form of rulership whereby a queen or king, empress or emperor holds absolute or limited power, usually inherited.

Plutocracy

Government by the wealthy, or a group of wealthy people who control or influence a government.

Auxiliaries

Part of the Republic-Citizens who defend the Republic (military); taught courage and restraint. Linked to Spirit. (Plato)

Craftspeople

Part of the Republic-Citizens who engage in economic activity (business people, farmers, merchants); taught restraint. Linked to Appetites. (Plato)

Guardians

Part of the Republic-Rules of the republic (political leaders);taught wisdom, courage, and restraint. Linked to Rational. (Plato)

Skeptics

Philosophers who generally agree that nothing can be known with absolute certainty.

Pythagoras

Posited that a permanent, invisible, and unchanging structure underpins our world of appearances. Pythagoras argued that the key that unlocked all the mysteries of the universe can be found in mathematical formulas that represent a deeper reality than the reality ascertained through our physical senses.

Socrates

Socratic seminar teaching method still used today- he always questioned his students relentlessly. Normative Theory. Not very physically attractive. Was sentenced to death by the democratic Greek Senate for "corrupting the youth" and "religious impiety" in 399BC. Similar to Jesus because they did not write down their teachings. We came to learn what we know about Socrates through the writing of his greatest student Plato. He agreed with the sophists on many things, such as more can be learned by the study of human behavior than by the study of the universe. He was most interested in uncovering the purpose of human existence and how the "good life" can be achieved if humans interact with each other in a just and ethical manner. Also agreed with the sophists that the purpose of life is to find happiness. BUT. Disagreed on HOW humans ought to conduct their lives in order to obtain it. He was the FIRST to associate the concept of virtue or excellence with ethical human behavior. Tragic because majority of Greeks were unaware of and disinterested in the highest form of human happiness: the cultivation of the human soul. True happiness for Socrates is pursuing the "good life". Also believed that one should accept willingly the negative consequences for violating public laws. He engaged in civil disobedience for "corrupting" his students. He could have escaped but he didn't because that would be unjust. For Socrates, one's personal ethical code represents a higher value than the customs and laws of the state. He did not want to live an unjust existence by escaping jail. His decision is instructive because it highlighted Socrates's view that it is better to be the recipient of a major injustice than to commit even a minor injustice yourself. So, death is preferable to an unjust existence.

Aristotle

Student of Plato, tutor of Alexander the Great. His views were less idealistic and more pragmatic than Plato's. Founded the Lyceum his own academy. Aristotle relied heavily on scientific knowledge. He separates the soul into a higher rational section guided by reason and a lower irrational part dominated by our appetites and urges. Aristotle also agreed with Plato that happiness is attained in both the republic and the human soul when rationality governs over our appetites and urges. Aristotle and Plato drastically differ in their approach to studying politics. Aristotle has a more practical and systematic approach. His Volume POLITICS is important. Aristotle agreed with Plato's polis being a natural outgrowth for human development.He theorized that there are 3 forms of human communities that naturally evolve into more complex political arrangements: 1) The family unit 2) The village 3) The polis (state) Ability to reason- key to happiness for Aristotle, it separates humans from animals. Aristotle does not advocate as vigorously for any one particular system over another. He asserts that all political systems can be either excellent or dreadful. First to examine the extent to which economics undergirds politics.

Appetites

The Human Soul. Behavior guided by impulses stemming from our desires and urges, without regard for consequences. (Plato)

Rational

The Human Soul. Behavior guided by knowledge and our intellect. (Plato)

Political Science

The academic discipline that seeks to understand the relationship between individuals and political institutions. (It is a Social Science)

Social Contract

The political theory that a state and its citizens have an unwritten agreement between them, a social contract into which they voluntarily enter.

Behavioralism

The school of thought that looks at the "actual" behavior of certain persons or institutions. It is largely data driven and without a strong commitment to values. Focus their research of quantitative analyses. Behavioralists use mathematical or statistical models to explain different kinds of political and social behavior. Use variables and correlation to find a relationship.

Postbehavioralism

The school of thought that seeks to combine elements of the traditional approach (especially the idea of values) with those of behavioralism. Critiqued behavioralists for being too scientific and, in many ways, guilty of ignoring ethical responsibility to the field and to the citizenry at large. Said that political scientists should try to answer more important questions that affect the citizens, states, and the world.

Comparative politics

The subfield of political science that examines different types of institutions and issues within different countries. Such examinations are usually regionally based. For example, one may do comparative research on the area of the world known as the Middle East.

Marxism

The theory developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which became the official doctrine of communism. According to Marxism, the key to how society operated was economics; all other aspects of society, such as politics and religion, were conditioned by the economic system.

Feminism

The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.