PSC 334: Final Exam

What is the EU's Stability and Growth Pact (SGP)?

-(1999-present) Members must have: -Deficits <3% -Debt <60% -Enforced within Eurozone countries; however the "UK shall endeavor to avoid an excessive government deficit" NO PENALTY THOUGH>

How influential has Keynesianism been?

-1930-70s: dominant in US/Europe -post 70s rise of neoliberalism

In Britain, during which period was there said to be a "collectivist consensus" between the two main parties?

-1951-79

The current government of Sweden is

-A Social Democratic-Green minority coalition, with support from the Centre and Liberal Parties

In France, the two-ballot election system is sometimes said to promote what kind of party system?

-A multi-party, but two "bloc" system

Legislative Upper House: Germany

-Bundersrtat -upper house represents states (lander-plural) -68 members appointed by state governments -3-6 per state based on population -each state delegation casts vote as a bloc -state elections are held at various times throughout national electoral cycle

After the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958, until the early 1980s

-Center-right parties were always in power

In Britain, the two main parties since World War II have been

-Conservative and Labour

In Crepaz Ch. 11, he discusses European and American responses to the economic crisis of 2008-09. Why were the US and European responses different?

-Economic crisis was a double-dip recession (came out of unemployment then went back in) -Common Response: some degree of stimulus (put money in: increased gov't spending and/or taxes cuts) -CH 11: bigger stimulus in US than in Europe--going back to what Crepaz stated in CH 1 the US being more paternalistic, etc.

Post 2008 Recession: Obama wants Global Stimulus Package: Why do France and Germany disagree?

-European countries have more 'automatic stabilizers' than the US -Automatics Stabilizers: public policies in place that, when the business cycle dips, it tends to automatically have counter cyclical impact -ex: job training/low income assistance

Legislative Upper House: UK

-House of Lords; -appointed by Queen on the advice of PM; -less powerful than House of Commons; cannot delay money bills longer than one month, nor can it vote them down and prevent their passage; -any leg. passed by the House of Commons in two successive sections of parliament goes into effect without approval by the Lords.

Keynesianism

-John Keynes: argued that gov't should correct business cycles. How? -engaging in counter cyclical activities -Depression: stimulus policies: increased spending and/or cut taxes -High Inflation: austerity policies: cut gov't spending and/or increase taxes.

How can globalization be measured? (Crepaz)

-KOF Index of Globalization (all dimensions standardized to 100-most globalized to 0-no globalization) Dimensions: -Economic: trade flows, foreign direct investments, tariff barriers--but also barriers to globalization, hidden import barriers, tariff barriers -Political: number of embassies in the country, membership in int'l organizations, # if int'l treaties countries have signed -Social: telephone traffic, internet users, the # of McDonalds per capita, # of Ikeas per capita

The Swedish election of 2018 was unusual because...

-Neither the usual leftist alliance of parties nor the usual center-right alliance of parties could form a majority -Coalition negotiations afterwards were unusually protracted

Legislative Upper House: Italy

-Senate -315 members -5 year terms -directly elected by region; PR--party comp can be different than lower house, possibility of divided government. -Elected at the same time as party of deputies -Powers are equal to those of the lower house (govt responsible to both houses, either house could pass a no confidence vote against the gov't)

The most common type of government in Sweden in the post WWII period has been...

-Single-party minority governemnt

What party did the best in the most recent election in Italy?

-The Five Star Movement

In Crepaz Ch. 12, he looks in some detail at possible explanations for differences in poverty rates across countries. How do countries compare, and what are these explanations?

-The US has the highest relative poverty rate, whereas the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, and Denmark have the lowest. -Graph shows relative poverty as well as total tax revenue -Crepaz explains these trends through the lens of two theories: institutional (the effect the controlling institutions have had-presence of socialism in European countries), and historical (American's state building mentality created a political environment where socialism could not get a foothold, US-"born modern") -Frederick Jackson Turner's frontier thesis: the abundance of free land that was there for the taking tempted many to move west and become capitalists themselves instead of working to organize Socialist parties

The 2017 French elections (presidential and legislative) were unusual because...

-The incumbent party going into the election won only 5-6% in both the presidential and legislative elections -The winner of the presidential election was the head of a brand-new party he created -Neither of the two usually-dominant parties made it to the second round of the presidential election

In Britain, why was there an election in 2017, when there had just been one in 2015?

-The prime minister, Theresa May, called an election in the hope of increasing her governing majority

In France, "cohabitation" refers to

-The situation that occurs when the president's party is not the one in the legislative majority

SGP: What happens if a country is out of compliance?

-There is "excessive deficit procedure": country must follow an EU-imposed plane to reduce deficit -If not: economic sanctions (if in the Eurozone) -0.2% of GDP -if they fail to abide then 0.5% of their GDP -All EU members but the UK could see suspension of EU funds

What were the reasons for the Italian government changing the electoral system in 1993?

-There was a desire to create incentives for parties t create alliances, and hope that this would lead to more alternation of parities in power.

*After the electoral system reform in Italy in 1993, as well as subsequent electoral reforms, how have governments those in the pre-1993 period?

-Until recently there have been two main ideological alliances of parties , and dominance by one shifting back forth between them.

Party Systems: Germany and Italy

-always coalition gov't

What is "globalization"?

-continuing process of integration and increasing interdependence among countries -accelerated with the advancement of technology/transportation -it has three components: political/social/economic

Does politics mater?

-data shows most of the time governing parties fulfill the majority of the pledges -in parliamentary systems, single party gov't fulfill more pledges than coalition.

Policy Process: Outcomes

-effects, results, impacts of policies

What was unusual about the UK government, 2010-2015?

-first coalition since WWII

Classical Liberalism (Laissez Faire Economics)

-gov't budgets should be small and balanced -minimal gov't intervention in economic affairs: in the long run businesses will correct themselves What are the potential problems? - How long is the long run.

Monetarism

-idea that controlling the money supply is the best way to control the economy; keep size of gov't small and budget deficits low Who controls the money supply? -Central Banks -High Inflation: increased interest rates -High Unemployment: lower interest rates

The 2010 Swedish Election was notable because...

-it was the first time that the far right Sweden-Democrats won legislative seats

Potential Cons: Keynesianism

-long lasting budget deficits

Party Systems: Sweden

-multiparty system with a dominant Social Democratic Party (SAP)

Policy Process: Inputs

-nature of the party system, who's in power, interest groups, demographic, economic factors, political culture, history

Policy Process: Outputs

-policies, laws, executive actions, judicial decisions

In the 1980s in Britain, the government of Margaret Thatcher made many significant changes, which were...

-privatization of industry, tax cuts, and the sale of "public" or "council" housing

Supply-Side Economics

-tax policy, cut taxes for businesses and investors in order to increase economic growth (businesses/investors =>they will invest and expand supply)

Party Systems: UK

-typically single party, 2010 - 2015: Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition gov't first coalition gov't since WWII!!!!

Party Systems: France

-typically single party, but sometimes coalition gov't

Constitutional Court: Italy

15 members; 12 year terms (not immediately renewable) (5x5x5) -5 chosen by: -president (5) -majorities in both parties (5) -judges of higher courts (5) "full judicial review"

Constitutional Court: France

9 regular members who are elected for a non renewable terms of nine years (3x3x3) -1/3 chosen every 3 years by: the prez (3), head of upper house (3), head of lower house (3) -openly partisan "quasi judicial review"-ruling before it has passed

Keynesianism: Response to Inflation

Austerity policies: cut gov't spending and/or increase taxes.

In which country is there currently a single-party minority government?

Britain

Britain is a country that does not practice constitutional "judicial review." What do they have instead?

Britain has "parliamentary sovereignty," in which parliament has the last word

How do the powers of the president/PM compare? (FRANCE)

Constitutionally the President has more powers but it depends on cohabitation. Prez can: choose the PM (must be legislative majority); can dissolve the lower house (national assembly) at any time (no more than once a year--must consult the PM and legislative leaders.

In which country is there a multi-party system that is divided into two blocs, "left" and "right," with cooperation within blocs?

France

In which country or countries is there a party "in government" right now which never previously held national government office?

France

Who has judicial review?

France, Germany, and Italy

Which country or countries has always had coalition governments, with governments being quite stable, and alternation usually taking place between center-right coalitions headed by Christian Democrats and center-left coalitions headed by Social Democrats, with occasional "Grand Coalitions"?

Germany

Stronger Legislatures

Germany and Italy

Germany: What i Bundestag and Bunderstrat disagree?

If it is a state matter: -approval of the Bundestrat is required -about 60 % of legislation falls into this category If it isn't: -Bundesrat has 'suspensive veto' -can be overriden by lower house

In which country or countries are the upper and lower houses both directly elected, with equal powers between them?

Italy

Does the UK have judicial review?

No, bc no codified constitution.

Legislative Upper House: France

Senate -6 year term with renewal of half of its membership every three years -chosen by an electoral college composed of National Assembly deputies, department councillors, and delegates of city council -Both chambers have equal powers except Budget bills are first submitted to the assembly, and only the assembly may oust the government on a vote of censure -The Parliament itself is limited by the French constitution

Keynesianism: Response to Depression

Stimulus policies: increased gov't spending and/or tax cuts

Weaker Legislatures

UK and France

France is a "semi-presidential" system: what does that mean?

Voters directly vote for the legislature and directly vote for president; prime minister and cabinet are chosen from legislature. Both the president and prime minister have real powers.

What is "cohabitation"? (FRANCE)

When the president's party differs from the legislative majority. Under cohab the PM has more with domestic policy and Prez has more power with foreign policy.

Weak Legislature: UK

does not have codified constitution, so there isn't one document that gives the parliament its power -->weakens it

Who controls fiscal policy?

elected officials

Constitutional Court: Germany

members selected by parliament based on a rule of party apportionment; -16 justices -12 year non-renewable terms -1/2 chosen by lower house, 1/2 chosen by upper house -need 2/3 majority in BOTH houses to be appointed (this requires cross party support) -upon request of 1/3 of lower house, the court may review the constitutionality of any law

Government Budget

revenue-spending -If revenue is greater than spending=> budget surplus (very rare) -If spending is greater than revenue=>budget deficit (common)

Stronger Legislature: Italy

there is an upper and lower house and specialized committees that can rewrite legislation

Stronger Legislature: Germany

there's an upper house and lower house and there is specialized committees

Weak Legislature: France

weak because the French pres holds huge amount of power; therefore, difficult for the legislature to shape legislation and hold the government accountable.