Intro to Comparative Politics-Chapter 2
Functions of a state
-Defense -Taxation -Legislation -Arbitration -Provision of Public Good, ie: education, public health
Characteristics of a State
-territory -sovereignty -monopoly of force -legitimacy -hierarchy -institutional arms
failed state
A state so weak that its political structures collapse, leading to anarchy and violence
weak state
A state that has difficulty fulfilling basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy
strong state
A state that is able to fulfill basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy
asymmetric federalism
A system where power is devolved unequally across the country and its constituent regions, often the result of specific laws negotiated between the region and the central government
Legitimacy
A value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power
Sovereignty
Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.
Nations pose a challenge to the modern state from within or a level below the state. Regional integration is a challenge from above or outside the state. One example of regional integration can be found in the organization known as the ________________________________.
European Union (EU)
rational-legal legitimacy
Legitimacy based on a system of laws and procedures that are highly institutionalized.
charismatic legitimacy
Legitimacy built on the force of ideas embodied by an individual leader
traditional legitimacy
Legitimacy that accepts aspects of politics because they have been institutionalized over a long period of time
Nations inspire movements that can pose challenges to the states within which they reside. The type of movement that seeks to gain a state of its own with complete political independence from the state within which it resides is a ________________________ movement.
Secessionist
autonomy
The ability of the state to wield its power independently of the public
capacity
The ability of the state to wield power to carry out basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy
regime
The fundamental rules and norms of politics, embodying long-term goals regarding individual freedom and collective equality, where power should reside, and the use of that power
state
(1) The organization that maintains a monopoly of force over a given territory; (2) A set of political institutions to generate and execute policy regarding freedom and equality
States in Africa are noted for having:
a low degree of capacity and autonomy
Federalism
a system in which significant state powers, such as taxation, lawmaking and security, are devolved to regional or local bodies
State capacity can be defined as the:
ability to wield power in order to carry out basic tasks
Regimes are defined as:
an organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory
The development of the modern state in Europe was encouraged by
constant warfare during the dark ages
A state with an extremely low level of autonomy and capacity is known as a _________ state.
failed
Traditional legitimacy rests on
habits and customs
The United States is often seen as having
high capacity but low autonomy
A state that encompasses one dominant nation that it claims to represent is known as a(n):
nation-state
unitary states
political power is concentrated at the national level and local authority is limited
Modern states are built primarily on what form of legitimacy?
rational-legal
Scholars believe that ethnicity and nationality are:
socially constructed
Ethnic identity can be defined as:
specific attributes that make one group of people culturally different
Sovereignty is defined as the ability of:
states to carry out actions or policy independent of outside actors or internal rivals
State autonomy can be defined as the ability to:
wield power independent of the public
