Final for comparative politics

afghanistan's institutional arrangement

"SNTV" unitary presidential

How does religion factor into politics in our country cases? Consider, for instance: the constitution and guiding ideals of the state, political parties, local laws and courts, religious conflict, etc.

(Try grouping countries by profound effects of religion vs India Hinduism vs Islam, Upper Castes vs. Lower Castes Partition was a result of religious cleavages in pre-independence India. (Relocating of Hindus and Muslims caused violence throughout the territory between one another) Brazil Catholicism vs Protestantism Religious conservative parties (Bolsonaro's first party affiliation) Nigeria Islam vs Christianity North was governed as a caliphate pre-independence Indonesia Fundamentalist vs Modernist vs Traditionalist Aceh rebellion yeet Largest Muslim country in the world -> various levels of devotion Afghanistan Sunni vs Shi'a

What is the nature of the major political parties in the countries we have studied? What factors make these parties the way they are? Do they offer voters stable, consistent programs to choose from? Does competition between them promote accountability in governance?

- Brazil and India (perfect ex) Nigeria Political parties Highly personalistic--- connected to personalities Non-programmatic Don't compete on the basis of clear ideological differences Patronage driven Focus on individualistic and cliental advantages Ex. the reason why you would vote for a certain party is because they are offering you some shit (Hey! Language, please) Note***** Parties don't grow from political or social movements--- they are formed around former military rulers and figures who then become political candidates Used to be anchored to different regions, but now in order to be successful they must reach beyond regions Originally, Nigeria was dominated by a single-party system--- The People's Democratic Party Parties are based on region However, after the 2015 elections in which Buhari won with the opposition party--- APC--- there is a chance that Nigeria is heading towards a 2 party system Indonesia Political parties Political parties are regionally concentrated because of regional differences and the fact that a parties are able to base in a local identity and win seats Afghanistan Political parties Weak, shadowy, no clear message Voting Dangerous to vote sometimes--- especially in 2009 election Taliban threatened to shoot anyone who voted Fraud ⅓ of the votes were fraud--- ¾ of those votes were for Karzai Brazil Political parties With respect to our 4 other country cases, politics in Brazil reflects much sharper/clearer ideological cleavages between left and right (clear class conscience) Left parties dominate impoverished North and North-east, Right parties South and Southwest Majority of parties throw themselves behind coalitions The glue that holds federalism and makes Brazil functional is clientelism and patronage Multi-partism So many parties in Congress because of PR (weak parties) There is no threshold of votes needed to get a seat in Congress Brazil is open list, which has led to weak parties, politicians frequently switch between parties (~1/5), and there are lots of new parties 30-40% of Brazilians express affiliation to parties Not a real dependency or formal linkage to party because of Open list PR The PT emerged in opposition to the military regime •Based in labor unions and social movements (the first "grassroots party" in Brazil) •Programmatic and non-clientelistic•Socialist but participatory (non-vanguardist) Following the constitutional decentralization in 1988, PT started winning municipalities. To win in 2002, Lula pushed the party more towards the center PT charged with corruption (coup against democracy?) India Political parties Form coalitions Dominated mainly by upper castes Dominated by the Congress Party for a very long time Legitimacy derived from its leadership of the anti-British movement Dynastic elements

brazil's population

208 million

afghanistan's population

31 million

india population

1.3 billion

brazil's important moments of transition of regimes

1822-1889: Independence to 1st (old) Republic 1889-1930: The "Politics of Governors" 1930-1946: Getulio Vargas and the (Authoritarian) Estado Novo 1946-1964: Democratization and 2nd Republic 1964-1985: Bureaucratic Authoritarianism and Military rule

india's important moments of transition of regimes

1857: Sepoy Rebellion against British East India Company 1858: Government of India Act of 1858 (officially) colonized India 1947: Partition of India and Indian Independence Act 1957-1977: Indira Gandhi's State of Emergency 2002: Gujarat Riots

vargas

1930 - 1945 Gained power after a coup headed by military and political leaders (1930) Discontented by politics of Old Republic Vargas dismantled democratic system, implemented vast reforms, collectively titled Estado Novo (New State) Important period of state building and creation of a state corporatist structure: organized societal actors (e.g. laborers) in state-sponsored agencies Beginning of attempts at state-led industrialization through state support for Brazilian "infant industries" Highly centralized authoritarian regime Creating & expanding education, workers—unions. There is direct connection to the state. Steel industry, importance of military. He re-centralized and did not ignore the middle class workers. With state sponsored *had their own access of revenue

afghanistan's important moments of transition of regimes

1933-1973:King Mohammed Zahir reigned given title of "Father of the Nation" in 2002 but had no power April 28, 1978: Coup by the communist party (PDPA, People's Dem. Party of Afghanistan) Dec.24 1979: Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan 1988-1989: Soviet Union withdrawal from Afghanistan 1994-1996: Taliban control of Afghanistan

ARENA

1965 military government abolished all political parties and replaced with a single party= ARENA National Renewal Alliance. Various conservative parties grew out of ARENA, including the Liberal Front Party and the Democrats Indirect election In 1965 the military government, which had taken power the previous year, abolished all political parties and replaced them with a single government party, the National Renewal Alliance, 1966 & 1970—won vast majority of seats, early part of military regime was a one-party state Ideologies: National Conservatism, Militarism, Authoritarianism, Social Conservatism

The 2012 International Crisis Group report issues warnings about Afghanistan's readiness for the 2014 elections and power transition. What are the specific problems regarding laws, institutions, technical issues and security problems that it discusses?

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What are reasons why has it been so difficult for the United States and other powerful Western countries to build a strong, well-functioning, democratic state in Afghanistan? What mistakes has the U.S. made, if any? Should the U.S. and the international community be doing more (or fewer) or different things to help Afghanistan? If so, what?

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What are the strengths and weaknesses of India's system of governance, including its parliamentary system?

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What accounts for the Congress Party's dominance between 1950 and 1980 and its loss of dominance since the 1990s?

Accounts: - legitimacy derived from its leadership of anti-British movement -popularity of "composite nationalism" as ideology - "the license raj" -Dynastic elements ( Nehru, INdira, Rajob, Rahul) Loss: -frustration of corruption under Congress -rise of hindu nationalist ideology of BJP

worker's party (pt)

A democratic socialist political party in Brazil Launched in 1980; one of the largest movements of Latin America accused of procuring kickbacks to fund electoral activities— Lula's 2nd scandal: purchase of votes in the congress for reform legislation Emerged in opposition to military regime and is considered the "first grassroots party" in Brazil due to its basis in labor unions and social movements.

What achievements can be credited to the Lula administration? What problems persist in Brazil?

Achievements Lead global south and assert global leadership -- solidify brazil as BRIC Result in socialist policies Minimum wage increase Zero hunger initiative Food stamps School meal Support for farmers Bolsa Familia (Family Stipend) Poor families w/ kids recieve 170 reals ($43) per month from government Families commit to keeping kids in schools and giving them health checks Reached 14 million families, 50 million ppl (¼ of population) Problems Few change in unequal distribution Ie: no land reform Corruption persisted 2001-2005 Big monthly payment for buying votes for PT scandal

How would you describe the politics surrounding the introduction of affirmative action policies in Brazil?

Affirmative action similar to US -- try to promote racial equality in colleges(?)

What are the primary challenges facing India's economy today?

Beginnings of 1990s Reduce subsidies to poor Selling some state-owned enterprises Allowing more foreign investment Allowing rupee to fall in value

lula

Born in 1945 in state of Pernambuco, Grew up in poverty, shoeshine boy Moved to south, found work as an industrial worker (lathe operator) displace social & economic priorities in Brazil's relations with US led to election of Lula One of the founders of the PT (Worker's Party) in 1980 and Won the presidency in 2002 on his fourth attempt Served as president from early 2003 through 2010 March 2016 charged with corruption

dilma rousseff

Born in 1947 in Belo Horizonte. Involved in armed Marxist groups that resisted the military government of the late 1960s. Spent almost three years in prison. Became an economist and a civil servant Served as Energy Secretary in Lula's first administration, then his chief of staff, personally tapped by Lula as PT candidate in 2010. Never elected to any office before she was elected President of Brazil Car wash scandal

What does the term "caste" mean and what is its relationship to politics in India? What is the meaning and significance of "Scheduled Castes (SC)" and "Scheduled Tribes" (ST)? How has the role of caste in society and politics changed over time, and how has the state dealt with it? What does the success of the BJP tell us about the salience of caste and religious identity over time?

Caste - hereditary classes of Hindu society determined by ritual purity or social class Schedule castes and tribes -- untouchables -- made affirmative action reserve seats in parliament universities and bureaucracies- this has led to dissent by elite classes State level program for middle castes emerge Caste state parties -- have caste for lower and higher caste Ie: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party was made of lower caste members (Yadav) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP Dalit caste) Hinduism as political perspective still strong (Modi is Hindu nationalist) In some ways caste structure is less rigid than it used to be

What do we know about factors that facilitate a change from an authoritarian to a democratic regime? What social and economic factors seem to support democracy?

Causes of Regime Change from Authoritarian to Democracy Civil war Military officers that take power from civilians Elected leaders or parties undo democratic institutions Social and Economic factors Social factors More equality and help for people that are not as wealthy and poor One example would be India, who thanks to the partition of India in 1947 that divided India and Pakistan based off Hindu and Muslim identities, was able to allow for fair representation of the Muslim community, resulting in the maintenance of a democratic regime for 70 years. Economic factors 1. Increase in wealth Nigeria Brazil: Top down factors: 1980s - The military was not united in its views (conflict between "soft-liners" and "hard-liners," including the intelligence apparatus who wanted to stay in power) •The 1982 debt crisis and rising inflation (culminating in hyperinflation by end of 1980s) Bottom up factors: A flourishing of civil society "diretas ja" mass movement for direct elections •Women's social movements •Landless workers' movement •Grassroots opposition, as reflected in Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) and songs like "Cálice" -Article 7 of Brazil's constitution insisted upon by social movement representatives elected to the Constituent Assembly (1986-88)

Is Bolsa Familia a tool of clientelistic politics or of programmatic politics? Why? (see Sugiyama and Hunter reading)

Clientelism Sociodemographic (poverty inequality and ruralness) characterize region where many live -- people who are more susceptible to clientelism tend to be impoverished Vote-buying -- promise of more $$ or resources to ensure family vote Northeast has largest concentration of rural poverty in Latin America Municipal authority assigned role -- local governments serve as citizens' main contact point → opportunity for political brokerage Doubts of Bolsa Familia independence from local politics Programmatic Some believe vote buying does not exist -- poor would not believe official's promises to provide/withdraw since it is federal program Built in oversight to prevent vote buying Citizens have easy public access to complete list of beneficiaries in cities -- can hold accountable Citizens can report suspicious case to department of social assistance and prompt investigation and removal of government official Federal Internal Audit Office made effort to detect anomalies controls entry into the program, institutes a direct mechanism to transfer resources to beneficiaries, provide user-friendly bureaucratic channels for solving problems, and institute transparency and oversight mechanisms.

According to Ames, Baker, and Renno, to what extent do Brazilian citizens vote on the basis of: a) clientelism; b) pork-barrel politics; c) incumbent performance; d) candidate traits ("beauty contests"); or e) policy platforms?

Clientelism: Citizens less likely to vote on clientelistic basis b/c it lacks an orientation towards the collective good Pork-barrel: (Def: Seeking votes for federal deputies who have garnered public funds for infrastructural development in one's locality) two thirds of respondents in two-city survey said they voted for their federal deputy candidate b/c they thought the candidate would help their city while only one third said their votes were motivated out of projects and issues of national impact Majority of citizens select their candidate with local issues in mind Incumbent performance: People would rather reward or punish national government and its affiliates at ALL electoral levels Candidate traits: Perceptions of honesty, administrative experience, and ability to provide strong leadership are all potentially valid indicators of how a candidate will shape the collective good They found traits do matter especially in the case of Lula Honesty most important to people Policy platform: Most Brazilians know about and have an opinion on at least one issue so they favor the candidate with a position most similar to their own like the example of land reform given by the authors Right/left emphasis in brazilian politics demonstrates this. Conclusion: All of these shape votes! Issue voting is widespread though; but Brazil's confusing institutional arrangements affect the ability of voters to make well informed decisions. Overwhelming number of candidates and personalistic nature of campaigns make it harder for voters to familiarize themselves with incumbents Existence of multiple parties w/ weak ideologies confuses voters

What have been the effects of colonialism on post-independence politics? Consider all aspects of the colonial and post-colonial experience, including practices and institutions of colonizers, anti-colonial resistance, how decolonization happened and what it meant in a specific context, etc.

Colonial legacies Nigeria British Exploitative colony No war of independence Indonesia Dutch Exploitation Indirect ruling Afghanistan U.S , Soviet Union, and British Used as a buffer against other colonial Brazil Portuguese No war of independence India British Partition 1947 Effects of Colonial Legacies Nigeria Indirect rule, colonialism on the cheap, little investment in state capacity, different treatment of North and South Indonesia Also indirect rule, limited investments through the "Ethical Policy," internal colonialism by Javanese (transmigration program) Afghanistan Absence of colonialism but frequent attempts at invasion, periods of subordination (British Empire and the Great Game), some sense of identity through expulsion of external powers but not enough to overcome internal divisions. Ultimately poor state capacity development, with continued challenges Brazil High levels of inequality were created by slavery and land-ownership which in turn has been the major cause of clientelism and ideological conflict Distant but strong colonial legacies, settler colony, delegation of power to "captaincies" and later landowners to maintain order leads to highly decentralized state ("robust" federalism") India The state that the British built and that a sovereign India inherited was "modern" but "limited "•modern in the sense of a monopoly over use of coercion, relatively bureaucratized (IAS), increasingly constitutional and parliamentary;•but limited by the British ideological commitment to laissez faire liberalism and by its dependence on Indian traditional elites (private property, contracts, courts, postal service, no support for industry) - led to inequality The British laid the "steel frame" of the modern Indian state (e.g. the Indian Civil Service) and the non-violent anti-colonial movement (led by Mahatma Gandhi) led the foundation for a relatively strong sense of national identity ("composite nationalism") Since India was considered Britain's "crown jewel", as it gave it surplus income to finance the rest of the colonial empire, the British used a lot of force to make sure nothing gets out of hand. This helps explain the tenacity of its grip on India and willingness to use force, which in turn explains the power of the Congress Party Continued tensions between India and Pakistan (look at current news) Indirect rule AND direct rule, Indian Civil Service ("the steel frame") becomes Indian Administrative Service (merit-based bureaucracy with uniform presence across the territory) Civil services National and regional assembles War of independence due to British Uni.

Brazil stands out as having particularly severe inequality, though the Gini coefficient has declined slightly in the past few years. What explains the severe inequality? Why is it a difficult-to-solve problem?

Colonial legacies of rich oligarchs owning majority of land. Top 1% still own majority of land. Land redistribution is a controversial topic- elites do not want to give up power. Brazilian leaders tend to be corrupt themselves. Big economic inequality along racial lines. Lack of education. Lula's Bolsa Familia helped with poverty marginally.

narendra modi

Current Prime Minister elected in 2014 Won under the BJP party Known as a hindu nationalist Was chief minister of Gujarat from 2001-2014 Criticized in 2002 during the religious riots for not properly responding to the violent conflict between the muslim and hindu people after the bus fire that killed about 50 hindu people and the riots that killed and injured thousands

How have these states performed (in the last 50-60 years) in terms of generating economic growth and improving the well-being of the population as a whole? What explains the performance of each? In what cases have the benefits of economic growth been most widely spread, and why?

Economic Growth Nigeria Focus almost completely on oil export -- so unable to diversify economy Resource curse Lack of state capacity- doesn't help population as a whole Indonesia Pancasila Diversify economy -- become self-sufficient on rice, state-led industrialization (developmental state) (inspired by Chinese market reforms) • Reducing subsidies to poor • Selling some state-owned enterprises • Allowing more foreign investment Afghanistan Opium, but gov trying to destroy Taliban get $$ from opium Failed to public goods Brazil Import (ISI) import substitution industrialization to exporting country (ESI) export substitution Bolsa Familia Improved in terms of hyper inflation- reduced debt under Lula's administration (Montero reading p. 16) India Pursued a "mixed-strategy" combining commitment to US-style private entrepreneurship and Soviet-style central planning Since the beginning of the 1990s (under PM Rao, with Singh Finance Minister, then BJP, thenSingh PM): India has experienced liberalization Improve Well Being Nigeria No More than 53% of the population is living on less than $2 a day Indonesia Yes/No Rural parts of the Indonesia are still not developed However, urban areas are very urbanized and developed such as "Jakarta" Afghanistan No. State Capacity is ineffective Brazil Yes/No Yes- HDI is now at .76 No- high levels of inequality from colonial decisions in slavery and land-ownership--- which in turn has been a major cause of clientelism and ideological conflict OECD (Filho 2012) estimates that 17% of GDP is in informal sector •Previous estimates were higher (25-40%)•Declined significantly in recent years due to rise in high school completion (due to Bolsa familia, I'm as Lula economic policy: •Minimum wage increases (67% increase between 2003 and 2009) •Zero Hunger (Fome Zero) Initiative •Aimed to ensure access to sufficient levels of nutrition for even the very poor; targeted 44 million people with incomes of less than US$1/day as of 2001. •Comprised several programs, including Food stamps ("Cupom Alimentação"; PCA)•Expanded school meal program•Support for family farmers suming) Brazil still has High levels of inequality (which was generated by colonial decisions vis-à-vis slavery and land ownership, and which, in turn, has been a major cause of clientelism and ideological conflict) India Yes/No Northern part is not as urbanized Poverty continues to persist in the majority of the population 35% of the population is below India's poverty line High infant mortality rate Shortcomings in human development -For much of its independent life, India pursued a "mixed strategy" (a.k.a. the "third way"), combining commitment to US-style private entrepreneurship AND Soviet-style central planning.•Within the Congress Party, Nehru favored industrialization and urbanization while Gandhi celebrated self-sufficient villages.•Beginning in 1990s, growing criticism of the "license raj" resulted in economic liberalization (under Congress and BJP governments alike)

What were the causes of the military coup of 1964?

Domestic political Concern that the presidential system could lead to sweeping changes Widening ideological polarization Oligarchic interests were threatened by possibility of equity (enhancing social reforms) Domestic external Brazil emerged using ISI--- if we could close ourselves off we could form the basis of consumer demand and build industries Use policy to build industries But they need deepening of government because building industry required docile labor As a result, they shifted to bureaucratic authoritarianism because they required labor! External political Cold war politics and US fears of soviet/cuban inroads into Brazil What if Brazil falls to Soviet influence and goes red?? External Economic US businesses fear expropriation and seek macro economic stability

congress party

Dominated Indian politics for a long time because: Legitimacy derived from its leadership of anti-movement The popularity of "composite nationalism" as the ideology Initially elite-led (dominated by upper castes), it was transformed into a mass-based with territorial presence across India Clientelism (zamindars or hereditary landowners as patrons, peasants as clients) and favoritism/corruption ("the license raj") Dynastic elements (Nehru, Indira, Rajiv, Rahul...)

What evidence is there that India has successfully knit together a common national identity, despite of and alongside the tremendous diversity within its borders?

Evidence that India has created a strong national identity is the sustainability of its democratic regime. It has been a primarily democratic nation for the last 70 years, with only two brief periods of authoritarian rule.

What dynamics explain urban ethnic conflict? What are the policy implications?

Hindus and Muslims that are not living in harmony being in close quarters

More generally, what are the challenges for rebuilding the state, promoting the economy, and implementing democratic procedures in Afghanistan?

Lack of state power due to lack of state capacity. The Taliban control many regions of Afghanistan. The economy is based one resource- opium. A undiversified economy where most of the population are subsistence farmers is not good economically. Democratic procedures are iffy when the country couldn't even decide on a leader in 2014. There is a president and a CEO. Only 12% arable land Low literacy rates Sits between Shi'a Iran and Sunni Pakistan

Why was colonial India partitioned into India and Pakistan? What were the effects of partition, in the short term and the long term? Could it have been otherwise?

Last ditch effort of a divide and rule strategy by the British to control the inevitable independence movement. It separated India and Pakistan as nations, resulting in the mass migration of Muslim populations to Pakistan and polarization of religious groups.

BJP

Leader: Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hindu nationalist party. Controlled parliament 1998-2004 & since 2014. Most support comes in "Hindi heartland": north/central region. Narendra "Namo" - one of the members: Chief minister of Gujarat 2001-14 (including during 2002 riots) (Bharatiya Janata Party), the major Hindu nationalist party that remains the major competitor to the Indian National Congress party and that is dedicated to Hindutva ("Hindu-ness") as the ideology Religious Nationalism. Growing political significance of lower-caste communities Lots of Hindu-Muslim tension due to BJP-encouraged attacks. For instance, the Hindu attack on the Babri Mosque in 1992.

bolsa familia

Lula's most significant social policy innovation a Conditional Cash Transfer Poor families with children receive an average of 170 reals (about $43) in direct transfers per month, in other words, in cash from the government. In return, they commit to keeping their children in school and taking them for regular health checks. The program reaches 14 mn families, 50 mn people (1/4 of the pop.) Credited with lifting millions (~30) of Brazilians out of poverty Pros and cons: The puzzling and "non-clientelistic" or "universalistic" nature of the Bolsa Familia (only 15% of respondents said BF is used for vote-buying)

1964 (brazil)

Military coup, end of democracy after 20 years (longer than Nigeria and Indonesia) opposition to the extreme leftist trend (communizing trend) Goulart sought to impose on Brazil through his policies Led to overthrow president Joao Goulart by members of the Brazilian armed forces supported by the U.S. government He fled to Uruguay and hopes of progressive reforms with him Military Junta assumed power

What seem to be the legacies of the long history of foreign incursion into Afghanistan? What about, specifically, the Soviet invasion and the U.S. response to it in the late 1970s and 1980s? Who were the mujahidin?

Mujahidin were guerilla style freedom fighters who rose up to fight the USSR - very fractured + broad coalition -> Taliban forming in religious schools out of refugees and former fighters Legacies- funding of mujahidin, Bin Laden also funded them and built many training camps Radicalizing Afghan societes. Surplus of Arab radical fighters who came during the Soviet invasion and stayed in the region.

None of the world's countries has a perfect democratic system. But democracy in developing world countries is often seen as particularly flawed. Is this true in the cases we have looked at? How, and why or why not? Many of the readings deal with this. Among other things, you might consider how actual politics accords with or deviates from the model presented in the early lectures (see the slide titled "Democracy: Simple idea, complicated reality.")

Nigeria - electoral fraud continues - extensive oil-financed patronage and corruption, - military retains outsize influence - commits human rights abuses in north & south - weak state capacity India - high levels of clientelism - persistent poverty - patronage and corruption -highly dynastic/personalistic has one of the longest (70 years), most uninterrupted, and most celebrated experiences with democratic rule anywhere in the post-colonial world (1947 to the present, with the partial exception of Indira Gandhi's "Emergency" period in 1975-77). Consistent parliamentarism (in contrast with Nigeria, Indonesia, and Brazil)• Creative (but problematic?) experimentation with "linguistic" federalism Apolitical military the partition of India and Pakistan (however violent) might have also played a positive role because it enabled the Congress party to represent and defend Muslim constituents (who were less threatening at 14% of the population). Deep traditions of inclusivity and multiculturalism that pre-date the Congress Party Indonesia - heavy use of patronage - "promiscuous power sharing" among party leaders Brazil - persistent patronage, corruption, inequality -fragmentation in the party system, in the states & civil society -threat of military involvement has receded -democracy survived the Left turn in 2002 -Conflict between federal and state governments -The "dangerous combination" of presidentialism, multi-partism, open-list PR, and federalism (formal institutions) •The persistence of clientelism and patronage (informal institutions) -1990-1992 Fernando Collor de Mello, scion of wealthy conservative landowning family in a poor north-eastern state (Alagoas), his impeachment for corruption marks a period of "desencanto" or disenchantment - The military tried but failed to engineer a 2 party system, and insisted on. As a result, presidents' parties rarely have congressional majorities • Consequence #1: presidents (who name 48000 appointees) rely heavily on pork barrel/clientelism/patronage in order to build coalitions & pass legislation Consequence #2: presidents rely heavily on decree measures (medidas provisórias) and line-item vetoes (hyper-presidentialism) -Resource curse leads to patronage Afghanistan - strong divisions between ethnic groups - 2014 election resulted in prolonged dispute between Ghani(Pashtun) and Abdullah Political parties? Very weak, often shadowy, de-emphasized by the voting system and the constitution Strong insurgency by the Taliban -Afghan tradition of localism

Do you see Afghanistan on a positive path? If yes, why, if not why?And what factors explain the dynamic you argue?

No (can it get worse?) Taliban regaining control → lead to another authoritarian dictatorship State relies too heavily on US backed support and US starting to leave -- once state loses support will be unable to control Low state capacity -- unable to fund programs or protect citizens Corruption in government and election fraud Yes (Country is improving despite hardships) Mandatory women representatives in Wolesi Jirga Country making headway in talks with Taliban Ethnic minorities (Abdullah) beginning to have say in government activities US military strategy focus on bringing government in talks with Taliban.

manmohan singh

One of the two Prime ministers who began the process of economic liberalization in India Known for his Economic reform in late 90s Prime minister from 2004-2014 Part of the Congress party 1st Sikh in office and 1st PM since Nehru to be re-elected for a 5 year term

Some countries use plurality systems in elections for the national legislature, others proportional representation (open-list or closed-list), and the others SNTV. How do these different systems shape politics? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these systems?

Open-List PR Brazil Closed-List PR Afghanistan Lower house SNTV System Afghanistan's multi-seat constituencies thousands of votes are often wasted, while representatives are elected in many cases by a slim margin. In the absence of political parties, there is little incentive for candidates to work together to cultivate voters, since a handful of ballots may mean the difference between winning or losing a seat. Plurality system Single member districts-- winner takes all If you are a winner you take district Gives advantage to larger parties Ex. the elections for the US house of rep Proportional representation Multiple seats Multiple parties can hold multiple seats that are proportional to share of its total district vote Usually a party must meet a threshold to hold seats ex. 10 Closed List/Party list Each party determines the list of the names from which candidates are chosen to fill Voters cast votes for the party---not thinking about the list of candidates primarily De-emphasizes your connection to candidates They fill up the seats based on the rank on the list Open list Parties don't have the power to rank candidates Single vote counts for individual candidate and party You have to know about the candidates themselves Candidates try to get name recognition Trades of Proportional and Plurality Proportional Tends to produce a greater number of parties and represents a wider array of societal interests and preferences Plurality Increases the chance of governability SNTV Imposes disconnect between party vote and number of seats they get Privileged parties that are well-organized as well as individual relationships and candidates Why was SNTV chosen? Personal relationship to candidate gets rewarded Candidates and individuals maintain their own supporters loyalty not warlords Problem Reinforces the relationship between candidates and voters--- doesn't allow the creation of political parties and the party system

What has been the role of Pakistan in Afghanistan's conflicts, and with regard to the Taliban? What are the ISI, FATA, and the NWFP and what role have they played?

Pakistan has helped fund the Taliban many Pakistani Pashtun hold sympathies with the Afghan Pashtuns that make up the Taliban- Pakistan wanted to be allied with and see eye to eye with the Afghan gov Pakistan hosts most of the Madrasas that radicalized mujahideen (hosted Bin Laden as well after 9/11) Establishing an economic bloc that went into Central Asia ISI, FATA, NWFP (Pakistani intelligence agency, tribal area, and frontier province respectively) The ISI helped supply weapons to mujahidin, FATA is where Taliban took refuge after the 9/11 attacks, and NWFP is where

BSP

Party of Dalit ("untouchable") leader Mayawati. Based in Uttar Pradesh. Dates back to B. R. Ambedkar in the 1930s. 3rd largest national party in the 2014 elections Represents people at lowest levels of Hindu social system Its opposition to criticism of inequalities by caste system Focused on respecting and upholding constitutional rights for lower members of Indian society. Known for corruption

We found "clientelism," a.k.a "patron-client relations," to be common in the developing world, though assessments of it varied across different readings. What explains the pervasiveness of this phenomenon, and what might make it decline? What would be examples of actual patron-client relationships? What is "good" and "bad" about it from the perspective of individual citizens, politicians, and the health of the political system overall? (Bear in mind that clientelism is not the same thing as corruption, though the two sometimes go together).

Political challenges facing developing countries Weak state institutions and state capacity High levels of corruption Sovereignty is often challenged High levels of crime Unstable political institutions Weak and short political parties Constitution and basic rules are not set Low levels of democratic accountability Corruption Not all states have the capacities as stated above because they have high levels of corruption Definition Abuse of public power for private gain Common in developing states Examples Nigeria -2007 elections -Patronage distribution is ethnically based and financed through oil licenses that are secured through "big men" -Oil thieves of the Goodluck Jonathan administration -Oil theft -"Big men" Indonesia -Patronage, especially seen when the price of oil rose in the 1970s -Loans to Suharto---$650 million for personal use Afghanistan Brazil -inequality - fertile land for clientelism/vote buying -Lula reduced clientelism by introducing policies such as Bolsa Familia which were universal -interestingly, Lula and PT were charged by corruption. India Consistent parliamentarism (in contrast with Nigeria, Indonesia, and Brazil)• Creative (but problematic?) experimentation with "linguistic" federalism •Shit from "dominant party system" (Congress Party) to a "bipolar party system" (competition between Congress and the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party BJP)

In other countries we've looked at, periods of authoritarian rule have sometimes coincided with positive economic development, and at other times with economic decline. What were the positive and/or negative aspects of the most recent period of authoritarian rule in Brazil (1964- 1985)?

Positives High economic development Growth rates around 10% "Brazilian economic miracle" Improvements in state capacity Recentralization Military builds bureaucratic capacity to keep things in place Ex. BNDES Military engaged in reforms meant to bring support from unreliable supporters Ex.- Extended social security to rural workers in 1971 Ex.- Workers did who did not meet pension requirements were able to get pension Diversified the economy and shifted to ESI--- understood that IS was no longer a long-solution because foreign products were needed to promote competition Negatives Widespread human rights abuses Criminalization of dissent Ex.- Students were killed and disappeared when joining marxist or anti-military movements Corruption Power of the military extended Military tried to create 2 party system Ruling party- ARENA Opposition party- MDB Similar to Suharto's New Order

What do you see as the chief internal cleavage around which politics takes shape in Brazil? What are the chief similarities and differences with some of the other countries we've studied?

Race -- whites to mulatto; whites statistically better off than PoC Wealth-elites own majority of land Ideology- right (Bolsonaro) & Social Liberal Party vs. left (Lula) & PT (Worker's Party) Bolsonaro-former military like Buhari, Sukarno

How is Afghanistan similar to and different from the previous country-cases we've looked at?

Similar Was a British "colony" Has diverse ethnic population, languages, religion -> fracturing Has problems with corruption Constant upheavals lead to weak state capacity and eventual failure (Nigeria) Religious cleavages involving Islam Different Became a site for cold war politics -- US and Russia fighting in the middle East and US supply weapons to Mujahideen Landlocked Resource poor, little arable land, Opium primary commodity Does not have the legacies of colonialism that the other 4 countries did

How was hyperinflation connected to politics in the late 1980s and early 1990s? How was inflation finally tamed, and how did this affect politics?

Successive attempts to control inflation fell apart as different interest groups attempted to retain controls-- the collapse of these stabilization plans generated hyperinflation Hyperinflation put pressure on the authoritarian regime As a result, the authoritarian regime slowly and eventually pulled away from authoritarianism and moved towards democracy Military regime and those in the military were concerned with getting blamed and being killed/tortured following the regime ending Inflation was finally tamed with Cardoso Real Plan The Real plan anchored the real (the new currency) to the dollar. It did not fix the real to the dollar strictly but allowed it to float within a range set by the Central Bank, allowing more flexibility in the exchange rate Renewed growth and good fiscal management by the Lula administration began to reduce massive public debt (371-372 Kesselman)

How did Britain's long colonial rule over India, and movements of the colonized against that rule, shape its post-independence politics and institutions?

The British perfected "indirect rule" in India, switched to direct rule after the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857. Britain had twin goals of "profit and geopolitical power." Stakes for the British were greater in India because of its valuable resources used to fund colonialism elsewhere and location - speaks to Britain's willingness to use force and power of congress party. British left a parliamentary system in place and a bureaucratic system.

How is the Prime Minister chosen and what are his/her powers? How is the President chosen and what is his/her role?

The president is the ceremonial head of state who is elected for a five year by an electoral college(national + state legislatures). The president is in charge of the military, can elect judges, and is given certain emergency authorities. The Prime Minister is the head of the government, exercises most executive powers, and is appointed by majority party in the lower house of parliament.

partition

The result of partition: In 1971, East Pakistan becomes independent as Bangladesh Partition of India and Pakistan (violent) played a positive role because it enabled the Congress party to represent and defend Muslim constituents (who were less threatening at 14% of the population), allowing India to maintain a democratic rule. Partition of India in 1947 resulted in Pakistan and India and it was based on the division of the following provinces: Assam, Bengal and Punjab, focusing primarily on the Hindu and Muslim majorities in these districts.

What kinds of political groups and alliances matter most in Afghanistan? What is the role of parties, and how do they compare to parties elsewhere?

There aren't a lot of political groups that matter in Afghanistan. Because of their SNTV system, they have severely personalistic parties, where the individual matters much more than the party they are apart of. However, allegiance to the mujahideen has mattered and reflects positively on a candidate. This is different from other countries, not necessarily the personalistic aspect of the party, but the extent of the personalism in the country, since it is so far gone that parties aren't really recognized in the country.

caste

Varna categories, ranked in terms of "purity" Brahman("teachers, priests") Kshatriya("nobles, warriors") Vaisyas("merchants,farmers") Sudras("peasants,laborers") "Untouchables", now called Dalit Each caste group has a corresponding political party to represent them in politics. This, along with affirmative action, institutionalizes the system of caste. Originates from hindu tradition. Affirmative action by political leaders has led to the reservation of seats in government and schools for "scheduled castes" Has negatively impacted society by creating a "middle-class," people have been creating their own independent parties, and Hindu divisions have risen. It still matters but economic competence is more important nowadays

How should we understand and assess the Taliban?What were the reasons why the Taliban came to power? How did the Taliban come back to being a potent force in Afghanistan after its late-2001 defeat?

Very powerful extremist group that will likely control all of Afghanistan soon How they came back Opium production (drugs) They were able to sell opium off and get a lot of money for it...which allowed them to resurge Furthermore, they promised farmers who farmed opium that they would protect them against any government moves to eradicate opium Therefore, they being able to get the majority of the population (farmers) on their side in addition to making money off opium allowed the Taliban to resurge starting in the south Rise to power-disillusionment with mujahidin gov post-SSSR leaving Afghanistan Taliban came to power post-9/11 when the United States and IN'T Forces left country and transitional gov was not a success (failed state) Taliban has great appeal in Afghan society because of their reputation for defeating and expelling invaders.

afghanistan's currency

afghani

afghanistan's current head of government

ashraf ghani (president) abdullah abdullah (CEO)

hamid karzai

born in 1957. president of islamic republic of afghanistan 2004-sept.2014. effectivelt has been afghanistan's executive since dec.22, 2001; had been chairman of governing committee and then president of the transitional administration. pashtun. political science major. political significance: his elections were marred with corruption. he agreed to a runoff election in the 2009 elections but abdullah abdullah dropped out of the race in the face of corruption allegations, making karzai president

brazil's capital

brasilia

afghanistan's offical languages

dari (farsi), pashto (afghani)

pashtuns

ethnic group of afghanistan that speak pashto. they were the first group that soviet forces encountered during exploration. aggressive individualism, uncompromising muslim faith, and code of conduct of revenge, hospitality, and sanctuary. pashtuns play a large role in the wolesi jirga and largest ethnic group-political significance. housed the taliban and eventually became radicalized by them. most taliban were tribal pashtuns

loya jirga

grand council, traditionally is a gathering of male representatives from different tribes and factions in afghanistan. the representatives are selected by their local leadership. in 1964 and again in 1977, for example, loya jirgas ratified afghan constitutions. during world war 2, they played a role in afghanistan's decision to stay neutral. in earlier centuries they were used to declare war or take joint military action to repel invaders. kings and leaders have called on loya jirgas to grant votes of confidence in their role

india's major ethnic groups and percentages

hindi 40% telugu 8% bengali 8% (indo-aryan 72%, dravidian 25%, mongoid and other minority groups 3%)

india's official languages

hindi and english, but each of the 29 states have official languages

india's religious groups

hindu 80% muslim 14% christian 2.3%

mujahidin

islamic guerrilla warriors defending their country from the soviet union, which invaded afghanistan in 1979 and fought a bloody war there for a decade. those engaged in a jihad or struggle. comprised of all ethnic groups in afghanistan. jimmy carter and ronald reagan both sent weapons and money to the mujahidin fighters (sometimes through saudi arabia and pakistan). much of the taliban are former mujahidin.

brazil's current head of government

jair bolsonaro

afghanistan's capital

kabul

What would explain why, in a democratic country in which a large proportion of the population is relatively poor, Indian voters have not been able to bring about policies that would provide more or faster poverty relief?

low levels of education -territorial disputes - "cross-cutting" cleavages rather than "reinforcing" - basically policies aren't organized well-enough to BENEFIT the poor -lack of resources compared to population size

india's current head of government

narendra modi (prime minister) ram nath kovind (president)

india's capital

new delhi

brazil's institutional arrangement

open list PR federalism presidential

afghanistan's major ethnic groups and percentages

pashtun 42% tajik 27% hazara 9%

india's institutional arrangement

plurality semi-federal (linguistic) parliamentary

brazil's official languages

portuguese

How did Brazil contrast with Spanish colonies in the Americas (and with other cases of colonization), and how does this matter for today?

portuguese didn't return to portugal after constitution was drafted unlike the spanish who did return freed slaves much later spanish colonies focused on mineral based extraction of gold and silver while brazil was more cash crop based Brazil also only constitutional monarchy in south america key feat of colonial rule, was a very weak direct rule, plantations under control of oligarchs peaceful transition from colonialism when Don Pedro declared himself emperor Greatest amounts of slaves - alongside coronies and oligarchy, explains today's inequality

ashraf ghani

president of islamic republic of afghanistan, since sept. 2014. born in 1949. worked with the world bank, then minister of finance 2002-04, chancellor of kabul university 2004-08, pashtun, economist and anthropoligist, party:independent, political significance: his victory was the first time that power was democratically transferred in afghan history

brazil's currency

real

brazil's religious groups and percentages

roman catholic 65% protestant 23% other, including condomble 4%

india's currency

rupee

SNTV

single non-transferable vote. they are chosen based on the votes won by each individual candidate. with ten seats at stake, the top ten vote-winners get seats. multiple-member districts, 1 vote per voter, voters select candidates rather than parties. vote shares are not aggregated by party. this system reinforces the relationship between candidate and voter. the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) under SNTV, each voter casts one vote for a candidate but (unlike FPTP) there is more than one seat to be filled in each electoral district. those candidates with the highest vote totals fill these positions. SNTV can face political parties with a challenge. in afghanistan, SNTV has caused a high degree of "wasted votes". There is also a high degree of fragmentation, in that there are dozens of loosely connected factions & parties.

afghanistan's religious groups and percentages

sunni muslim 80% shi'a muslim 19% other 1%

taliban

translation:religious students. the group was started by pakistani religious school (madrassa) students in mid-1990s. a brutal, islamic fundamentalist religious group that held power over the most of afghanistan during the late 1990s ('95-'01). were overthrown by us-led forces/ northern alliance and afghan groups in 2001 following the events of september 11. currently controls large part of afghanistan. were motivated by the suffering among the afghan people, which they believed resulted from power struggles between afghan groups not adhering to the moral code of islam. a sunni islanic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in afghanistan currently waging war (an insurgency, or jihad) within that country. mainly of pashtun origin. went against secular tedencies in afghan society and adherents of an islamist ideology that calls for muslim internationalism and radical restructuring of government

brazil's major ethnic groups and percentages

white 48% mixed black/white (pardo) 43% black 8% other 1%