PSC 211.1002 Exam 1

If you were examining the causes of civil war and started with cases that differed in attributes but shared outcomes, you would be using which basic approach to the comparative method?

method of agreement

Why might leaders in an ethnically diverse state worry about the effects of globalization?

Globalization can create spaces that allow ethnic nationalist groups to strengthen and mobilize, which can erode the efforts of the national government to create a common state identity.

Define Globalization

Globalization refers to the spread of cultural, political, and economic dynamics beyond the borders of any one country and into the international realm.

How are increasing returns to scale connected to market failures that states seek to prevent?

They can often lead to a monopoly, which leads to price distortions that limit access to goods or services to members of society.

Compared with Germany, the size of the "welfare state" in the United States is __________.

smaller

What is the core tension in a collective action problem?

the tension between individual and collective interests

Late-forming states are often __________ than early-forming states.

weaker

What factors determine how much a state spends on social welfare?

- the relative strength of social forces such as organized labor -the way that different forms of political identity may dilute demand for redistribution; -the extent to which political institutions such as proportional representation and/or federalism provide opportunities for minorities to participate in policy making; -the legitimacy and effectiveness of state institutions; and the impact of globalization.

What is the relationship between a state's colonial past and its post-colonial economic development?

A state's colonial past can impede post-colonial development if the state is unable to change its political institutions and strengthen the role of the state in the economy.

What do states do?

-figurative term used to describe a group of people who are belonging to an organized political community -create civil contracts, endorse policies that benefit the common good like the economy, and work to keep us coerced into safety. -soul of a country and while are figurative, work to establish political order. -States are the way to organize political interests and ideologies from nations and societies into feasible things.

Which of the following statements supports the hypothesis that democracy impedes economic development? A. Leaders must respond to interest pressures within society, sometimes leading to inefficient economic choices. B. Leaders are insulated from interest pressures and are able to manage economies efficiently. C. The protection of property rights makes it more difficult for economic competition to exist. D. Political leaders are often corrupt and inefficient managers of the national economy.

A. Leaders must respond to interest pressures within society, sometimes leading to inefficient economic choices.

What was the relationship between the natural environment and European colonization strategies that led to varying long-term paths of economic development?

Areas with a harsh natural environment raised questions about the long-term feasibility of the colony, leading political leaders to create extractive colonies over settlement colonies.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the size of the state and per capita income around the world? A. There is no relationship between per capita income and taxes as a percentage of GDP. B. As taxes as a percentage of GDP fluctuate, per capita income remains stable. C. As per capita income increases, so do taxes as a percentage of GDP. D. As per capita income declines, taxes as a percentage of GDP increase.

C. As per capita income increases, so do taxes as a percentage of GDP.

Which of the following is the best illustration of a conditional cash transfer program? A. The United States' Social Security program B. China's One Child program C. Brazil's Bolsa Familia program D. Russia's African Investment program

C. Brazil's Bolsa familia program

What distinguishes correlation from causation?

Correlation measures the observed association between two or more variables, while causation is a process or event that produces an observable effect.

How does the European Union (EU) illustrate the challenge of globalization for democracy?

EU elections generate low levels of voter interest and turnout, leading to concerns that EU policies are determined by a small group of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats.

Define Economic globalization

Economic globalization refers more specifically to the exposure of a country's financial and industrial sectors to the global network of production, trade, and consumption.

__________ favors minimal state involvement in the economy.

Economic liberalism

What was a distinguishing factor of European colonialism in relation to late state development?

European colonialism left newly formed states with ineffective and illegitimate government institutions.

What is an example of a government in comparative politics?

German Chancellor

What is an organizations formed independently of any state's authority?

INGOS

Why do taxes create a collective action problem for the state?

Many citizens believe that it is someone else's responsibility to pay for the provision of public goods.

What distinguishes the state from the nation?

Nations are a form of political identity, while states are a political-legal abstraction.

__________ occurs when tax burdens increase as an individual's income goes up.

Progressive taxation

What is the relationship between state strength and redistributive policies?

States with higher bureaucratic capacity are often associated with a greater possibility for redistributive policies and higher levels of government spending

The Treaty of Westphalia is significant because it established which core principle?

Secular leaders held ultimate authority over a given territory.

__________ is a state's ultimate responsibility for and legal authority over the conduct of internal affairs.

Sovereignty

Who is responsible for the delivery of goods and services in the public sector?

The Government

What effect does the increase in autonomist movements caused by globalization have on the concept of state sovereignty?

The concept of state sovereignty is unaffected by these autonomous movements, as the leaders of these movements generally seek to establish their own state.

Which of the following is a key component of groups that constitute civil society?

They are autonomous from state control.

Define Public Sector

The governmental deliverance of goods and services

In which of the following ways is the period of late state formation different from the period of early state formation?

The international military context did not contribute to late state formation as it did in earlier eras.

Governments must be allowed to limit individual freedom to some degree to ensure the collective good.

What illustrates Thomas Hobbes's solution to the collective action problem in social orders?

Define progressive taxation

a policy that raises tax rates as income increases, supports progressive redistribution

Why is the research question asked by Aristotle still relevant to comparative scholars today?

because it is still unclear how to best combine limited and effective government to sustain democracy

Why might poor people be opposed to redistributive policies that would benefit them?

because many poor voters believe that redistributive policies are a handout that citizens do not deserve

What event in the 1960s led comparative politics scholars to consider a range of questions centered on the factors contributing to economic development and political stability?

decolonization

Extractive colonies differ from settlement colonies in that __________.

extractive colonies were created primarily to exploit abundant natural resources

For a hypothesis to be reliable, it must be __________.

falsifiable

A form of political organization characterized by ambiguous territorial sovereignty and multiple, often overlapping lines of authority is known as __________.

feudalism

Define "race to the bottom"

globalization causes countries to compete to attract and hold on to high-value yet mobile economic assets by reducing taxes and social welfare spending in order to stay competitive

The Prisoner's Dilemma illustrates the tension between __________ interests and __________ interests.

individual; collective

What is the main purpose of the social contract?

to place limits on individual freedoms in exchange for collective benefits

Why do states meddle with markets on occasion?

to prevent market failures

The growth in the number and scope of transnational issues is referred to as __________.

political globalization

Define progressive redistribution

programs that act like Robin Hood and take from rich folks and give to poor folks

A state that is highly repressive of its own citizens would receive a low ranking in which of the following categories of the State Fragility Index?

security legitimacy score

Define regressive taxation

taxation decreases as the amount that is being taxed increases

What is illustrated by the economic success experienced by China over the past two decades?

that globalization is not a plot by wealthy states to exploit the developing world

Name a group that provides an example of loose overlapping between the nation and the state?

the Kurds, etc

Define Capital Mobility

the ability of an investor to move his or her money across borders and invest where profits are highest and costs are lowest

The mechanism of choice used to structure the production and consumption of goods in society is known as __________.

the economic market

As the leader of a large business, which of the following actions would you support if you wanted to reduce the level of redistributive policies within the state?

the fragmentation of labor unions and a reduction in their overall size

What does the State Fragility Index measure?

the likelihood that a state is vulnerable to collapse

Define Private Sector

the part of the national economy that is not under direct government control.

How does changing military technology in Medieval Europe relate to early state formation?

Improvements in land and sea forces required a centralization of the state to collect needed revenues effectively.

by using __________ to evaluate state strength, social scientists are focused on the level of voluntary compliance within the state.

legitimacy

Capital __________ is the ability of investors to move money across borders to maximize investment returns

mobility

What types of policies were promoted by the Washington Consensus?

neoliberal economic policies that limited the role of government in domestic economies

As the leader of a social democracy, what economic policies would you be most likely to adopt?

adopting free-market economies across a range of sectors while supporting government intervention into the economy to moderate problems of economic inequality

If you were studying two cases where democracy occurred but the countries had different cultural attributes, you would be using the method of __________.

agreement

What challenges confront building arguments in comparative politics?

-an instance of correlation between an event or even multiple events it doesn't mean that it is necessarily the cause. Even if causation does show that they are associated it can never one hundred percent mean that the correlation causes the effect. -deals with the real ever changing world. There are often situations that we cannot test out because we have no way to go back in time and add or take away a variable to see the effect, we have no way to test a circumstance over and over and lastly we do not have a society of people we can effortlessly perform social experiments on. -comparative scientists do not have access to all of the data they need, and some data that cannot be accessed is unreliable and biased.

What makes a state successful?

A state is successful when there are balances put in place to ensure that law and order can be upheld. Hobbes believes that a certain level of coercion is necessary in maintaining a healthy state. Through coercion people are convinced to follow within the limits of the law so they do not face retribution. For example, everyone might want to take a long lunch at work, but they are coerced not too under threat or fear of losing their job or being written up. Additionally, it is crucial that everyone carries the burden of the state. For example, everyone is held responsible to pay their taxes because it benefits the common good and makes a state successful.

As a skeptic of government-provided health care, which of the following arguments would be the best to make while debating the subject with your friend? A. Differences in health care outcomes are not due to differences in spending but rather to the demographic patterns and lifestyle choices of American citizens that lead to higher costs and worse outcomes. B. The differences in health care outcomes across the globe are minor, which suggests that there is no relationship between health care spending and health care outcomes in the United States. C. The differences in health care outcomes are a result of the United States' reliance on private sector delivery of health care, which delivers both better and more efficient care compared to public health care services. D. Differences in health care outcomes are due to differences in public spending, which privilege the poorest in American society and punish wealthy citizens who are generally much healthier.

A. Differences in health care outcomes are not due to differences in spending but rather to the demographic patterns and lifestyle choices of American citizens that lead to higher costs and worse outcomes.

Which of the following can we deduce about the United States by comparing its welfare policies to those of European democracies? A. The United States is much more supportive of the tradition of economic liberalism than are the European states, as reflected by its low levels of taxation and limited redistributive economic policies. B. The United States is much more likely than its European counterparts to use command economy forms of economic redistribution, as evidenced by the relatively low poverty rates in the United States. C. The United States is much more willing than its European counterparts to embrace social democratic policies, as evidenced by the 2010 reforms to the U.S. health care system. D. The United States is much more supportive of redistributive policies that benefit male workers in society than are the European states, as reflected by its generous levels of unemployment benefits.

A. The United States is much more supportive of the tradition of economic liberalism than are the European states, as reflected by its low levels of taxation and limited redistributive economic policies.

Which of the following best illustrates a consequence of the debate about the merits of democracy and non-democracy with respect to economic development? A. the governments of the developing world refusing to trade with the non-democratic state of China in the 1990s because of China's human rights policies B. the IMF and World Bank lending heavily to Singapore and South Korea in the 1970s in spite of existing claims of human rights violations C. the policies of the World Bank that endorsed and supported the command economies of the Soviet Union and its satellites in the 1980s D. the U.S. government sending troops to the non-democratic states of Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the global war on international terrorism

B. the IMF and World Bank lending heavily to Singapore and South Korea in the 1970s in spite of existing claims of human rights violations

Which of the following statements regarding the relationship between government type and economic development is accurate? A. There is no clear empirical evidence that strongly supports an argument that either form of government is better at encouraging stable and continued economic development of the state. B. While there is little evidence connecting government type to economic growth, non-democracies perform consistently better than democracies on other indicators of human welfare. C. There is little evidence that supports the idea that non-democracies can enable economic growth, but there is strong evidence that demonstrates the clear success of democratic governments in this area. D. Evidence from China clearly demonstrates that a high level of state intervention in non-democratic states is the best way for all states to pursue economic development.

A. There is no clear empirical evidence that strongly supports an argument that either form of government is better at encouraging stable and continued economic development of the state.

In which of the following situations would you expect to see higher levels of wealth redistribution occur? A. a country with a proportional representation system that has highly developed bureaucratic institutions and traditions B. a country that is deeply integrated into the world economy and has a left-right economic divide of low salience C. a country with a federal system that has low levels of bureaucratic capacity and is deeply integrated into the world economy D. a country that has a system of fragmented labor unions in the context of a highly salient ideological divide over economics

A. a country with a proportional representation system that has highly developed bureaucratic institutions and traditions

As an advocate of social democracy, which of the following economic proposals would you support? A. a government plan to increase social welfare policies for citizens B. a government plan to remove all barriers to free-market capitalism C. a government plan to remove minimum wages from jobs in the energy industry D. a government plan to eliminate private ownership of industry

A. a government plan to increase social welfare policies for citizens

Which of the following is a way in which quantitative research differs from qualitative research? A.reliance on statistical data B. emphasis on in-depth understanding C. a reduction in validity D. generalizations from specific cases

A. reliance on statistical data

Which of the following statements about health insurance is accurate? A. The United States relies more heavily on private insurance than do other democracies. B. There are fewer people without health insurance in the United States than there are in Germany. C. Citizens in Germany have a greater chance of not being insured than citizens in the United States. D. The United States' health insurance system is similar to Sweden's.

A.The United States relies more heavily on private insurance than do other democracies.

How do we build arguments in comparative politics?

Arguments are built in comparative politics by looking at real life situations and gathering observations. Through the observations gathered comparatists look to make hypotheses based upon evidence rather then stereotypes. This evidence is generally based upon countries who are either similar or different then the country or situation in question and have made decisions similar or different to the current one. After the hypotheses are made evidence is examined through the method of agreement and the method of difference. Through these methods hypotheses can be supported or completely discredited through the examination of the evidence. Depending on the end results arguments can be made or discredited. Through these processes arguments are built.

As a leader of the state, if you wanted to adopt progressive redistribution policies, which of the following would you do? A. Increase taxes on the poor to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. B. Increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care for the poor. C. Decrease taxes on the wealthy to stimulate economic growth. D. Implement regressive taxation to lower the tax burden of the poor.

B. Increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care for the poor.

__________ is an example of a settlement colony. A. The Ivory Coast B. New Zealand C. Bolivia D. The Democratic Republic of Congo

B. New Zealand

Which of the following is emphasized in economic liberalism? A. considerable intervention in and regulation of the economy B. minimal state involvement in the economy C. high levels of intervention and low levels of government regulation of the economy D. minimal levels of producer choice and high levels of freedom for consumers in the economy

B. minimal state involvement in the economy

Which of the following best describes the relationship between taxes and redistribution in the developed world? A. Taxes are incredibly progressive, leading to high levels of redistribution. B. Taxes are regressive in general, leading to less redistribution than might be expected. C. Taxes are progressive but not as progressive as they could be, leading to less redistribution than might be expected. D. Taxes are incredibly regressive, leading to sufficient levels of redistribution.

C. Taxes are progressive but not as progressive as they could be, leading to less redistribution than might be expected.

Which of the following arguments supports the thesis that non-democratic states engender economic development? A. Leaders in non-democratic states are better able to avoid the collective action problems embedded in taxation, which allows them to better allocate the resources of their states for economic development. B. Leaders in non-democratic states will bend state resources to the production of military goods over consumer goods, making their economies more productive and efficient. C. Leaders in non-democratic states are free from the pressures of domestic interest groups and are better positioned to make economic decisions that will benefit society as a whole. D. Leaders in non-democratic states will immediately respond to domestic pressure groups regarding the best pathways to economic development in order to ensure their own continuation in power.

C.Leaders in non-democratic states are free from the pressures of domestic interest groups and are better positioned to make economic decisions that will benefit society as a whole.

An economic system in which the central government controls and coordinates nearly all economic activity is known as a __________ economy.

Command

Which of the following is an example of a falsifiable hypothesis? A.The civil war in Syria is the result of God's will. B. Democracy will not take root in Syria. C. Costa Rica will never go to war. D. Democracy will not survive in Iran because Islam and democracy are incompatible.

D. Democracy will not survive in Iran because Islam and democracy are incompatible.

Which of the following was generally true of settlement colonies? A. Settlers were prohibited from organizing to promote their interests. B. There were no limits on the expropriation of economic assets. C. Local trade and institutions were discouraged by the government. D. Settlers established representative assemblies.

D. Settlers established representative assemblies.

Which of the following best demonstrates the lessons that leaders can learn from the existing evidence on levels of state intervention in the economy and economic development? A. Command economies like those of China have demonstrated an ability to create economic growth, and therefore government leaders should reassess their commitments to economic liberalism. B. The institutional arrangement of laissez-faire capitalism consistently outperforms all other economic development pathways, but most developing world states are too weak to adopt these policies. C. The best institutional arrangements for ensuring sustained economic growth are found in social democracies such as Germany, and developing states should rapidly move toward that model. D. There is no precise institutional arrangement that can guarantee economic development, and there is enough variation to suggest that leaders should not become dogmatic in their approaches to the subject.

D. There is no precise institutional arrangement that can guarantee economic development, and there is enough variation to suggest that leaders should not become dogmatic in their approaches to the subject.

On which of the following does globalization appear to have the biggest effect? A. large states that have low levels of exposure to the world market B. large states with moderate levels of exposure to the world market C. small states isolated from the world market D. small states that have high levels of exposure to the world market

D. small states that have high levels of exposure to the world market

Which of the following is the best illustration of a social insurance program? A. mandatory family policies to ensure the continued growth and survival of the state B. the guarantee of free markets for the sale and purchase of health insurance by citizens C. the implementation of regressive taxation policies by the government D. the provision of Social Security for the elderly in society

D. the provision of Social Security for the elderly in society

Which of the following would illustrate a question asked by comparative politics researchers? A. How do interest groups influence the legislative process in the United States? B. Why do countries go to war with one another? C.What is the nature and purpose of political activity? D. Why do countries make different decisions under similar political rules?

D.Why do countries make different decisions under similar political rules?

What is the relationship between property rights and non-democratic states with respect to economic development?

In a non-democratic state, property rights are less secure, creating uncertainty and reducing citizens' incentive to work hard and invest, which hinders economic development.

What factors explain the emergence of states in recent decades?

In recent decades States emerge because of the ending of wars, new treaties, or even rebellions. States also can begin emerging when a strong sense of nationalism is experienced and increases the strength of the state.

What differentiates the debate over the desirability, efficacy, and efficiency of social insurance in the United States from the debates in Europe?

In the United States there is a great deal of disagreement over the scope and depth of social insurance policies, while in Europe the political issue is considerably more settled, with higher levels of agreement.

What is the relationship between natural environment and political interests in the formation of early states?

Increased food production in Medieval Europe led to larger and denser populations, while changing political interests increased competition among rulers to consolidate control over territory.

What is an effect of strong religious identities on redistributive policies?

It can dilute the importance of economic interests and lower the levels of redistribution in society.

How does a comparative approach to politics move beyond merely stating an opinion about events around the world?

It helps researchers avoid jumping to conclusions by exploring a wide range of similar cases that might experience different outcomes.

__________ income is calculated by dividing a country into two groups with an equal number of people and finding the income of the person exactly in the "middle."

Median

What factors explain the emergence of the world's first states?

Military, Economic and Social changes which brought forth the world's first states. Through Military and Economical advancements change was brought forth mostly in the form of taxation. The ability to expend one's forces and begin trading required money which was provided through taxation. Economic changes also inspired people to create their own ideologies on trade which therefore goes into Social changes. States began to go through the enlightenment era where people began to question the divine right and began to prioritize secular governments rather then nonsecular.

How can we measure state strength?

State strength is measured by security, economics, politics, and social workings within the country. Security determines warfare, recent conflicts both international and home ground, including the government's suppression of it's citizens. Economics concerns Income per capita and how likely it is for a family to increase their income. Politics concerns how long the state has existed, how long the leader has serves and how many times he has been attempted to be overthrown. Social workings address infant survival rates, life expectancy, literacy, GDP and education levels.

How do states differ from governments?

States are abstractions, whereas governments are concrete organizations.

What do states do?

States are the figurative term used to describe a group of people who are belonging to an organized political community. States create civil contracts, endorse policies that benefit the common good like the economy, and work to keep us coerced into safety. The States work as the soul of a country and while are figurative, work to establish political order. States are the way to organize political interests and ideologies from nations and societies into feasible things.

Using the reasoning advanced by social scientists Alva and Gunnar Myrdal, what helps explain the redistributive policies of states?

States want to maintain a large population and avoid dramatic drops in population, and therefore support redistributive policies that encourage families to have children who will help provide for citizens in their senior years.

How is the natural environment connected to late state formation?

States with difficult terrain found constructing legitimate and effective state institutions more challenging and more expensive.

What makes the levels of globalization in China and India remarkable?

They were both isolated from the world in the 1970s.

Which of the following illustrates how comparative researchers might effectively study democratization in the developing world?

They would look to the broader world to see if there is a larger pattern of events related to democratization in the developing world that occurred in similar and dissimilar societies.

The relationship between legitimacy and effectiveness best demonstrates the ideas of which political thinker?

Thomas Hobbes

Who proposed the social contract as a solution to collective action problems?

Thomas Hobbes

What most accurately characterizes the relationship between economic globalization and the race to the bottom among states?

Wealthy states have generally avoided the race to the bottom as globalization has occurred concurrently with increased social spending, whereas developing states have been more likely to experience it due to diminished state capacity.

In a(n) __________ state, the central government is responsible for resource allocation and investment decisions and often owns many of the country's industries.

interventionist

What is the modern state most closely associated to?

depersonalized governance