Comparative Politics
committees
"A group of legislators assigned to examine new bills, monitor executive departments, or hold hearings on matters of public concern"
Actors in a democracy
Citizens, government, media, political parties, corporations, interest groups.
The difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
Civil rights is freedom from discrimination and civil liberties are things such as freedom of the press.. etc so the bill of rights.
Criticisms of Huntington's Theory
Does not address Western imperialism in the Middle East (oil, military bases ...)
Nigeria's Government
Nigeria is a republic with 36 states. Multi Party system, They have a president that can serve up to two terms. president must win 2/3rd of vote in nigerias 36 states. They have a bicameral legistlature.
Platos republic (study of govt.)
Political communities have 3 main functions. To govern justly, to protect itself, to sustain itself materially.
What is authoritarian rule?
Ruler or group seeks to maximize power At the same time, they amass wealth
Does china have a one party system or multi party?
One party system
What is government?
The arena for making and enforcing decisions.
United Kingdom's government
Birth place of the parliamentary system, constitutional monarchy and they have a non codified constitution, as well as a bicameral legislature. They have a multi party system.
What are some problems India has?
Caste divisions, poverty, religious, cultural... corrupt as well
India's government
India is a Federal republic consisting of 28 states. It is a multi party system. They have a bicameral legislature.
James madisons view on legislature?
"In republican government, the legislative power necessarily pre-dominates" It is essential to prevent tyranny Congress must have more powers than the president Popular voice (sovereignty) is essential to effective democracy
What is a hybrid regime?
"Political systems that have some of the appearances of being democratic, but where institutions, processes, laws, and policies are manipulated to keep rulers or elite groups in power." Singapore
social capital
"The collective value of social networks, derived from communication, help and support among the members of these networks"
What is totalitarianism?
"The most absolute form of authoritarian rule, based either on a guiding ideology or the goal of major social change, with total control exercised by a leader, state, or party over all aspects of public and private life" Dominant leader portrayed as working for the people
Comparative Politics
"The systematic study of government and politics in different countries, designed to better understand them by drawing out their contrasts and similarities"
Elite political culture
"The values and norms regarding politics and the political system by those closest to the centres of political power, including elected officials, bureaucrats, and business leaders"
legislative chambers
40% of countries have a bicameral legislature—upper & lower chambers About 60% of countries have just one chamber—unicameral system
United Kingdom
66 million people, 6th largest economy,
Legislature
A group of people who have the power to make laws "A multi-member representative body which considers public issues & either accepts, amends or rejects proposals for new laws & policies
Aristotle politics
After Death of alexander the great there was political instability People are by nature a political animal. shared goals makes for a better community
origin of politics
Ancient Greece,....Aristotle saw politics as a means of advancing through communities.
origin of western legislature?
Ancient greece
Who is the chancellor of Germany?
Angela Merkel and there are no term limits for the chancellor... The president gets two terms renewable once
What is Huntingtons clash of civilizations theory?
Challenged Fukuyama's End of History thesis The end of the Cold War did not mean the end of conflict & the triumph of the US model Cultures, rather than countries, would become the leading source of political conflict in the 21st century
China's government
China has a unicameral legislature. There are about 3,000 members. China has an authoritarian regime.
China
China is the world's largest state with 1.4 billion people. Its the second largest economy.
three types of committees
Conference committees, select, and permanent standing
Germany
Created in 1871/1949 Lost WWI & WWII Post WWII: Divided into separate democratic & communist countries Reunited in 1990
How did the first state system evolve
Decline in religion, growth of nationalism
Who holds sovereignty in the United States?
Dual sovereignty Federal law is the highest law of the land 10th Amendment delegates some powers to the states The US is part of international treaties; individual states are not
Jean Jacquees Rousseau
Enlightenment thinker who built on hobbes and the social contract. Based on his lived experiences in the monarchy of france He challenged the french monarchy.
There are three faces of power
Face 1: Overt Power Face 2: Covert Power Face 3: latent Power
Is Germany a bicameral or unicameral legislature?
Germany has a bicameral legislature.
What did aristotle advocate for?
He advocated for a mixed constitution. A balance between the elites and the people. Laws should be written to ensure happiness.
India
India was a former british colony, and gained independence in 1947, and their constitution was established in 1950. India is the worlds largest democracy. India has a population of 1.3 billion
What existed before the modern state system?
Kingdoms and empires
What is a state?
Legal & political authority of a territory containing a population & marked by borders Regarded as sovereign & legitimate by the state's citizens Regarded as sovereign & legitimate by the governments of other states
select committee
Monitor the executive- convene temporarily to scrutinize a particular issue.
rejection of huntingtons theory.
Most scholars have rejected Huntington's thesis (Saïd ...) Islam, like Christianity, is very diverse (Sunnis, Shias ...) Interpretations of Islam vary significantly from one context to another, and within contexts Turkey & Saudi Arabia, for example
Machiavelli believed that
Politicians should always appear virtuous but should use anything necessary to gain or maintain power
The difference between totalitarianisms, and authoritarianism?
Power is condensed into one authority figure with authoritarianism, and with totalitarianism the person in power seeks to control every aspect of public and private life.
The difference between power and authority is what?
Power is the capacity to act, and Authority is having the right to do so.
Which actors form the government?
President, Vice President, Members of Congress, Executive Cabinet, Judges, Civil servants, different in other countries
What is globalization?
Process by which the links between people, corporations & governments in different states become integrated through such factors as trade investment & communication & technology
What are the major functions of legislature?
Representation, Deliberation, Voting on legislation. Executive oversight, and authorizing expenditure.
Overt power
Reward: A can reward B Coercive: A can punish B Referent: B wants to be like A Expert: B respects A's expertise Legitimate: A has position of authority Robert Dahl 1961
What is a failing state?
Syria, Yemen ... A state with weak (or no) governing institutions & deep internal divisions No real system of law Dependent on the military Civil war, terrorism, criminal gangs ... The basic needs of most people are no longer met
Executive Oversight
The Legislature oversees the Executive Presidential system: committees, investigations For example, the House of Representatives scrutinizing Trump in different ways Impeachment
governence
The act of governing. The process by which laws, decisions, and policies are executed.
What was Hobbes leviathan the beginning of?
The beginning of the social contract theory. The voluntary abandonment of freedom in exchange of protection from the sovereign. This challenged the divine right of kings.
How can authoritarian rule end?
The leader or group depends on domestic & some international legitimacy Can fall with a revolution or international invasion Or a leader can resign if there is enough domestic & international pressure Technology can foster this resistance (Internet, satellite TV, mobile phones ...) Authoritarian regimes that have recently fallen: Libya (Gaddafi: 42 years), Egypt (Mubarak: 30 years), Iraq (Hussein: 24 years) ...
What is politics?
The process by which people negotiate, and compete in the process of making and executing shared or collective decisions.
When did states become sovereign?
The treaty of westphalia 1648
In hybrid regimes are elections manipulated?
They will be if necessary.
weak bicameralism
This arises when the lower chamber dominates the upper...ex. UK
What are some of the problems in Nigeria?
Too dependent on oil, Conflicts over natural resources, Corruption, Ethnic and religious conflicts, weak national identity
The EU
Treaty of Rome (1957) Treaty of Maastricht (1993) 27 members 505 million people
English Civil War
Was led by Charles 1 and was between the royalist and the parliamentarians.
What are some of china's problems?
Wealth inequality, human rights, poor social services, environmental degradation
permanent standing committee
Works in a particular policy area... ex. foreign affairs and education
Thomas Hobbes
Wrote the leviathan because of the english civil war in 1642- 1651
bicameral legislature
a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
Totalitarianism consist of...
a single guiding ideology, pervasive use of policing, human rights abuse, .. etc
latent power
exercises power over B by shaping his or her wants/ preferences
Rousseau believed in
popular sovereignty... The people make the laws that govern them They base these laws on the common good, not individual interests The social contract reduces individual freedom But, it ensures collective peace & prosperity
deliberation
Floor debate is the arena for political discussion & party & electoral politics—House of Commons, for example Only members of Congress can introduce bills After deliberating & multiple readings, a vote takes place Bills can be rejected, amended or passed
Who was Locke building off of when writing the two treatises?
Locke was building off of Hobbes' Leviathan. This is a continuation of the social contact theory. Locke felt if the King does not work for the common good he should be overthrown. These ideas shaped the american and French revolution.
Aristotle argued that..
when the elites become to powerful the political community suffers and there must be a strong middle class.
Machiavelli
wrote The Prince (1532)
Nigeria
Nigeria gained independence in 1960 from Britain. They have a population of 186 million.
Who is the prime minister of the Uk, and the head of state.
Boris Johnson is the prime minister and the head of state is Queen Elizabeth 11.
Democracy
Freedom of speech, Freedom of the press, active participation of citizens in politics and in civil life, civil liberties, political culture, electoral process.
Which actors have power in government?
Governments, non-state actors and corporations
Locke's Two Treatises of Government
Locke wrote these because of the Glorious revolution in 1688.
Who is the prime minister of India.
Narendra Modi
Non-codified constitution
This is an unwritten constitution. The advantages are it is flexible to amend. An unwritten constitution grows with the people. easy and quick decision making can be done.
Strong Bicameralism
This occurs when the two chambers are more balanced....ex.US
The top 6 largest economies?
US, China, Japan, Germany, India, Russia, UK
Covert Power
Use a persons influence to limit politics
conference committee
reconcile the difference between houses on bills
Germanys Government
Germany is Federal parliamentary republic. It is a multi party system.
Germanys economy...
Germanys economy is the 4th largest. Germany is also the 3 largest exporter. They have a population of 83 million.
Authoritarianism
A dominant individual, no free elections, No checks and balances, citizens have no voice, nationalism, use of fear, censorship, and propaganda
Robert Putnam
He is an expert in social capital. He analyzed political systems in Italy. Most successful regions had a positive political culture. Attributed differences in political systems in Italy to different historical developments More effective governments in the north have a tradition of communal self-government dating back to the 12th century Least effective governments in the south have a long history of feudal, foreign, bureaucratic & authoritarian rule Conclusion: social capital & political trust are essential to effective governance & society
The Leviathan - Thomas hobbes
Hobbes argued that people should agree to establishing an absolute government... a government should provide us with protection from the harm that we would other wise inflict.
What does Huntington argue?
Huntington argues that the main concern of the West is Islam "Different civilization whose people are convinced of the superiority of their culture & are obsessed with the inferiority of their power" The West is also convinced of the superiority of its culture & is obsessed by its declining power
What is representation?
Legislators represent their party platform Speak for, and respond to, the concerns of their constituents
What is a de facto state?
States that control a territory & provide governance but are not recognized by all of the UN permanent security members They do not exist as states under international law Palestine, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus