Political Science 241 - Comparative Politics

Civic Nationalism

A sense of national unity and purpose based on a set of commonly held political beliefs.

Sovereignty

A state's ability to govern a given territory.

Legitimacy

"Recognition of the right to rule."

Nation-state

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Nation

A community of people who share a common identity (language, ethnicity) and claim to a territory. Socially constructed, different from states.

Comparative Politics

A major subfield of political science, in which the primary focus is on comparing power and decision making across countries.

Territory

An area with clearly defined borders.

Normative Theory

An argument explaining what "ought" to occur

Nationalism

An ideology claiming that a particular identity group defines a nation and should control a state.

State

An ongoing political community and set of institutions that develops and administers laws and generates and implements public policies in a specific territory.

Monopoly

Control of the entire supply of a valued good or service by one economic actor. Cause of markets failing.

Ethnicity

Emphasis on common history, language, and culture.

Race

Emphasis on common physical/biological characteristics. Often presumed "natural". May be imposed by colonizers

Peace of Westphalia

Ended the 30 Years' and 80 Years' Wars. Principle of state sovereignty established.

External Sovereignty

Equal participation on the international arena, as recognized by the international community of states. (UN)

Hypothesis

Focuses on a particular case or set of cases. States how the researcher expects two variables are related to each other.

Public good

Goods or services that the market cannot provide effectively but everyone wants/needs. Benefits too diffuse or costs too high.

Market Economy

Individuals and firms exchange goods and services in a largely unfettered manner.

Command Economy

State directly controls most aspects of the economy.

Bureaucracy

Key feature of the "modern" state. Part of the executive branch (democracies also answer to legislative branch).

Quantitative Statistical Analysis

Looks at one factor like states or cities to see what makes them different. Country level analysis. Survey research.

Caplitalism

Market economy + private property rights

Comparative Method

Most similar systems design. Most different systems design.

Cultural Nationalism

National unity based on a common cultural characteristic; those people who don't share that particular cultural characteristic cannot be included in the nation.

Single Case Study

One country or community. May trace development through time. Generate theories or test existing ones.

State Secularism

Opposed to any religion in the public sphere.

Absolutism

Power concentrated in a single monarch.

Externality

Prices are set to high or too low.

National Identity

Rights you get from being a member of a nation.

Citizen

Rights you get from being a member of a state. Jus soli: based on birth on the soil. Jus sanguinis: based on bloodlines.

Identity

Set of individuals who each recognize their group membership based on a shared, core trait.

Governance

State capacity to provide political goods.

Failed State

States so weak they lose internal sovereignty.

Weak Sate

States that cannot provide adequate political goods.

Power

The ability of one person or group to get another person or group to do something it otherwise wouldn't do

Natural Monopoly

The control of the entire supply of valued goods or services by one economic actor in sectors of the economy in which competition would raise costs and reduce efficiency.

Government

The particular political actors (parties, politicians) that hold executive office at a given time.

Politics

The process by which human communities make collective decisions

International Relations

The study of politics among national governments and beyond national boundaries.

Dependent Variable

The thing scientists are trying to explain.

Independent Variable

The thing that explains the dependent variable.

Political goods

The things citizens need and want from government. Not adequately provided by private sector.

Correlation

Two variables that are related to each other.

Internal Sovereignty

Ultimate authority within a state.

Empirical Theory

What actually happens. Starts with noticing an actual pattern, then tries to explain it.

Variable

What you're studying. Characteristics of the case or cases being studied that varies across space or time.

Market Failure

When there are only buyers or sellers, or they don't have perfect information, or they don't bear the full costs.