Comparative Politics Midterm 1

Ole Miss POLS 1020 Kendall Curtis

Comparative politics

The study and comparison of domestic politics across countries.

International relations

The study of relationships between countries.

Politics

The struggle for power to make decisions for a group.

Power

The ability to influence others or impose your will on them.

Institutions

Established organizations, rules, and practices that shape behavior and persist over time.

Formal institutions

Official rules and organizations that govern behavior.

Informal institutions

Unwritten rules and expectations that shape behavior.

Institutionalization

The process through which an organization or practice becomes established and durable.

Institutional stickiness

The tendency of institutions to persist and resist change.

Comparative method

Comparing cases to develop or test explanations about politics.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Independent variable

The proposed cause or factor used to explain an outcome.

Dependent variable

The outcome being explained.

Control variables

Other factors considered because they might affect the outcome.

Theory

A connected set of ideas and assumptions that explains a broader pattern.

Inductive reasoning

Using observations to develop a general explanation.

Deductive reasoning

Starting with a theory or hypothesis and testing it against evidence.

Qualitative method

Studying a small number of cases closely to understand context and processes.

Quantitative method

Using numerical data and statistics to study patterns.

Empirical knowledge

Knowledge about what happens and why, based on evidence.

Normative knowledge

Judgments about what should happen or what is morally desirable.

Correlation

An observed association between variables.

Causation

A relationship in which one factor produces a change in another.

Multicausality

When several factors work together to produce an outcome.

Area studies

The study of a particular geographic region.

Selection bias

Choosing cases in a way that distorts a study’s conclusions.

Endogeneity

A problem in which cause and effect are difficult to separate, often because variables influence each other.

Rational choice

The idea that people weigh costs and benefits and choose what they believe advances their interests.

Game theory

The study of strategic decisions in which each person’s best choice depends on what others do.

State

A political organization that claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a territory.

Regime

The basic rules and norms determining who holds political power and how it is used.

Government

The current leaders who run the state and make policies.

Country

The combination of a state, regime, government, territory, and population.

Nation

A group of people with shared political aspirations and a desire for self-government.

Sovereignty

The ability to govern a territory independently of outside actors and internal rivals.

Territory

The geographic area over which a state claims authority.

Legitimate force

The recognized right to authorize the use of physical force.

Consensus explanation of political organization

The idea that people accept political authority because it provides protection and other benefits.

Coercion explanation of political organization

The idea that political authority develops through domination and inequality.

War and state formation

The idea that warfare pushed rulers to develop stronger taxation, administration, and military institutions.

Legitimacy

Public acceptance that an institution has the right to rule.

Traditional legitimacy

Authority accepted because of established customs and traditions.

Charismatic legitimacy

Authority accepted because of a leader’s personality or perceived extraordinary qualities.

Rational-legal legitimacy

Authority accepted because it follows established laws, rules, and procedures.

Federalism

A system in which the constitution divides significant powers between national and regional governments.

Unitary state

A system in which ultimate political authority belongs to the national government.

Symmetric federalism

A federal system in which regions have the same basic powers.

Asymmetric federalism

A federal system in which some regions have different or additional powers.

Devolution

The transfer of power and funding from the national government to regional or local governments.

Strong state

A state able to perform its basic tasks effectively.

Weak state

A state that struggles to perform its basic tasks.

Failed state

A state whose basic political institutions and public order have broken down.

State capacity

The ability of a state to collect resources and carry out its decisions.

State autonomy

The ability of a state to act independently of public pressure, powerful groups, or outside actors.

Society

People connected by shared institutions that organize their relationships.

Social identity

A person’s sense of self based on membership in social groups.

Ethnic identity

An identity based on shared cultural traits, history, customs, religion, language, or perceived ancestry.

National identity

An identity based on shared political aspirations and a common political future.

Nationalism

Pride in one’s people and belief in their right to self-government.

Citizenship

Membership in a state involving rights and allegiance.

Patriotism

Pride in one’s state.

Nation-state

A sovereign state that claims to embody and represent a dominant nation.

Multinational state

A state containing multiple national communities.

Ascription

The assignment or inheritance of an identity, often at birth.

Ethnic conflict

A struggle between ethnic groups over political or economic goals.

National conflict

A struggle over gaining sovereignty or preventing another group from gaining it.

Political attitudes

Views about how much political change is needed and how quickly it should happen.

Political ideologies

Beliefs about the fundamental goals of politics and the proper balance between freedom and equality.

Radical attitude

The belief that existing institutions should be dramatically replaced with a new political order.

Liberal attitude

Support for gradual reform through existing institutions.

Conservative attitude

Support for preserving existing institutions and approaching change cautiously.

Reactionary attitude

The desire to restore an earlier political or social order.

Continuum view of political attitudes

A model placing radicals and liberals on the left and conservatives and reactionaries on the right.

Circle view of political attitudes

A model emphasizing similarities between radicals and reactionaries in rejecting the current order.

Liberalism

An ideology prioritizing individual freedom and limited state interference.

Communism

An ideology seeking economic equality through collective ownership of productive property.

Social democracy / socialism

In the course framework, an ideology combining markets and private ownership with regulation, redistribution, and social programs.

Fascism

An ideology promoting hierarchy and the supremacy of a national, ethnic, or racial group while rejecting freedom and equality.

Anarchism

An ideology seeking freedom and equality without the state; the course version also rejects private property.

Secularism

The separation of political authority from religious authority.

Fundamentalism

An ideology seeking to make religious faith the highest political authority.

Theocracy

A system of government based on religious authority.

Culture

Shared values, norms, and practices that organize social life.

Political culture

The basic norms and expectations governing political behavior.

Clash of civilizations

The argument that major cultural and religious divisions shape political conflict.

Traditional values

Values emphasizing religion, inherited customs, and established authority.

Secular-rational values

Values placing less emphasis on religion and traditional authority.

Survival values

Values emphasizing economic and physical security.

Self-expression values

Values emphasizing individual autonomy, tolerance, participation, and expression.

Cleavage theory

The argument that party systems develop around deep social divisions.

Owner-worker cleavage

A social division based on class and the competing economic interests of owners and workers.

Church-state cleavage

A social division over religion’s role in political authority.

Rural-urban cleavage

A social division between countryside and city interests.

Center-periphery cleavage

A social division between the national center and regional communities.

Frozen party systems

Party systems that remain organized around long-standing social divisions.

Postmaterialism

Emphasis on self-expression, equality, participation, and other goals beyond basic economic security.

Materialist values

Priorities focused on economic security, physical safety, and order.

Intergenerational change

Social change resulting from younger generations replacing older generations.

Cultural backlash

Resistance to social and cultural changes by people who feel the familiar order is threatened.

Economic backlash

Resentment among economically insecure people who feel politics no longer addresses their economic needs.