Chapter 1 PLSC Notes

Comparative Politics

the study and comparison of domestic politics across countries (country x system v. country y system)

International relations

the study of relations between countries (study of the interactions between x + y country)

Institutions

 organizations or activities that are self perpetuity and valued for their own sake 

→ same rules, norms, and structures that govern societies

Norm

shape political outcomes and behaviors of political actors 

Comparative Method

 the means by which social scientists makes comparison across cases

Correlation

 an apparent association, between certain factors or variables → used to test for a casual relationship

cause and effect

 (when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable)

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

1

Difficulty controlling variables in the causes

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

2

Multicausity - when variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular atoms → when we have more than one that's contributed to an outcome

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

3

A limited number of cases to study 

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

4

Limited (factual) information available in the cases we study

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

5

5

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

6

Selecting cases in a way that leads to selection bias 

There are 7 major challenges in establishing causation 

7

7

Major challenges in Comparative research 

• Controlling a large number of variables

• Controlling for the interaction of variables (multicausality)

• Limited number of cases to research

• Limited access to information from cases

• Uneven research across cases and regions

• Cases selected on the basis of effect and not cause (selection bias)

• Variables may be either cause or effect (endogeneity) 

Modernization theory

idea of conversion evolution applied to political science → societies are showing to evolving to the same place → happens to be a capitalist democracy 

Behavioral Revolution

authoritative and active research 

 Defining institutions 

• Organizations or activities that are self perpetuating and valued for their own sake

• Embody norms or values that are considered central to people's lives and thus are not easily dislodged or changed

• Set the stage for political behavior be influencing how politics is conducted

• Vary from country to country

institutions examples

army, taxation, elections, and the state

Formal institutions ex :

 Taxation and elections - written rules

Informal institutions ex:

Unofficial 2 terms by FDR and Washington, not codified but followed regardless

.Both tend to be lasting 

Formal

the constitution, electoral systems, supreme court, national parks

Informal

legs/exec behavioral norms, releasing president tax returns,

Greater personal freedom may lead to….

to a smaller role for the state

Less state intervention politically and economically may allow

…inequalities to persist and grow

Demands for a greater equality may lead to more interventionist state…

As states take control over private property or redistribute wealth, personal, economic freedoms may erode. 

Material security can help secure….

political rights - vice versa 

State power can weaken individual freedom, but the state also plays an important role in freedom…

state is necessary to protect freedom from infringement by other individuals