Comparative Politics and Political Economy Key Terms

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering state capacity, regime types, collective action, democratic erosion, institutions, and political economy concepts.

State capacity

Ability of the state to implement policies, enforce laws, and provide public goods. Fukuyama emphasizes its importance for effective governance.

State-building

Process of developing effective state institutions and establishing authority over territory.

State autonomy

Ability of state institutions to act independently of particular social groups.

Sovereignty

A state's supreme authority over its territory and political affairs.

Legitimacy

Belief that a state's political authority is rightful and deserves obedience.

State consolidation

Process through which a state establishes effective authority throughout its territory. Herbst emphasizes the historical and geographic challenges of consolidation.

Failed or fragile state

A state with limited ability to provide security, services, or effective governance.

State capture

When powerful private actors gain control over or substantial influence over state institutions.

Nation

A community of people who perceive themselves as sharing a common identity.

Nationalism

Political ideology emphasizing the identity and interests of a nation. Wimmer argues that nationalism remains a powerful force in politics.

Nation-state

A state whose territory and political identity are largely associated with a particular nation.

Ethnonationalism

Nationalism that bases national identity primarily on shared ethnicity.

Civic nationalism

Nationalism based primarily on shared citizenship, political values, and institutions.

Self-determination

Principle that a people should have the right to determine its political status.

Modernization theory

Theory that socioeconomic development produces social changes that make democracy more likely. Inglehart and Welzel emphasize autonomy and self-expression values.

Self-expression values

Values emphasizing individual autonomy, participation, freedom of choice, and political voice.

Democratization

Process through which a political system becomes more democratic.

Authoritarianism

Political system in which political competition and civil liberties are substantially restricted.

Competitive authoritarianism

Regime in which elections and opposition exist, but incumbents systematically undermine fair competition. Levitsky and Way.

Hybrid regime

Political system combining democratic institutions with significant authoritarian practices.

Electoral authoritarianism

Authoritarian system that holds elections without allowing genuinely fair political competition.

Collective action

Coordinated action by individuals pursuing a shared political or social goal.

Free-rider problem

Situation in which individuals can benefit from collective action without contributing to its costs.

Social movement

Organized collective effort seeking social or political change.

Nonviolent resistance

Organized political resistance that avoids physical violence. Chenoweth examines its potential and limitations.

Political opportunity structure

Political conditions that make collective action more or less likely to emerge or succeed.

Democratic institutions

Rules and organizations that structure democratic political competition, representation, and accountability.

Runoff election

Election in which leading candidates compete in a subsequent round if no candidate meets the required threshold in the first round.

Checks and balances

Mechanisms that allow branches of government to constrain one another's power.

Separation of powers

Distribution of governmental authority among separate branches, typically executive, legislative, and judicial.

Political polarization

Increasing ideological distance and hostility between political groups. Sv Fre argues it can lead voters to tolerate democratic violations by their own side.

Democratic backsliding

Gradual deterioration of democratic institutions, norms, and political competition.

Democratic erosion

Weakening of democratic institutions and constraints, often driven by elected leaders. Stokes examines why elected leaders subvert democracy.

Partisan loyalty

Strong attachment to a political party that can influence political judgments and behavior.

Capitalism

Economic system based primarily on private ownership, markets, wage labor, and profit.

Market economy

Economic system in which supply, demand, and prices substantially coordinate economic activity.

State capitalism

Economic system combining markets with substantial state ownership or intervention.

Mixed economy

Economic system combining private markets with government intervention and public provision.

Inclusive institutions

Political and economic institutions that broadly distribute power and opportunity, encouraging participation and investment. Acemoglu and Robinson associate them with prosperity.

Extractive institutions

Political and economic institutions that concentrate power and wealth among elites, limiting broad participation and development. Acemoglu and Robinson associate them with poverty.

Property rights

Legal rights to own, use, control, and transfer property.

Path dependence

Process through which historical choices and institutions constrain or shape future outcomes.

Industrial policy

Government efforts to encourage the development of particular industries or economic sectors.

Developmental state

State that actively guides economic development through policies such as industrial support and strategic investment.

Political economy

Study of how politics, institutions, and economic activity influence one another.

Globalization

Increasing economic, political, and social interconnectedness across countries.

Trade liberalization

Reduction or removal of barriers to international trade.

Global value chain

Production process in which different stages of making a product occur across multiple countries.

Distributional effects

Different consequences of an economic policy or process for different social groups.

Income inequality

Unequal distribution of income among individuals or groups.

Globalization backlash

Political opposition to globalization, often arising from perceived economic losses or unequal benefits. Frieden connects these effects to political reactions against international economic integration.

Economic interdependence

Situation in which countries depend on one another through trade, investment, finance, or other economic relationships.

Modernization

Transformation of society through economic development, urbanization, education, and related social changes.

Mano dura

"Strong hand" approach emphasizing tough law enforcement, often against gangs and organized crime.

Organized crime

Coordinated illegal activity by criminal organizations that may undermine state authority and influence public institutions.

State-market relationship

Relationship between government authority and market activity, including the extent of state intervention in the economy.

Public goods

Goods or services, such as national defense, that are generally non-excludable and non-rivalrous.

Political institutions

Formal and informal rules that structure political behavior and distribute power.

Economic institutions

Rules governing economic activity, including property rights, contracts, and access to markets.

Correlation

Statistical association between variables that does not by itself establish causation.

Causation

A relationship in which a change in one factor helps produce a change in another factor.