Chapter 1 & 2 (CPO2001 Exam 1)
Studied by 0 people
View linked note
Learn
Practice Test
Spaced Repetition
Match
Flashcards1/83
There's no tags or description
Looks like no tags are added yet.
Name | Mastery | Learn | Test | Matching | Spaced |
|---|
No study sessions yet.
84 Terms
What is politics?
A struggle in any group for power that allows for decision making for the larger group.
What is power?
The ability to influence others or impose one’s will over them.
What does comparative politics study?
The struggle for power across different countries.
What is inductive reasoning?
Generalizing from a single case to a general rule. AKA case study approach
What is deductive reasoning?
Inferring from a general rule to a single case. AKA comparative approach
What does correlation not imply?
Causation.
What are the limits of the comparative method?
Difficult to control variables
limited number of cases
barriers to research
selection bias
endogenity.
What is endogeneity in research?
The difficulty of determining what is cause and what is effect (think chicken and the egg).
Quantitative method
The method that gathers numerical data for statistical analysis.
Qualitative method
The method that involves intensive study of cases through archival research.
What are institutions in political science?
Organizations or patterns of activity that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake.
How do institutions affect political behavior?
They generate norms and values, allowing certain political activities and not others.
What does rational choice theory focus on?
Individual rationality and how it leads to outcomes.
What does culturalism emphasize?
The cultural rules and norms that structure behavior.
What does structuralism focus on?
The relations between and within structures/institutions.
What are the four features of science according to King, Keohane & Verba?
Inference
public procedures
uncertainty of conclusions
the content is the method.
What challenge does complexity pose to the scientific approach?
Few events occur in isolation.
How is political legitimacy defined?
The acceptance that the institution is right and proper by the public.
What is a strong state defined as?
A state that can defend its authority both internally and externally. Ex) US, UK, Germany
What is a weak state defined as?
A state that struggles to maintain authority and control, often facing internal conflict and external threats. Ex) Haiti, Iran, North Korea
What is a failed state defined as?
A state that cannot provide basic services, maintain order, or ensure the rule of law, often leading to a complete breakdown of governance. Ex) Somalia
Describe a state with federal power
In a federal state, power is divided between the central state and regions.
Describe a state with unitary power
A unitary state is one where power is concentrated in the central government, which holds the primary authority and can, if desired, delegate powers to local governments at its discretion.
What is the role of the executive branch?
To carry out the laws of the state.
What is a presidential system?
A system where the head of government and head of state are combined and directly elected by voters.
What is a parliamentary system?
A system where the head of government differs from the head of state, with a Prime Minister elected from the legislature.
What defines a semi-presidential system?
It features both a Prime Minister approved by the legislature and a directly elected president. Dual executives share power.
What is the role of the legislative branch?
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws, representing the electorate, and overseeing the executive branch's activities.
What is the difference between unicameral and bicameral legislatures?
Unicameral has one legislative chamber while bicameral has two.
What is proportional representation?
An electoral system where parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive. Goes along with multimember districts.
What are single-member districts?
Electoral districts that elect one representative each.
What is a mixed electoral system?
A system that combines elements of both proportional representation and single-member district systems, allowing for a balance of representation. Ex) Germany
What is the difference between plurality and majority elections?
Plurality (AKA first-past-the-post) requires the most votes to win, while majority requires over 50%.
What is ethnicity defined as?
Culturally distinct attributes (typically) assigned at birth. Examples include: religion, geographical region, history, nationality, and language.
What does national identity refer to?
Common political aspirations that bind people together. If a state is younger/less established, members are less likely to identify strongly with a national identity.
What is citizenship?
The formal relationship between a person and the state they live in.
What are seven problems in comparative research?
Controlling variables
interaction of variables (multicausality)
limited number of cases to research
Limited access to case information
Uneven research across cases and regions
cases selected on basis of effect, not cause (endogenity)
selection bias.
What was a turning point in political science after the world wars?
A focus on applying rigorous methods to the study of human behavior. Resulted from the research of universities, creation of nuclear weapons (which added urgency to studying politics) and technological innovations
What does modernization theory postulate?
As societies develop, they will become capitalist democracies.
What countries did the modernization theory assume were the furthest developed?
United States and Western Europe (assumed other states would “catch up”)
What is the behavioral revolution?
The shift from descriptive to causal study of politics, emphasizing individual behavior, and the use of quantitative methods.
Who was Aristotle and what was his contribution?
First modern political scientist who used the comparative method to study Greek city-states. Major work: The Politics
What did Machiavelli emphasize in political science?
Statecraft and empirical knowledge. Major work: The Prince, which offers pragmatic advice on political leadership and power.
What was Hobbes' concept of the social contract about?
People surrender certain liberties for order– social contract theory. Major work: The Leviathan
What did John Locke advocate?
Private property as essential to individual freedom. Major work: Two Treatises of Government
What did Montesquieu advocate in governance?
Separation of powers within government. Major work: The Spirit of Laws
What concept did Rousseau argue about citizens' rights?
They are inalienable and cannot be taken away by the state. Major work: The Social Contract
What was Marx's prediction about capitalism?
The eventual collapse of capitalism and democracy. Major work: Das Kapital
What themes did Max Weber develop? (according to textbook, not the readings)
Bureaucracy, forms of authority, and the impact of culture on economic and political development. Major work: Economy and Society
What is traditional legitimacy?
Legitimacy that derives from established customs, practices, and historical precedents. Example: The monarchy in the United Kingdom, where the royal family has a long-standing tradition of leadership.
What is rational-legal legitimacy?
Legitimacy based on a system of laws and procedures that are perceived as legitimate. Example: The United States government, which operates under a constitution and established legal framework.
What is charismatic legitimacy?
Legitimacy that arises from the personal appeal and extraordinary qualities of a leader. Example: Nelson Mandela, whose leadership and moral authority inspired obedience and loyalty during and after the apartheid era.
What is devolution?
The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments, allowing for greater autonomy in decision-making.
What is state capacity?
The ability of a government to effectively implement policies, maintain order, and provide public services.
What is a regime?
The fundamental rules and norms of politics, embodying long-term goals regarding individual freedom/equality, where power should reside, and how it should be used. Categorized at its most basic level as democratic or non-democratic. Often embodied in a constitution. More institutionalized than the government, but less than the state (because it can be changed through events like revolutions/coups).
What is a state?
The organization that maintains a monopoly of force over a territory. Includes the set of political institutions that generate/carry out policy. Most institutionalized. Ex) Army, police, taxation, a judiciary
What is a government?
The leadership or elite in charge of running the state. Least institutionalized. Ex) elected officials
What is a country the combination of?
The state, government, and regime.
What are the two paths of political organization?
consensus (individuals band together to protect themselves and create common rules, leadership chosen from the people) – democratic rule
coercion (individuals are brought together by a ruler who imposes authority) – authoritarian rule
Why did state formation develop?
Before the state, intergroup violence was widespread. Emerged as a way to protect the community from harm.
Define asymmetric federalism
A political system where power is distributed unevenly between regional governments and the central government, often leading to significant autonomy for certain regions. Ex) The UK
Where did the modern state emerge?
Europe
What are three advantages of the modern state?
encouragement of economic development
technological innovation
domestic stability
What is autonomy?
The ability of a region or group to govern itself independently, without the influence of the public or international actors.
What is sovereignty?
The supreme authority of a state to create policies and make decisions free from external interference.
Describe the political organization during 8th - 7th CENTURIES
Beginning of Greek city-states; centralization of political power in Europe.
Describe the political organization during 6th - 5th CENTURIES
Establishment of Roman Republic; first development of democracy in Athens.
Describe the political organization during 5th - 3rd CENTURIES
Unification of China under Qin dynasty.
Describe the political organization during 2nd - 1st CENTURIES
Roman conquest of Greece.
Describe the political organization during 1st - 2nd CENTURIES CE
Roman Empire expands across Europe and into the Middle East; zenith of centralized imperial power in Europe.
Describe the political organization during 3rd - 4th CENTURIES CE
Internal decline of Roman Empire; beginning of European Middle Ages; development stagnates.
Describe the political organization during 5th - 6th CENTURIES CE
Rome sacked by the Visigoths; widespread strife among competing European warlords.
Describe the political organization during 7th - 8th CENTURIES CE
Rise of Islamic Empire from southern Europe to Central Asia.
Describe the political organization during 9th - 10th CENTURIES CE
Viking raids across Europe.
Describe the political organization during 11th - 12th CENTURIES CE
European crusades into Middle East; beginning of consolidation of Europe into distinct political units through warfare.
Describe the political organization during 12th - 13th CENTURIES CE
Period of rapid innovation and development in Europe: invention of mechanical clock; adoption of paper and compass from Asia and the Middle East.
Describe the political organization during 13th CENTURY CE
Rise of Ottoman Empire in southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Describe the political organization during 14th - 15th CENTURIES CE
Voyages of exploration and early imperialism; centralization of early European states.
Describe the political organization during 16th - 17th CENTURIES CE
Scientific revolution; development of modern states; development of modern political identities of nationalism.
Give an example of a state in the top of the Fragile States Index (circa 2022)
Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, Syria, Central African Republic, Congo, and Sudan are among the most fragile states.
What is a danger of a state with HIGH capacity and HIGH autonomy?
May prevent or undermine democracy
What is a danger of a state with HIGH capacity and LOW autonomy?
May be unable to develop new policies due to the power of organized public opposition
What is a danger of a state with LOW capacity and HIGH autonomy?
State may be ineffectual and slow to develop, provoking public unrest
What is a danger of a state with LOW capacity and LOW autonomy?
May lead to internal state failure