[POL SCI 11] Governments, Systems, and Regimes

Government

Institutional processes through which collective and usually binding decisions are made

Branches of the Government

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial

Political System

Encompasses structures and processes through which government and institutions interact with the larger society

Regime

A ‘system of rule’ that endures despite governments coming and going; changed by military intervention or revolutionary upheaval

(2) Importance of Classifying/Categorizing Political Systems

It helps us better understand politics and governance by allowing for meaningful comparisons between different types of systems.

It also helps in evaluating political structures and forms of government, making it easier to form qualitative judgments.

(3) Cons of Classifying/Categorizing Political Systems

Oversimplification

Value Judgements (bias)

State-centric Perspective (ignores globalization)

Aristotle’s 2 questions to determine the most desirable form of constitution

Who rules?

Who benefits from the rule?

Type of Government: One rules, Ruler benefits

Type - Tyranny

Type of Government: Few rules, Ruler benefits

Type - Oligarchy

Type of Government: Many rules, Ruler benefits

Type - Democracy

Type of Government: One rules, All benefits

Type - Monarchy

Type of Government: Few rules, All benefits

Type - Aristocracy

Type of Government: Many rules, All benefits

Type - Polity

Tyranny

Considered the worst form of government, where citizens are

treated like slaves.

Monarchy and Aristocracy

Though aimed at serving the common good over personal interest, they are seen as unrealistic or impractical in practice

Polity

Viewed as the most workable and practical form of government.

Mixed

A combination of aristocracy and democracy, where power is held by the middle class; regarded as the ideal type of constitution.

Sovereignty

Viewed as the foundation for political order; defined as ‘most high and perpetual’ power

He emphasized a centralized, absolute power, where sovereignty rests in an authority with the monopoly on coercion, unrestricted by external forces

Thomas Hobbes

He defended absolutism but acknowledged that sovereign rulers are still bound by natural law and divine will, even if not by man-made laws

Jean Bodin

He believed in Popular Sovereignty; Sovereignty lies with the people, not the monarch

John Locke

John Locke advocated for a limited government designed to protect what natural rights?

life, liberty, and property

Introduced the doctrine of separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial

Montesquieu

[Three World Typology] Economy of Industrialized Western regimes; high levels of mass affluence

(Economy) Capitalist ‘first world’

[Three World Typology] Economy of Communist regimes; largely industrialized; satisfy population's basic needs

(Economy) Communist ‘second world’

[Three World Typology] Economy of Less-developed countries; economically dependent; widespread poverty

(Economy) Developing ‘third world’

[Three World Typology] Ideology of Capitalist Principles

(Ideology) Capitalist ‘first world’

[Three World Typology] Ideology of Communist Values

(Ideology) Communist ‘second world’

[Three Worlds Typology] Political System of Liberal-democratic; struggle for power during election

(Political System) Capitalist ‘first world’

[Three Worlds Typology] Political System of One-party states, dominated by ‘ruling’ communist parties

(Political System) Communist ‘second world’

[Three Worlds Typology] Political System of Authoritarian; governed by traditional monarchs, dictators, army

(Political System) Developing ‘third world’

[Regimes] Preferable to liberal democracies; Found primarily in North America, Western Europe, and Australia; Result from waves of democratization in the 18th-19th centuries

Polyarchies

2 reasons why Polyarchies are preferable to liberal democracies

Considered a political ideal with broader normative implications; The use of 'polyarchy' acknowledges that these regimes fall short

(6) Polyarchy Central Figures

i. Government is based on election

ii. Free and fair elections

iii. All adults have the right to vote

iv. Free expression – right to protest

v. Access to information

vi. Associations enjoy independence from government

2 general features of Polyarchal regimes

High tolerance for opposition – serves to check government actions

Political engagement opportunities – ensure public responsiveness

Features of Western Polyarchies

Political culture influenced by acceptance of liberal individualism: (1) Increased sensitivity to individual rights, (2) Healthiness of choice and competition in politics and economics, (3) Tend to fear government as a potential threat to liberty

Majority Democracies

Organized along parliamentary lines according to the ‘Westminster model’ (UK systems)

Single party and centralized

Consensus Democracies

Power sharing, bargaining, and power diffusion (continental Europe)

[New Democracies] Third wave of democratization in 1974

Overthrow of dictatorships in Greece Portugal and Spain

Retreat of the generals in Latin America

Fall of communism

[New Democracies] Challenges in new democracies

Lack of developed democratic cultures

Handle the strains from external forces of globalization

Re-emergence of the armed forces into politics (military coups in Pakistan in 1979 and Thailand in 2006)

[New Democracies] Post-Communist problems in bringing about democratization

Cultural consequences of communist rule

Civic culture – participation, bargaining, and consensus failed to develop

Fragmented party system (Russia)

[New Democracies] Process of economic transition challenges

Shock therapy from central planning to laissez-faire caused deep insecurity

Increased growth of unemployment, inflation, social inequality

Growing support for communist parties caused by backlash against market reforms

[New Democracies] Differences between post-communist states

More industrially advanced – Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary

Backward ‘eastern’ states – Romania, Bulgaria and Russia

Soviet Red Army and USSR

[East Asian Regimes] Similar characteristics of East Asian Regimes

Oriented more around economic goals than political ones

Support for ‘strong’ government

Respect leaders as Confucian stress on loyalty, disciplines, duty

Social community and cohesion accorded to the family

[East Asian Regimes] Differentiation between East Asian Regimes

Unreconstituted communist regimes (China and North Korea)

East Asian regimens are becoming industrialized while China still has significant agricultural sector

Japan, Taiwan, Singapore growth is based on technological innovation while China continues to rely on massive rural population

Cultural contrast between Chinese states and mixed states

Islamic Regimes

Political Islam aims at the construction of a theocracy in which political and other affairs are structured according to ‘higher’ religious principles. Nevertheless, political Islam has assumed clearly contrasting forms, ranging from fundamentalist to pluralist examples

[Political Islam] Fundamentalist - Iran

[Fundamentalist] Theocracy + democracy; Supreme leader and Islamic Revolutionary Council; Strict implementation of Shari’a law as legal and moral code

[Political Islam] Fundamentalist - Taliban Regime, Afghanistan

[Fundamentalist] Strict theocratic rule; Exclusion of women from education, economy, public life

[Political Islam] Fundamentalist - Saudi Arabia

[Fundamentalist] Conservative Sunni regime differs from Shi’a Iran

[Political Islam] Pluralist - Malaysia

[Pluralist] Paramount Ruler as head of religion and state; ‘Guided democracy’→ United Malays National Organization (UMNO), Barisan Nasional

[Military Regimes] Key features

Government position filled based on military chain of command

Normal political and constitutional arrangements are suspended

Abolition of institution that allows opposition expression (Press freedom, Elected assemblies)

[Military Regimes] Characteristics

Armed forces has direct control of government – military junta

Military-backed personalized dictatorship

Loyalty of the armed forces as a factor to uphold the regimes

[Military Regimes] Four key sets of circumstances associated with military coups

Economic underdevelopment

Institutional legitimacy challenge

Misalignment of interests

Internal factors

[Military Regimes] clear link between military coups and economic underdevelopment

Economic underdevelopment

[Military Regimes] military may intervene in politics only if institution’s legitimacy and ruling elite is challenged

Institutional legitimacy challenge

[Military Regimes] extent of military action is related to the military services' ideals, goals, and interests differ from those of the general public regime

Misalignment of interests

[Military Regimes] military’s decision to seize power may also be affected

by international considerations

Internal factors