Final Exam for CPS

State definition Stepan

The state is more than a government, it is a continuous, bureaucratic, legal and coercive system that not only attempts to manage state apparatus but also structures relationships within and between civil and political societies. In totalitarian regimes, the state seeks to eliminate any significant autonomy in both these societies. In a way, the state is like “city hall”, an impersonal, institutional system meant to distribute goods and services. 

Weber’s definition of State

 The organization that maintains a monopoly of force over a territory. 

Legitimacy

a value where someone/thing is recognized and accepted as proper.

Traditional Legitimacy

An actor is valid because it has always been that way. Generational. Ex: Monarchy. 

Rational legal legitimacy

System of laws and procedures that are presumed to be neutral or rational. Elected executives like the president. Ex: The constitution

Charismatic Legitimacy

Based on power of ideas or belief that the leader is fit to rule based on words and promises. No written solidification that the power is proper. Ex: Hitler!!! or  ‘favor of god’,

Capacity

Ability of the state to wield power in order to carry out the basic tasks of providing security and freedom.

Autonomy and give examples of low auto vs high auto countries

The ability to wield power without international actors, independently, and without internal rivals

China has a high cap, low autonomy. 

South Sudan has a low cap and low autonomy

Sovereignty

The ability to carry out actions and policies within a territory independently of external actors or internal rivals. 

Devolution

Decentralization of power from central to local governments.  Ex. Britain should give more power to local providences that are better able to provide for their people.

Federalism

 the dispersal of power within the state. Think Marble cake, like the U.S.

Regime

The fundamental rules and norms of politics

GDP

total market value of goods and services produced by a country in a given year. 

Liberalism and its Theorist

The US, UK, belief that individuals are best suited to take control of the market. Laissez faire. Capitalism- the system of production based on private property and free markets. Adam smith and the invisible hand. Freedom over equality. Entrepreneurialism. 

Social Democracy and its Theorist

eduard bernstein. The economy is a creator of social rights that are otherwise lost in the vicissitudes of the market. High level of social expenditures. Finland, sweden. Still allow private property, but with more limits than liberalism. 

Communism and its theorist

marx, elimination of individual freedom to achieve equality. No private property and markets.  North korea. Quality over freedom. Collective equality, fixed wages, no taxation, profit controlled the profit. State controls everything and allocates it to the population. 

Economic Society Definition

Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policy makers and communities to create wealth, good and services; To promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area or country; Economic development can also be referred to as the quantitative and qualitative changes in the economy; and, the whole society that spends and earns money and for their specific purposes is sometimes referred to as “economic society.”

Communism

marx, elimination of individual freedom to achieve equality. No private property and markets.  North korea. Quality over freedom. Collective equality, fixed wages, no taxation, profit controlled the profit. State controls everything and allocates it to the population. 

PPP

compares different countries currencies, US being the based value. 

Gini Index

Measure of inequality, 1 being the highest. Relative wealth is not absolute. Not a measure of poverty.

HDI

  Assesses health, education, and wealth of the population.

Economic Liberalization

cutting taxes, reducing regulation, privatizing state owned businesses and public goods, expanding property rights.

Mercantilism

Jean-Baptiste Colbert. The country’s economy is prioritized and used as an instrument to generate power. Belief that economic weakness undermines national sovereignty. Japan.  “state capitalism”.  Parastatals- partially state owned businesses that citizens can utilize for resources. 

Political violence

Politically motivated violence outside of state control. 

Institutional

The role of institutions causing political violence, where they are contraining, marginalizing, and polarizing. The policy and structure of the system may cause poverty and exclusion. Ex: Fundamentalism, presidentialism. 

Samuel huntington

Believes that a weak institution fosters instability. Argues that political violence often arises not from poverty or economic hardship alone but from rapid modernization and social change that outpace political and institutional development.

Ideational

Having to do with ideas. Ideas set out a worldview, diagnose problems, provide resolutions, and describe the means for achieving goals. Fundamentalism and nationalism might inspire violence against out-groups. Rise of extremist groups. Not individual bc many people would be down to support the movement.

Individual and the 2 different approaches

Individual decisions and experiences drive people to violence. Debate whether its emotional rational calculations drive violence. Grievance and economic frustrations motivate initial protests. 

• Emotional approach: grievances, humiliations, or alienation as prime motivators. Ex. In Tunisia in 2010, a street vendor set himself on fire. 

• Rational Actor Approach: violence is a strategy to achieve goals. Ex. ISIS fighters from Tunisia motivated by pay check.

Behavioralism

root of individual theory. It explains political violence as a result of individual and group responses to perceived grievances, deprivation, and political exclusion

Revolution

a public seizure of the state in order to overturn the existing gov and regime. 

Relative Deprivation Model

people are comparing their realities to others and assessing their needs based on what is missing and needed. Revolutions are less a function of specific conditions than of the gap between actual conditions and public expectations.

Terrorism

use of violence by nonstate actors against civilians in order to achieve a political goal. (Some is state sponsored in order to extend power) 

Guerilla War

Non State combats who largely accept traditional rules of war and target the state rather than civilians. Ex. 1953 Cuban revolution. 

Nihilism (compared to anarchism)

Belief that institutions and values are essentially meaningless and that the only redeeming value a person can embrace is violence. 

Anarchism- no need for government at all, the state should only be run by voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and horizontal networks

Democracy and its relation to terrorism

It is less prone to domestic terrorism and revolution. Participation and inclusion provide nonviolent outlets for frustrations. UNFORTUNATELY: Democracies may be targets for global actors because freedom allows extremist elements to hide in the population ( Ex: 9/11 and 2015 Paris attack by ISIS). If violence happens, Democratic states and its citizens favor limiting civil liberties and increasing state autonomy and capacity. The US increase in surveillance like phone tapping

Coup d'état

A sudden and forceful takeover of government power, usually by a small group, often involving the military. Ex. Chile 1973