Unit one of political science

Politics

Harold Lasswell's definition: "who gets what, when, and how" through collective decision-making.

Politician

An individual running for or serving in elective office.

Political Actor

Any individual or group engaged in political activity, including voters, activists, and politicians.

De Jure Rules

Formally written and officially established laws and policies.

De Facto Rules

Informal policies and unwritten practices that shape actual enforcement and behavior

Three Core Elements of Political Events

Rules (formal and informal guidelines), Reality (objective facts and context), and Choices (contingent actions).

Power

The ability to compel someone to do something they may not have done otherwise.

Sovereignty

The highest form of power with no entity holding authority over a state's territory.

Government

Institutions with recognized legal, legitimate authority to use coercive power in a region.

Country

A defined geographic territory with a sovereign government.

State

A sovereign political unit or smaller sub-unit of government within a federal system.

Nation

A population connected by a shared history, culture, and identity.

Authority

Exists when those subject to power recognize that power.

Legitimate Authority

Authority used consistently with an institution's established rules and duties.

Bargaining

The process by which parties in conflict negotiate whether and how to change the status quo.

Status Quo

A bargaining outcome where parties fail to reach an agreement, leaving existing conditions unchanged

Compromise

A bargaining outcome where both sides yield on their preferences to reach an agreement.

Logrolling

A bargaining outcome involving vote-trading where parties swap support on issues distinct in importance to each side.

Probabilistic Political Science

The principle that political science predictions describe likelihoods rather than deterministic guarantees

Normative Political Science

An approach focusing on theory, logic, and what should be.

Empirical Political Science

An approach focusing on objective evidence and what is to explain and predict phenomena.

Consequentialist Reasoning

normative ethical approach judging political actors by the outcomes or consequences of their actions.

Rules-Based Reasoning

A normative ethical approach identifying moral rules or duties that good political actors should follow.

Virtue-Based Reasoning

A normative ethical approach focusing on the morally good giid character of a good political actor.