Political Theory and Systems Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering normative, analytical, and empirical political theories, international relations paradigms, and legal system frameworks based on the lecture notes.

Normative theory

Moral arguments about the world as it ought to be, focusing on how society should be organized and value-based questions.

Analytical theory

The use of logic reasoning to determine the strength of normative arguments, specifically used for the detection of logical fallacies.

Empirical theory

Evidence-based theory focusing on what does happen in the world, such as the observation that democracies are more stable under high income.

Utilitarianism

A rule-structure for societal decision-making that aims for the greatest good for the greatest number of people by maximizing aggregate utility.

Liberalism

A political theory holding that individuals possess natural rights that protect them from certain actions by the government or society, regardless of the impact on the greater good.

Communitarianism

The view that groups are vital to individuals as part of their search for meaning, and the existence of these groups is a premise for having a choice about who we are.

Multi-cultural liberalism

A theory associated with Kymlicka which posits that internal restrictions on individuals are not allowable, but external protections for groups are encouraged.

Internal restrictions

Rules made by a group for the sake of its own health that violate the individual liberties of its members.

External protections

Measures intended to protect groups from homogenization by the larger society.

Utility monsters

A concept highlighting a shortcoming of utilitarianism where certain individuals receive special treatment to maximize aggregate utility, potentially at the cost of individual rights.

Libertarianism

A political approach that does not justify policies based on choice or circumstance.

Liberal egalitarianism

A political approach that justifies policies based on circumstance but not on choice.

Equality of outcome

An approach that justifies policies based on both choice and circumstance.

John Rawls

A key figure in liberal egalitarianism who proposed the use of the veil of ignorance to determine just outcomes.

Veil of ignorance

A method of thinking where one pretends to know nothing about their own personal circumstances to produce just outcomes without self-advantage.

Lexical priorities

In Rawls' theory, a ranking of principles where the first priority (Individual rights) must be fully met before the second priority (The difference principle) can be addressed.

The difference principle

The principle that social inequalities are acceptable only if they benefit the worst-off members of society, such as through progressive taxation.

Cohen’s critique

The argument that the difference principle allows talented people to hold their abilities hostage for a greater share of resources rather than freely contributing to the benefit of the worst off.

comparative method

Homo Economicus

The model of human behavior where individuals are materially self-interested, have well-set preferences, and act to maximize utility following the formula: $\text{expected [benefits]} - \text{expected [costs]} > 0$.

Formal institutions

Written rules that govern political behavior, such as a Constitution.

Informal institutions

Unwritten norms that govern political behavior, such as political traditions.

Horizontal accountability

The ability of different state institutions to hold one another accountable.

Vertical accountability

The ability of individuals and groups to hold state institutions accountable.

Duverger’s Law

The principle that Single Member Plurality (SMP) electoral systems tend to lead to a two-party system.

veto-points

Committee —> congressional approval (50%+) —> Senate approval (50%+) —> presidential approval

Lipset’s Formative Events

Theory that the American Revolution created self-selection by personality type, resulting in an American culture that is ideological, individualistic, and less trusting of authority.

Hartz’s Founding Fragment Theory

The theory that the first settlers in a new land establish a cultural fragment, and subsequent immigrants adopt the traits and beliefs of those original founders.

Grabb & Curtis’ Deep Structures Theory

Theory that Anglo-Canadians and the US North are similar, but differ due to the progressive influence of Quebecois vs. the conservative influence of the US South.

liberalism in the context of International relations

Anarchy exists, but can be managed; actors are not inherently malevolent. The liberal state can pursue cooperation for security and prosperity

Democratic Peace Hypothesis

Immanuel Kant's theory that the rise of democracy has reduced war because democracies do not go to war with each other and politicians are accountable to the people who fight.

McDonald's Peace Hypothesis

The idea that economic interdependence creates such high costs for aggressor nations that it discourages war.

realism in the context of international relations

Generally, abides Hobbes’ maxim: under anarchy, “life is nasty, brutish and short”. States prioritize protecting their sovereignty and are generally suspicious of one another’s intentions

Offensive realism

A branch of realism where states believe they must project their power and expand to ensure survival under anarchy.

Defensive realism

A branch of realism where states may be peaceful but uncertainty forces them to assume the worst about others' intentions and prepare for conflict.

neo-realism

A theoretical perspective in international relations that emphasizes the role of the international system's structure, particularly the distribution of power, in shaping state behavior and outcomes.

Black box of the state

A realist concept where the state is treated as a single personified actor with preferences, justified by the evolutionary argument that states failing to prioritize survival are eliminated.

Constructivism

An IR theory summarized by the phrase "Anarchy is what states make of it," suggesting that ideas, values, and identities determine how states react to anarchy.

Public goods

Goods that are non-rival and non-excludable, which markets tend to underprovide.

Externalities

Costs or benefits imposed on third parties that are not involved in a specific market transaction.

market power

The ability of firms or buyers to influence prices and output

asymmetric information

One party has more information than another in a transaction

Keynesian policy

The use of government spending and taxation levels to manage aggregate demand in the economy.

Monetary policy

The management of the economy primarily through the control of the money supply.

Political rents

Economic benefits created by government policies that provide special advantages to specific individuals, firms, or groups.

4 stages of policy making process

1. agenda setting

2. policy formation

3. policy implementation

4. policy evaluation

Expertise-accountability trade-off

The tension between delegating decisions to knowledgeable experts and maintaining control through officials who are democratically accountable to the public.

Principal-agent problem

A situation where a principal delegates authority to an agent whose interests or information differ from the principal's, making monitoring difficult.

top-down policy formation

Policies are designed and imposed by leaders, government officials, or experts at higher levels of authority

bottom up policy formation

Policies emerge from citizens, local governments, interest groups, or street-level bureaucrats and then move upward

Upstream regulation

Regulation that targets a problem at its source before any harmful effects occur.

Downstream regulation

Regulation that addresses a problem after it has already occurred or after the product has reached consumers.

administrative efficiency

The extent to which a government policy achieves its goals with minimal administrative costs, complexity, and bureaucracy

constitutions

a law of laws; establishes binding rules for:

• How lawmakers are selected from society

• How laws are made

  • E.g checks and balances bt branches of govt

• Establishes rules of state’s persecution of crimes (procedural justice)

  • Laws consistent with individual rights

  • Policy jurisdiction

common law

legal system where judges make decisions on their understanding of the written law AND also consider their understanding of previous cases

Stare decisis

A common law principle meaning "to stand by decisions and not disturb the undisturbed," where previous court decisions serve as binding precedents.

Code law

A legal system where judges must follow the law as written and are required to ignore past judicial decisions.