Foundations of Comparative Politics

Politics

The process of human decision-making that is inherently social and impacts society.

Political Science

The study of human decisions and the political processes involved.

Authority

Power vested in individuals or groups with the expectation that their decisions will be respected and enforced.

Political System

A community framework where political decisions are made, involving institutions like parliaments and courts.

Legitimacy

The popular acceptance of an authority, often seen as the right to rule.

State

A political system with sovereignty over a defined territory and population.

Sovereignty

The independent legal authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.

Government

Organizations of individuals empowered to make binding decisions for a community.

Nightwatchmen State

A government focused on law and order, with minimal intervention in individual decision-making.

Welfare State

A government that provides for individuals' needs, such as healthcare and social services.

Regulatory State

A government that regulates business activities and the economy.

State of Nature

A theoretical condition of humanity without government, influencing social contract theories.

Thomas Hobbes

Philosopher who viewed the State of Nature as chaotic and advocated for an absolute monarchy.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Philosopher who saw the State of Nature as ideal and believed governments restrict natural freedoms.

John Locke

Philosopher advocating for limited government to protect natural rights.

Public Sphere

The domain of collective decisions involving government action.

Private Sphere

The domain of individual actions that do not bind others outside a group.

Arguments for Government

Community building, security, social justice, and economic efficiency.

Arguments against Government

Violation of rights, economic inefficiency, and government for private gain.

Supranational Organizations

International entities that transcend national boundaries for collective decision-making.

BRICS

An example of a supranational organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Political Cleavage

Divisions based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, and language that affect political allegiances.

Cumulative Cleavage

Polarization where the same groups clash on multiple issues.

Cross-cutting Cleavage

Groups with shared interests on one issue may oppose each other on another.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A measure of a country's social and economic development.

Gross National Product (GNP)

Total economic output per person in a country.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a year.

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

A comparative measure of economies accounting for price level differences.

Democratization

The process of enhancing human rights and expanding freedoms in political systems.

Authoritarianism

A political system lacking key democratic features, often ruled by a few.

Totalitarianism

An extreme form of authoritarianism with complete control over citizens' lives.

Parliamentary Democracy

A system where the prime minister is elected from the majority party in parliament.

Presidential Democracy

A system with an independently elected president as the chief executive.

Unitary State

A political system where all power is centralized.

Federal State

A political system where power is divided between central and local authorities.

Political Culture

The public's attitudes towards politics and their role within the political system.

Political Socialization

The process through which individuals acquire their political values and behaviors.

Consensual Political Culture

A culture where citizens agree on political decision-making processes and major societal issues.

Conflicting Political Culture

A culture marked by sharp divisions among citizens regarding legitimacy and solutions to problems.

Trends in Political Development

Democratization, modernization, marketization, and globalization.