lecture 8

Territorial perspective

a way of understanding politics that focusses on clearly defined territories, borders, communities, and established political authority.

Relational perspective

a way of understanding politics that focusses on networks, connections, cooperation, relationships across boundaries.

Neighbourhood effect

the influence of the local social environment and interactions with neighbours on people’s attitudes, behaviour, and voting preferences.

6 processes through which local environments can influence political behaviour:

• Local social interaction = people influence one another through direct contact with neighbours.

• Environmental selection = people choose to live among other with whom they feel connected, when they have that choice.

• Emulation = people copy the behaviour of neighbours without necessarily interacting with them.

• Environmental observation = people observe local problems and develop political preferences based on them.

• Local pressure = political parties or campaigners influence residents through local campaigning.

• Accommodation = people may adjust their political behaviour or attitudes to fit their social environment.

Polarization

the process through which differences between social or political groups become larger and more strongly opposed.

3 forms of polarization

• educational polarization = growing differences between educational groups.

• Opinion polarization = growing differences in political and cultural attitudes.

• Spatial polarization = increasing geographical separation of groups with different characteristics or opinions.

Welfare state

a state that provides social protection and public services to improve the well-being and economic security of its population.

2 types of economic political conflict:

• production —> questions about how wealth is created.

• distribution —> questions about how wealth and resources are shared.

Pillarization

the division of society into separate religious and ideological communities, each with its own institution and organizations.

Depoliticization

moving controversial political questions away from open public conflict and handling them through administrative arrangements or elite negotiations.

Thick networks

social relationships in which people have multiple overlapping connections with the same individuals.

Thin networks

more specialized, flexible relationships with many different people, often across different locations.

Electoral volatility

the extent to which voters change their party preferences between elections.

factors contributing to electoral volatility – Mair 2008

• Depillarization

• easy access for new political parties

• weak relationship between party choice and government choice

• leader-centred campeigning

• volatiltiy breeds volatitlity

Liberal-social democratic (LSD) state

• Constitutional question – liberals

  • Concerned with individual rights, laws, and limits on government power.

• Political question – democrats

  • Concerned with participation, representation, and the right to vote.

• Social question – socialists

  • Concerned with economic inequality, working conditions, and welfare.

Politics of contentment

a situation in which economically comfortable groups become less willing to support political policies that primarily benefit disadvantaged groups.

2 types of political crisis

• Rationality crisis = a situation in which the government struggles to manage economic problems effectively.

• Legitimation crisis = a situation in which citizens lose trust in the government or stop believing that its political authority is justified.

Distribution versus production

Represents traditional economic political questions

• Distribution – how should resources and wealth be shared?

• Production – how should economic growth and prosperity be created?

Inward versus outward

This represents newer cultural differences

• Inward – emphasis on protecting existing communities, traditions, and identities.

• Outward – emphasis on openness, change, and broader external relationships.

Materialist values prioritize

• Economic growth

• Physical safety

• Financial security.

Post-materialist values prioritize

• Individual autonomy

• Self-expression

• Quality of life.

Cultural backlash

a political reaction against social and cultural changes that challenge traditional values, identities, or ways of life.

how changes in society can lead to support for authoritarian-populist parties.

1. social structural change

   1. Societies experience higher living standards, expanding education, urbanization, and demographic change.

2. Silent revolution

   1. More people develop liberal and post-materialist values.

3. Cultural backlash

   1. Some groups react against these cultural changes because they see traditional norms and identities as being challenged.

4. Period effects

   1. Economic conditions and immigration developments can influence the strength of these reactions.

5. Votes to seats

   1. Electoral rules and competition between parties influence how public support becomes parliamentary representation.

6. Authoritarian-populist political actors

   1. Parties and leaders can mobilize these attitudes and become part of the political system

Ideological polarization

the increasing separation of individuals or groups into opposing sets of political beliefs.

Relative differences

Represents a political situation in which groups disagree, but their preferences still overlap.

Absolute differences

two groups have much less overlap in their political preferences.

Confirmation bias

the tendency to pay more attention to information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring or rejecting contradictory information.

3 forms of legitimacy:

• Social legitimacy – acceptance

  • People accept the political system and recognize its authority.

• Input legitimacy – following democratic rules

  • Political decisions are legitimate because citizens can participate in political processes and established procedures are followed.

• Output legitimacy – effectiveness and efficiency

  • Political institutions gain legitimacy by producing useful and effective outcomes.

Legitimation of power 3 approaches

• Max Weber —> legitimacy is associated with the popular acceptance of political authority.

• David Easton —> Political legitimacy is understood through the relationship between inputs, political processes, outputs, and feedback.

• David Beetham —> legitimacy depends on whether power is exercised according to rules, receives consent, and can be justified using shared social beliefs.

Beetham identifies 3 important dimensions:

• Legitimacy –> power must be obtained and exercised according to established rules.

• Expressed consent —> people must have opportunities to express support.

• Justifiability —> political authority must be justifiable according to the shared norms, values and belief of the community.

Justifiability

the extent to which political authority can be defended using the values and beliefs accepted by a community.

3 social norms:

• Source of political authority —> what gives leaders the right to govern?

• Purpose of government —> what should political authority achieve?

• Efficiency —>

external sources

ideas that claim authority beyond a particular community.

Internal sources

ideas rooted within a particular political community.

Jane Jacobs – moral systems

• Guardian moral syndrome = associated with political authority, territorial protection, hierarchy, and established institutions.

• Commercial moral syndrome = associated with trade, voluntary cooperation, contracts, innovation, and relationships between different actors.

Territorial legitimacy

focusses on established institutions, citizens, borders, continuity, and the protection of the community.

Relational legitimacy

focusses on cooperation, flexibility, expertise, practical solutions, and networks extending across boundaries.