Political Science 100

What is Politics?

What is Politics?

"Politics is social activity involved when a group of people has discussion over what the group should be doing and how it should achieve its goals"

Recurring theme

• Competing interests and values inside any given groups

• "who gets what, when and how"

what are 3 Laswell's vision of politics

• scarcity of resources

• conflicts and competition => main characters of politics

• cooperation and consensus building, sharing resources

Give 3 reasons for negative POV of POWER in politics

• Power is unevenly distributed

• Power corrupts

• Power conflicts and abused

Give at least 3 reasons of positive POV of POWER in politics

• Democracy and cooperation

• Power as a productive thing

• Power allow changing the world and people's lives for the better => a mean to achieve goals

Define Normative approach in Politics (what it questions and concern with?)

• Questions norms and values

• "What ought to be" as opposed to what "is"

• Concerned with ethical questions

• Influence of values in political values/motivations

Example of how Normative approach works

• How a person votes => looking at their personal beliefs => things that can't be turned into data. What kind of model and standards shapes politics in society?

• To identify the effects of certain norms or values on politics

• Recognize bias in research

• determine what is desirable and good in politics

Define the Semantic approach

• Focuses on the meaning of the concept used when talking about or representing politics.

Example of how Semantic approach works

• Where these concepts came from Ex. when talking about indigenous topics can we use the term 'sovereignty'

• Focuses on language, writing, representations, symbols used to describe political events/situations

What is Positivism?

• holds that science must limit itself to what is observable and insists on a clear separation between fact and value.

What is the relationship between Positivism and normative approach?

-positivism holds that normative claims are meaningless: The only meaningful statements are those that can be either investigated empirically, by observation, or examined semantically.

Define empirical approach

• Focuses on identifying observable phenomena, closest to scientific methods. Break down a phenomenon that is measurable, analyse data that are measurable => and collect data that is measurable (certain knowledge)

The differences between normative approach and empirical approach

• Opposed to thinking "its ought to be that way"

• Be objective as possible

• Achieve certainty

Define behaviouralism in the Empirical approach

• Develop in the USA after 1945

• Aim to apply scientific method to study of social phenomena like politics

• Aspires to perfect objectivity

• Measures and predict human behaviour

• BUT Critics say knowledge produced is debatable

What is deductive reasoning in empirical approach?

• Rational choice theories of politics

• Rational choice analysis developed in economics

• Starts with fundamental assumptions about human behaviour

• Deduced before tested against facts

• Assumes humans are rational beings

What is inductive reasoning in empirical approach?

• Behaviouralism

• Start with empirical observations

• Draw explanatory generalisations from them

• Focuses more on gathering data than generation of theory

What is the ancient Greek Polis?

• Politics comes from greek word "polis"

• Notion of polis is heart of what we concern with political science

• Translated as city/ city-state

• Polis form of political entity, form of political community, unified moral body => Notion of the Common Good

The relationship between Ancient Greek and the Common Good

• Ancient Greek, a well-ordered city-state was necessary to achieve the COMMON GOOD. - This is what members of the community shared, officials (documents) to all of them as a community, collective notions

• For Plato, the COMMON GOOD is to Politics what TRUTH is to philosophy -> the highest goals

• The COMMON GOOD is also applied to the best interest of community

Why is Polis similar to state we live in today?

• Each polis has own governance

• Difference law making powers

• Responsible for laws of polis

• Making sure community well governed, ordered

• Each was autonomous

• Culturally, politically different

In Polis, politics viewed as... Politics as a human activity, purpose, done in a...

rational activity conscious way

What are the ways to achieve Common Good?

• Deliberation, public speech, and dialogues are means to achieve the Common Good

Plato believed that who should governance the polis and why so?

• Plato believes that the polis should be governed by philosophers (people who know that TRUTH).

• They don't want to be in charge, they don't want power. - Their whole life is orientated to seek the TRUTH. They know what the COMMON GOOD commands. THE COMMON GOOD ⇔ THE TRUTH

What is Machiavellian?

• Utilitarian → end justifies means

• Self interested

• Extremist

When did Machiavelli write The Prince? and when was he born

• 1513 and published in 1532

• 1469

Why did he write the Prince?

• To convince the government to let him back into a position of power.

• Trying to flatter the Prince, he is smart, has something to offer, he is also benevolent and wanted to offer practical. (A mirror to the Prince)

• In the language of his time, he was addressing the top of the city-states (prince = highest power)

What is Machiavelli is often considered of and what is that idea entitled?

• Often considered the first Modern political theorist

• Western political thought, "modern" = not referring to time/time period -> Referring to the political context that revolves around the state

What is Raison d'Etat?

• the interest of the states as an institution.

What did Machiavelli idea of radical separation (what made him a modernist) ?

• Insist radical separation of politics, religions, and question of ethics

• Politics is art, activity, has its own rationality

• Conceptualise power w/o reference to morality/religion

• Maintain the Security of the State

• Prince could rule without consideration of God

What were Machiavelli's ideas about power?

• Practical view of power

• Politics is practical activity

• How can the Prince gain and maintain power

• The end justifies the means -> Maintain power and security-> act unethically

According to Machiavelli, what do the the prince have to do (based on his practical questions)

• Prince have to "act in defiance of good faith, charity, kindness, religion"

• Prince must be willing, able to do above

• For Machiavelli, the end always justifies the means

What are the qualities of a good Prince?

• Prince should be willing to make unpopular decisions for the state

• The prince power doesn't come from God or from rare knowledge of Truth

• Power comes from ability to enact virtue, act in interest of City-state

• Ultimately prince can only count on himself and his virtu

differneces between Virtue and Virtu

• Virtue deals with morality

• Virtu is political effectiveness

Different between the Politics and Virtu

• Politics is a matter of practical skills, vision, talent, attitude, and dedication.

• Virtue implies strength, flexibility, and wisdom (in which have talent, right attitude and dedication)

How do we know if the Prince has virtu?

• if he achieves honour, glory, and fame

• "One ought to be both feared and loved, but as it is diff for two go tgtg, musch safer to be feared than loved"

• Anti democratic

What is Fortuna?

• The goddess of chance, control the world's destiny. Unpredictable

• Changes of fortune will inevitably happen

• Power -> requires flexibility -> adapt to changing circumstances.

• Be impetuous, never retreats and not overly prudent

What is the idea of the Prince that associate with Fortuna?

• Fortuna os "the arbiter of half the things we do"... "the other half or so [is] to be controlled by ourselves

• An impetuous prince os more likely to have his way, than one who is overly cautious

• Ultimately, prince needs courage, to adapt, to change, to face difficulties

Legal and moral in Anitgone

What is legal isn't always moral, what is moral isn't always legal

What was Creon's ruling was an example of in Antigone?

• Arbitrary and tyranny (censorship and power)

• He doesn't follow due process

• His law is made/ applied inconsistently

• The application of his law depends on the use of physical force

• It does not align with the majority's notion of justice

• Unpredictable and unreason, no reasons on how these powers work

Tyranny in Creon's ruling

• Creon operate on the basis of fear, physical forces and coercion

Arbitrary power in Creon's ruling

• Unpredictable and with no logic behind it

Justice in Antigone

• Justice is normative notion

• Largely an idea, an ideal

Law in Antigone

• Law is a mechanism, political means to achieve justice

• Yet, the law is NOT NECESSARY ALWAYS JUST

Opposition in Antigone

• Opposition and protest are important aspects of politics

• Speaks truth to Power

Relationship between law and politics

• Politics often exists in the margins of law

• Law isn't necessary equivalent to politics Politics doesn't always come from a place of power

Antigone is considered a symbol of?

• "speaks truth to power"

• "opposing law when it is unjust"

• Parrhesia: "To speak freely with an obligation to be truthful and for the sake of the common good. Even at the cost of facing consequences"

What is Democracy?

• Method of collective decision making

• People affected by decision should be making decision

• Premised on equality of all members of grp

• Everyone has equal say

• Power rests with people

• Democracy is matter of political equality

What is direct democracy?

• a government in which people vote to make their own rules and laws

• people who are affected by the decision, they are directly involved in the decision making

What is a representative democracy? (definition)

• a government in which citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf

• elect people that represent our will and interests in a governmental institution

What is Tyranny of the Majority and the idea of equality in representative democracy?

• "equality of all groups" =/ does not say equality among who

• 1 person= 1 vote =/ equality

• minority whose will and interests are not represented to the same extent as others.

Define legitimacy in democracy

• the quality of someone or an institution that has a rightful claim to exercising authority or power.

Define political obligation in democracy

• Democracy is often cited as the main reason why citizens have an obligation to obey the law

• In democracy, laws are made by elected representatives and are said to express the will of the power

What are the basic elements of Representative Democracy

• Competition: between different options

• Accountability: people choosing their government/ remove them

• Equality (one adult citizen = one vote)

• People must have the possibility of changing their government if they want (Lively, 1975)- according to the will that people voted and the interest of the population

What are the basic elements and the idea of separation of power in Liberal Democracy?

• The basic elements of representative democracy

• Separation of power: government =/ courts of law => they don't intertwine with each other => ACCOUNTABILITY

Human and civil rights aspect of Liberal Democracy

• Freedom of thought and speech

• Freedom from harm

• Freedom of association and petition

• Free market economy (laissez-faire) = fundamental element of liberalism. VIEW as basic human rights

What are the ideas of the Rule of Law?

• The rule of law is a liberal democratic principle

• Everyone is equal before the law

• No one is above the law

• Laws are made based on due process

• Laws have to make consistent with the constitution

• Constrain the government to a certain extend

• The processes involved in making and applying the law must be transparent and public

• The courts are the guardian of the rule of law

What are the problem concerning with majority rule?

• tyranny of the majority

• Democracy implies being ruled according to the will of the majority

• Government has to rule in everyone's interests

• The minority (minorities) isn't getting the same level of representation

• The minority can also be discriminated against as a result of democratic decisions

• More than 2 government => minorities are disregarded

What is negative liberty? (Isaiah Berlin)

• Freedom from external constraint Ex. american bill of rights (first ten amendments)

• In what area should a person be left to be free to do what they want without government interference?

What is Positive liberty ? ( Isaiah Berlin )

• Freedom to attain desired outcome and self-development Ex. liberal welfare state (free education, health care, childcare)

• What form of support/ intervention from the government is required to allow a person to positively enjoy their freedom?

What is Democratic Elitism?

• Elitism is a perspective according to which state institutions are and should be controlled by political leaders

• Ordinary citizens are happy to leave politics to the elites.

What is Protective Democracy?

• Democracy is seen as a mechanism where people protect themselves from the intervention of the government

• See participation as a burden that individuals accept only to endure that politicians are accountable

• Negative freedom

What did Schumpeter believe in for Democratic Elitism?

• Argues it's possible to reconcile elitism and democracy

• Different elites rep difference interest/values (compete for the privilege of representing people)

• Citizen choose preferred elites, but not policies

• Claimed masses are irrational

• Citizens can be easily manipulated

• Political judgement weak

What is Participatory democracy and its idea on citizen?

• Citizen participation is said to deepen democracy by installing civic values and making more informed citizens

• Deepens democracy

• Citizens who participate = more virtuous, intelligent

• Understand need for cooperation

• Self worth increases

What is deliberative democracy?

• based on the work of Jurgen Habermas

• Choices must be developed through deliberation, debate, and reflection

• Public debate increases the rationality and legitimacy of the decisions that are being made

• Important for citizens to have places where there can be face-to-face deliberations (Discussion, municipal, consultation.

What are the criques concerning Deliberative democracy?

• Not enough for voters to have opportunity to exercise political choice

• True democracy must allow choices to be develop through discussion/reflection.

• too difficult to reach consensus, exaggerating the facility in which we can reach consensus in a deliberative model (everyone has different backgrounds/believes)

What is institution?

• Established organization that present "regular patterns of behaviour that give stability and predictability to social life (Garner et al. 154)

• Institutions can be informal (families social classes)

• Some are formal (states, governments, political parties....)

Max Weber's definition on sovereignty

• the state is an institution claiming a "monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force in enforcing its order within a given territorial area".

• Idea of sovereignty is specific to state

• Monopoly, we know it speaks to the state

• State only allowed to use legitimate power

What are the idea of Sovereignty State ?

• The state has sovereignty, for example, "supreme authority to make and enforce law inside a given territory".

• In theory sovereignty is above challenge

• In practice, sovereignty is often challenged inside and outside the state

Define "Monopoly of Physical Power"

State can do what is necessary to make sure law is represented => order

State is a 2 level concepts

• Referring to government of country, executive government

• OR structure of political authority

• Structure of Political Authority -> State has permanence → continues to exist even when the government removed from power (court, police)

How did Max Weber refer to what is legitimate?

• Democracy: make sure there is no abuse in power

• States: can only use force that is considered legitimate

What is De Jure ?

• Legal right to rule supremely

• Legal status of state

• What gives state right to be recognized by UN

• A flag that is recognized by other state

What is De Facto?

-Actual ability of government to wield political power & authority

• Ability to maintain order

• External challenges → globalisation

• The things connect states diminishes states ability to make decisions by itself

Define coercion

• Sheer physical force, sheer power

• No consent

Define manipulation

• Illegitimate authority

• Middle ground

• Managed to make group do something

Define consent

• Legitimate authority

• Consent is freely given

• Acceptance that power is legal and right

What are the threefold classification of authority that Max Weber proposed?

• Traditional: based on traditional customs and values

• Charismatic: based on the personality and the quality of a person (Make judgements on basis of charisma)

• Legal - rational: based on the status of a person's office and or the legality of the process by which they obtained this position of authority (judges are nominated, not elected.

3 typology of the State in which they can be classified based on

1, how much they intervene in society (pp22)

• Night watchman state

• Welfare state

• Socialist state 2, how democratic they are (p24)

• Liberal democracies

• Illiberal democracies

• Authoritarian regimes

• Totalitarian regimes 3, How strong or weak they are (p 167 b- 172)

What is Pluralism according to Robert Dalh?

• one of the most important theorists of classical pluralism

• A normal feature of any society is the presence of multiple groups, each with their own interests and pursuing their own objectives.

• Groups compete to exercise political and economic influence inside society.

• The role of the state is to regulate and mediate between these groups.

• Power is diffuse or fragmented between different political actors.

What are the Three Key ideas in Pluralism?

• Political influence takes different forms

• Power is more complex than who has who doesn't

• No group can claim exclusive influence on society, not even government

• Even on given topic there is always competition between diff grps holding dif interests and vision (This is what politics is according to pluralists)

What is the New Right?

• The movement aimed at implementing neoliberal ideas (support NEGATIVE FREEDOM)

• An ideology based in liberal, claimed to be the new version

• Mode of governance, exercising power inside the state

• Based on the protection of individual rights, liberty

• Tied to Social Contract Theory

What are New Right POV on neo-liberal?

• Think liberal welfare state overstepped its original purpose

• As an institution, the state has grown out of proportion both in terms of its size and powers

• Rollback services

• State reduces in size

• Reduce money taxpayers (redistribution of health add burden on taxpayers)

• Bring back to the value of negative freedom and individual freedom

What is the Social contract tradition?

• the state exists as an institution, the origin of the state is found on the contract.

• Citizens make the law with the protection of individual liberty

• Trade-off individual liberty for protection and individual rights.

What are the 2 reasons for the expansion of the state according to the New Right?

• Democracy: election results in politicians over-promising new things

• State bureaucracy: bureaucracy of any state has a tendency to view its own growth as a good thing => want to take on more responsibility

What are the New Right Political Programs?

• Tax cut

• Roll back welfare services

• Free trade

• Privatisation of state industries and corporations

What is political system?

• Large arena within which institutions compete or cooperate for influence

• Example:

• In the electoral system, parties compete to be elected and form the government

• In the European modern state system states compete and or cooperate for greater influence and the defence for their interests

The three principles of the Peace of Westphalia?

• Sovereign states have a fundamental right to self-determination (autonomy)

• Legal equality between states

• Nonintervention

Sovereign states of the Peace of Westphalia

• Sovereign states have fundamental right to self-determination

• Right to political autonomy

• Recognized sovereign states have rights to pursue own affairs as they see fit and the exercise power inside their boundaries as they see fit

• Established sovereignty of sovereign states

Non Intervention idea in the Peace of Westphalia

• No states, other institution, clergies, have right to interfere within state

• Influence stops at the border

• Asserts states borders

• Recognise sovereignty and independence

• Formalise idea: states are institutions claiming exclusive power, have supreme authority over a territory

What is External function?

• Managing relations with other states

• Protecting their sovereignty population and territory from external threats

What are the State three main internal functions according to Gill?

• Partisan

• Guardian

• Tool

Define Partisan in the state internal function

• States pursue own institutional interests

• Continuity of independence and authority

• Continue their existence

• Sort of going after idea: raison d'etat

Define Guardian in the state internal function

• States work in interest of their population, focus on unity

• States need to balance various interest → pluralism

• Respond to population's expectations as to what they should be doing

• Human security, services to the population, the justice system, democracy and freedom to participate in politics

Define Tool in the state internal function

• states can be used as a "pliable instruments" used by one or more groups in society to achieve their own interests -> use states as a leverage to achieve their own goals

Defining Colonialism

• Colonialism is a practice of dominations, which involves the political, economic, and cultural subjugation of one people to another

Define settler colonialism.

• Practice of domination involving ongoing, permanent settlement of a colonising settle population

• Implies land appropriation and displacement of Indigenous population

• When state relied on permanent bureaucracy to enact actions

Primary and Secondary purposes of Colonialism

• Primary purpose: Exploitation of human/natural resources

• Secondary motivation: More ideological

• Spread of so-called civilisation

• Viewed as european's responsibility

• Saw themselves as centre of universal progress

• The spread of European political and bureaucratic structures world - wide was seen as contributing to humanity's progress

• When former colonies gained or took their independence, they tended to make sure of the structure already in place

Define Imperialism

• Ways in which one country exercise power over another country

• Can be done direct/indirectly

• Larger category than colonialism

• Not always implies colonialism

• BUT colonialism always implies imperialism

• Colonialism always done direct, imperialism can be indirect

How was Westphalia exported through the world?

• 1870s, European focus to gain power bc of resources

• 1884, European leaders met in berlin

• Scramble for africa. Discuss how to divide continent, conquer Africa

• In 20 years, entire continent divided by european power

• Complete disregard pre-existing population and political views

• Borders drawn w disregard to ppls traditional governance

Colonialism and the State that we are living in today

• Nothing natural about states we live in -> historically shaped by relations of power -> evaluation and critiques are needed

• State is not necessarily the most important in politics -> just the dominant institutions

• State form is presented throughout the world -> colonialism - > State not necessarily a universal form of governance

Definition of Ideology

• Set of ideas designed to describe existing political order

• a vision of what the ideal political order should look like

• A set of belief for the world and how it should run, exercising.

• The means to act politically to go from what exists to what we want

• Pathway for actions, programs

• evolve over time and have different stands or schools of thoughts within them

• Not mutually exclusive -> Overlap