Comparative Politics Midterm

Comparative politics focuses on?

Politics within national boundaries

The difference between empirical theory and normative theory is that?

-empirical theory is an abstract argument that provides a systematic explanation of some phenomena; normative theory generates lessons from one place to apply in another

-normative theory is an abstract argument that provides a systematic explanation of some phenomena; empirical theory generates lessons from one place to apply in another

-normative theory describes what actually occurs; empirical theory describes what ought to occur

-empirical theory describes what actually occurs; normative theory describes what ought to occur

empirical theory describes what actually occurs; normative theory describes what ought to occur

Quantitative Methods are used in comparative politics in order to allow?

-the study of a large number of cases

-proving causation

-obtaining in-depth information for individual cases

-applicability to most questions and data

the study of a large number of cases

A comparative study looking at revolutions in France, China, Nicaragua, and Iran would be an example of what research method?

-case study

-most similar system design

-quantitative statistical technique

-most different system design

most different system design

Case studies are unable to

-highlight the limitations of theory

-prove or disprove theory

-provide depth on individual cases

-generate ideas for theory

prove or disprove theory

Quantitative techniques can show broad patterns, but only for question's involving evidence that can be presented numerically; and provide

-a clear picture of specific cases

-little depth on any particular case

-little depth on all cases

-a lot of information on all cases

little depth on any particular case

Which method is best suited for generating new ideas and insights that can lead to new theories?

-quantitative techniques

-method of most differences

-case studies

-comparative methods

case studies

The Glorious Revolution in 1688 in England ______.

-caused a long period of religious conflict

-eliminated the British monarchy

-marked the start of the shift of the source of legitimacy from monarchy to democracy

-was inspired by a similar development in France

marked the start of the shift of the source of legitimacy from monarchy to democracy

Federalism is a political system in which ______.

-a state's power is constitutionally divided among more than one level of government

-subnational governments have more power than the national government

-there are three branches of government

-the central government is the only one established in the constitution

a state's power is constitutionally divided among more than one level of government

Germany unified as a state for the first time under ______.

-Helmut Kohl

-Martin Luther

-Otto von Bismarck

-Adolf Hitler

Otto von Bismarck

Brazil differed from Spanish colonies in South America in that it ______.

-used slave labor for its agricultural production

-did not have a royal family

-had a thriving indigenous population

-gained independence as a single country

gained independence as a single country

The New Deal programs in the United States in the 1930s began an increase in the size of the U.S. government and ______.

-equalized the role of the states vis-à-vis the central government

-decreased the role of the bureaucracy

-strengthened the role of the central government vis-à-vis the states

-emphasized the role of the judiciary vis-à-vis the executive

strengthened the role of the central government vis-à-vis the states

At the present time, China has a ______.

-flagging economy and a politically mobilized population

-communist political and economic system

-democratic political system and a socialist economy

-market-oriented economy and a stable authoritarian government

market-oriented economy and a stable authoritarian government

What development(s) best characterize the period of the Meiji Restoration beginning in the 1860s in Japan?

-The rise of the Liberal Democratic Party

-The Constitution of 1947

-Centralization of power, modernization, and imperialism

-The establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate

Centralization of power, modernization, and imperialism

What country unified on the basis of "language-based nationalism" in the 19th century?

-The United Kingdom

-Germany

-Japan

-The Unites States

Germany

According to Max Weber, modern states are distinguished by ______.

-homogenous populations

-charismatic leaders

-rational-legal legitimacy

-national economic planning

rational-legal legitimacy

The modern state first appeared and developed in ______.

-Europe

-Oceania

-North America

-Asia

Europe

The idea that the state is the sole authority within its territory that can make and enforce laws is best called ______.

-state strength

-internal sovereignty

-legitimacy

-external sovereignty

internal sovereignty

What are the three different types of legitimate authority?

-traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal

-organizational, tenured, and relational

-spiritual, foundational, and legal governing

-expert, ability, and result-based

traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal

The Soviet state ______.

-took control of all legal economic activity

-created a federal system in which the republics held significant power

-lasted less than 50 years

-failed to industrialize the country

took control of all legal economic activity

What are the two major religions of Nigeria?

-Christianity and Hinduism

-Judaism and Hinduism

-Christianity and Islam

-Islam and Judaism

Christianity and Islam

One of the major factors contributing to the Iranian Revolution in 1979 was ______.

-the lack of effort to improve infrastructure

-a political system that granted citizens extreme freedom

-popular dissatisfaction with the extent of foreign influence over the Iranian government

-lack of economic reform

popular dissatisfaction with the extent of foreign influence over the Iranian government

The collapse of the Soviet Union came about in part from the ______.

-destruction of World War II

-regime's inability to modernize the economy

-dissolution of the country's military

-need for economic change to try to keep up with Western economic growth

need for economic change to try to keep up with Western economic growth

India's political system can be characterized as ______.

-relatively corrupt but democratic

-economically successful but highly unpopular

-foreign dominated and weak

-closed and semiauthoritarian

relatively corrupt but democratic

The British administered their colonies in Africa through ______.

-patron-client relationships

-locally elected councils

-private corporations

-local leaders

local leaders

The modernist school of political culture theory believes that ______.

-political attitudes may be symptoms of political activity rather than the cause of it

-political cultures are constantly evolving

-clear attitudes, values, and beliefs can be identified within a political culture

-it is more important to look at conflict over values and beliefs than at consistency

clear attitudes, values, and beliefs can be identified within a political culture

Which of the following is an example of a likely rational choice argument to explain why the ruling class adopts a specific ideology to support its hegemony?

-psychology

-good of the community

-self-interest

-cultural values

self-interest

The two-term limit on the presidency of the United States is an example of ______.

-a political economy explanation

-an informal institution that was later formalized

-historical determinism

-a formal institution that broke down

an informal institution that was later formalized

If you believe that identity groups are defined unambiguously by such clear criteria as kinship, culture, language, or phenotype, you probably belong to which of the following schools of thought?

-primordialism

-nationalism

-instrumentalism

-constructivism

primordialism

The ability and right of a group to partially govern itself within a larger state is best defined as ______.

-autonomy

-legal segregation

-jus sanguinis

-nationalism

autonomy

A sense of national unity and purpose based on a set of commonly held political beliefs is known as ______.

-cultural nationalism

-chauvinism

-political identity

-civic nationalism

civic nationalism

The recognition of the existence of specific groups and granting some share of power in the central government to each is known as ______.

-nationalism

-consociationalism

-primordialism

-instrumentalism

consociationalism

Civic nationalists see group rights as ______.

-essential to democracy

-a temporary stage on the path to individual rights

-dangerous and divisive

-naturally occurring

dangerous and divisive

Identify the argument that reflects the view of the classic liberal position in the group versus individual rights debate.

-Only individuals can have rights.

-Nationalism is important to the development of modern states.

-Discussion should not be about particular interests, but about the collective good.

-Groups should not have special rights because they can pursue goals contrary to the state.

Only individuals can have rights.

That individuals can activate their membership in a particular category at a particular time, but they cannot create or significantly modify the categories individually, is an example of ______.

-constructivism

-nationalism

-idealism

-ethnicism

constructivism

What was the first modern state?

-England

-France

-US

-Germany

Germany

Politics

process by which human groups make collective decisions

Steven Lukes 3 dimensions of power

1st- Power of one to get another something it wouldn't otherwise do

2nd- The power to make someone do and keep them form doing

3rd- Shape or determine political demands by causing people to think about political issues in ways that are contrary to their interests

Theory

abstract argument that provides systematic explanation of phenomenon

empirical theory

explains what actually occurs

normative theory

explains what ought to have occurred

Rational Choice theory

Adam Smith-Individuals are rational and they bring a set of defined preferences in into political arena , people pursue their personal preferences, can't explain preferences at the time so cant predict political behavior

Individual actors

observe outcomes and demonstrate how outcome was a result of individual

hard to explain variation across cases

psychological factors

focuses on individual interests but question the assumption of rational actor and are interested in how political preferences, non-rational influences explain political behavior

Political culture

set of widely held attitudes, values, beliefs, and symbols about politics, shape and distribute power in society

influenced and influences ideology and attitudes

Political socialization

process through which ppl especially the young learn about politics and are taught a societies political values and beliefs

Modernists

believe that clear attitudes, values, and beliefs can be identified within any particular culture, cultures are fixed

civic culture part of modernist

citizens hold democratic values leading them to actively participate in politics and defer leadership to let it govern effectively

post materialist

as a result of WWII economic expansion, most citizens in wealthy countries were less concerned with economic issues and more about quality of life

Post-modernist

cultures are not fixed and clearly defined values but sets of symbols subject to interpretation

Political discourse

the ways in which a society speaks and writes about politics

Structuralism

early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; broader structures in a society at the very least influence and limit perhaps even determine political behavior

Marxism-structualism

Economic structures determine political behavior

Institutionalism- part of structuralism

political rules and institutions are products of the interaction and bargaining of actors, and once created, constitute the rules of the game within which rational actors operate limits self-interested political behavior

organizations and activities that are self perpetuating and valued for own

path dependent(difficult to disturb) vary from country to country

follow rational choice theory

Historical institutionalism

institutions play bigger role in explaining political behavior, institutions limit self-interested political behavior, influence who is involved and shape individual preferences

examines the historical evolution of institutions to demonstrate how these institutions limit slef interested political behavior

Pluralist theories- Dahl

contend that society is divided into various political groups and that power is dispersed among them so that no group has complete or predominant power

Elite theories

all societies are ruled by one or more sets of elites, 2nd and third dimensions of power

Method of differences- John mill

why very similar systems end up with different outcomes

Method of agreement

why do very similar systems end up with different outcomes

Political development

the development of the modern state

Nation

group of people who perceive themselves as sharing a sense of belonging and who share common language, culture, and traditions

State

an ongoing administrative apparatus that develops and administers laws and generates and implements public policies in a specific territory

regime

type of government

Characteristic of modern state

claim over territory, external and internal sovereignty, claim to legitimacy, bureaucracy

Territory

not necessarily fixed but clearly defined

Sovereignty

external and internal

internal state authority within territory capable of making and enforcing laws and policies

enforce sovereignty by claiming monopoly on the legitimate use of force

soul legitimate governing body within a territory

Legitimacy

recognized right to rule

claims that states and others make about why they have right to rule

empirical fact of whether their population accepts it

Traditional legitimacy-weber

the right to rule based on a society's long-standing patterns and practices

divine right of kings

Charismatic legitimacy-weber

right to rule based on personal virtue, heroism, sanctity, characteristics

mao zedong

Rational legal legitimacy- weber

right to rule of leaders who are selected according to accepted laws

Bureaucracy

large set of appointed officials who implement laws

strengthens sovereignty

Political goods

security, rule of law, functioning legal system, infrastructure, ed, public health care

weak states

limited statehood provide some political goods widely but others only in certain areas of the country

Failed state

state that loses sovereignty over all or part of the territory

Resource curse

the difficulties faced by resource-rich developing countries, including dependence on exporting one or a few commodities whose prices fluctuate, as well as potentials for corruption and inequality

a govt that can gain enough revenue from only mineral ectraction does not need to worry about rest of economy and population, rebels are more incentivized to war than compromise because if they can overpower the govt they will gain the resource and power

contemporary international legal system

prolongs life of weak states as it established norm that hostile takeover of other states was unacceptable

quasi states

legal sovereignty and international recognition but lack most domestic attributes of modern state

Primordialism

theory of identity that sees identity groups as being in some sense "natural" or God given as having existed since "time" and as defined unambiguously by such criteria kinship, language, culture, or phenotype

national identities are premodern and universal

natural and even biological

national identity same as ethnic, racial, or tribal

Constructivism Anderson-modernism

identities are created through a complex process known as social constructivism- societies collectively construct identities as a wide array of actors continually discuss the question of who we are

individuals and groups construct national identity

mass literacy and declining importance of privilege and access to script

divine right and heredity decline

people imagined themselves and others as members of the same limited and sovereign group or nation

Identity groups

demand recognition of themselves as distinct identity and their legitimate concerns

some groups demand autonomy

representation and full participation in political process

better social status

multicultural integration

accepts that ethnocultural identities matter, will endure to be recognized and accommodated within political institutions in contrast to assimilation

consuciationalism

democratic system designed to ease ethnic tensions via recognizing the existence of specific groups and granting some share of power in the central government to each, usually codified in specific legal or constitutional guarantees to each group

Against group rights

institutionalists argue that special groups rights undermine norm of = citizenship

Centripetal approach

means used by democracies to resolve ethnic conflict by giving political leaders and parties incentives to moderate their demands

nation

a state that claims itself as such and and has or seeks control of a state

Nationalism

the desire to be a nation and thus control a national state

belief that the world is and should be divided into nations that believe they have a unique political destiny and desire self-govt through statehood

Ethnic/Cultural nationalism

national unity based on a common cultural heritage

nation as a matter of ancestry or ethnic lineage

Germany Japan Russia Eastern Europe

Jus sanguinis

blood over residence have to have cultural heritage

Civic Nationalism

national unity and purpose is based on set of commonly held political beliefs

defined in terms of citizenship and participation

France US

Jus soli

the law of soil, which determines citizenship based on where a person is born or residence

Modernism

national identity must apply to majority of population which sees itself as = and demands sovereignty

Eric Hobsbawm and Gellner- modernism structualism

nationalism was an elite movement linked to the rapid rise of the middle class and spread of literacy

structuralism- changes in economy define national identity

-capitalism required socially mobile, literate, homogenous, and interchangeable workers

-State standardized language and education official documents

-capitalism created nationalism to serve fundamental needs

ethnic groups

see themselves as united by 1 or more cultural attributes or a sense of common history, but do not have or seek states

identity is imagined not always political unlike national identity

a social category constructed as cultural

Race

distinction between ethnic group and race is ambiguous

human beings socially defined by physical characteristics

ethnic identity usually originates partially by self assertion

race originates due to others assertion

emphasis on perception because more similarities than differences

minority groups will see their political interests tied to racial identity because they face discrimination on that basis

racial categories seen as fixed but are not

Individualistic nationalism

nation is a voluntary association of individuals

US

Collectivist Nationalism

will of nation transcends the will of individuals

Germany Japan Russia Eastern Europe France

Categories

are socially constructed and shift contextually not immediately clear what categories are most appropriate

not the same as a social group

Influences

well defined and universal

attitudes

the speed and the method of change if there is need for it

Liberalism

political and economic freedom over collective equality

Anarchism

both individual freedom and collective equality important

utopia never practiced