Class Notes 9/13

Intro to Comparative Politics

• Political systems

• Governmental institutions

• Formal/informal political arrangements + attitudes that support gov. Institutions

• Why are some countries prosperous and others not?

• Why do different types of governments predominate in certain regions and not others? (monarchy vs democracy, etc.)

• Why/how are certain individuals or groups able to exercise influence over public policy

• What explains political behavior?

• Who rules?

• Types of political behavior

What are we comparing?

Concepts: democracy, globalization

Main 6:

• United Kingdom

• Russia

• China

• Mexico

• Iran

• Nigeria

The Comparative Method

Ways to Compare

• Empirical data: facts, numbers, statistics

• Normative issues: based on value judgments

Empirical

• Economic development of countries (i.e. GDP)

  • Per capita income, imports/exports, mortality rates, etc.

Normative

• Do the above statistics bode well for this country?

  • Ethnocentrism

Comparative Approaches

Old Approach: Three Worlds

1. United States and its allies

2. Soviet Union and its allies

   1. Collapsed in 1991, but many relationships were carried over by Russia

3. Third World nations

   1. Economically deprived, underdeveloped

Newer Approaches

Democracy vs. authoritarianism (political)

Communism vs. capitalism (economic)

*Must also take into account:

• Role of informal politics: gain deeper understanding of political systems by connecting civil society to the way that formal government operates

  • Not only ways that politicians operate outside formal powers, but also impact of beliefs, values, and actions of citizens on policy-making

• Importance of political change: world no longer dominated by two superpowers

• Integration of political and economic systems: cannot truly be separated

  • Attitudes/behaviors of citizens affected by economic inefficiency, inequality, decision making

  • May turn to government for solutions, government must respond

Our Approach

1. Advanced democracies (consolidated/industrialized democracies): UK, US

2. Communist and post-communist countries (authoritarian): China, Russia

3. Newly Industrializing Countries (NICs) and Less Developed Countries (LDCs) → (transitional democracies): NICs = Mexico, Iran (?), LDC = Nigeria