POLISCI 1025 Lecture Notes

• [ ] December 20, 2025 - Final

• Is politics the master science?

  • Aristotle = Father of European/Western Political Science

  • Master science determines community, individual actions, lives, etc

    • If vaccines save lives, and the government takes out the funding to create vaccines there won’t be anymore

Why is it the master science?

Three types of Questions

• Descriptive: what & how are things?

• Explanatory: why are things this way?

• Normative: how should things be?

Distributive Justice

How wealth, work, rights, and so on are shared fairly within a community

What is the problem with distributive justice?

• Who should get what?

• What should be distributed?

• Money? Opportunities? Rights?

Property Rights

• Owners of resources have (limited) rights to determine what to do with them

  • The Prime Minister does not own everything in Canada

• Objects, land, buildings, factories

• Cluster of rights: possess (exclude others), use, sell, give away, destroy

  • Eg. Laptop

    • YOUR possession, which means other students are not permitted to use it, sell it, give it away, or destroy it

• ‘Create’ the problems

Karl Marx: Money Changes Everything

• Transforms (perverts) human relations

  • ‘I should care more about Person A vs Person B because Person A is a doctor and makes more money than Person B who is a graphic designer’

  • Transactional Relationships: think Justine Tioco & Bella Wang

• Means: ‘Procurer of peoples & nations’

• End: itself (wealth)

• Money talk debases our language

  • Only about turning people into money

    • Eg. AI taking over peoples jobs

What is the true foundation of private property?

• Karl Marx, Capital, Volume 1

What justifies a system of property rights?

• Promoting utility

• Protecting natural rights

• Securing freedom

  • If I bought a house then it is my house and I am safe there

• Ensuring equality

What does utilitarianism say about property rights?

• Choose the distribution that maximizes happiness, well-being, or utility

  • If we have a house you’re gonna look after the lawn because it’s your responsibility

  • If you have flowers you’re gonna water them because when they’re pretty it makes you happy

• Impartiality: equal concern

  • Nobody’s ownership of a house states that they get ownership of more houses

  • Nobody’s vote is worth more than another

• Diminishing marginal utility suggests that goods should be distributed equally

  • If you buy too many goods it all goes to waste (think of the manna when God led the Israelites out of Egypt)

What is Robert Nozick’s Libertarianism?

• Basic rights include the right to private property

• Entails free-market capitalism with a minimal state

• Forced redistribution is illegitimate

  • If i don’t want to give a house to someone I don’t have to

What is John Rawls’s Liberal Egalitarianism?

• Unrestricted free markets generate unacceptable inequalities

  • US anti trust laws aren’t being enforced as much anymore

• Commitment to freedom means equal freedoms for all

  • Creating job opportunities not only for white people but for all people

• Redistribution can equalize freedoms

  • If you have 2 laptops and the person beside you doesn’t you can give your laptop to the person that doesn’t have one to equalize freedoms

  • Is not just about property

  • Applicable to marginalized communities (eg. Women have the freedom to read and write, go to school, etc.)

What is the income parade?

• How is income distributed?

  • Income translated into hight from negative hight to 80km

• The inequality problem:

  • Jeff Bezos

    • Makes $3,000 per second

    • Most Amazon employees make $28,000 a year. That’s how much Jeff Bezos makes in 10 seconds

Empathy vs Equality

• Empathy:

  • Caring about others

  • Human nature

  • The reason a lot of people are not as ambitious as they could be (eg. your mom dies and everything falls onto your shoulders including your 7 brothers)

What is Rousseau’s view on private property?

• The true founder of civil society

• The fruits of the earth belong to us all

• The earth itself belongs to nobody

• We live in a world where society is not obligated to others, only through empathy

Needs vs wants

• The government will provide you with your NEEDS, not your wants

What are Nozick’s 3 principles?

1. Justice in initial acquisition: how does ownership originate?

   1. The vendor is willing to sell to you

   2. UNCEDED TERRITORY: How come we can just sell unceded land taken from Indigenous Peoples

2. Justice in transfer: what makes an exchange just or legitimate?

   1. Buying something from the grocery store

   2. If you rob someone of their laptop and the police catch you is it fixed by only an apology?

3. Rectification of injustice: what should be done to correct unjust acquisition?

   1. Legally, there is punishment when your actions have negatively affected someone.

John Locke: Property from Survival

• Fundamental law of nature

• Property in whatever we need to survive

  • Anything we can get in order to survive

  • Only two caveats there are to it are:

    • Dont waste

    • Leave enough for others

    • Basically: sharing is caring

1. Doesn’t generate property rights in land, machinery, and capital

2. Doesn’t explain how we come to own things

Locke: Labour-mixing argument

• Individuals own themselves and their labour

• Property arises through mixing one’s labour with unowned nature

Objection:

1. It seems unfair to those unable to work

2. Mixing doesn’t automatically generate ownership: Nozick’s can of tomato juice

   1. If I threw a can of tomato juice into the ocean, is the ocean mine?

   2. If i can’t open a can of Pepsi and you open it for me is the soda yours?

Locke: Argument from the desert?

Those who work productively deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labour

Objection: Again, this seems unfair to those who can’t work, and at best, justifies only the value added

• Example: Me. An unemployed, fresh out of high school university student. Nobody wants to hire me because I’m inexperienced and have nothing to offer except for basic skills that I’ve learned so far

Distribution of Property

• Rawl’s Matter of Justice

• Markets

The Four Questions:

1. Who owns what?

2. Why do people produce?

3. How are goods distributed?

4. What determines which goods get produced?

Property & Markets

Capitalist Free market:

• Private property rights

• Production for profit

• Distribution by voluntary exchange

• Free competition

Planned Economy (Communism):

• State owns all major property

• Production for needs, not for profits

• Distribution by central allocation

• State controls what gets produced

What is a modified free market?

• Some state owned enterprises

• Sale of some goods is prohibited

• Some state-enforced monopolies

• Some voluntary distribution (charity)

Selling drugs makes you more money than most jobs make you, but it’s illegal

Hayek on Market Efficiency?

• Markets convey information

• Prices signal shortage and surplus

• Profit provides incentives to produce

• Want-satisfaction and Pareto improvement

Market Failures

• Markets don’t always function efficiently → externalities: cost or benefit of producing these goods is externalized

Negative externalities?

• Cost nothing to the consumer, who would rather not have them

• Free markets oversupply them

• It is cheaper to make others pay the costs

• Eg. Waste

Positive Externalities

• Goods with positive externalities cost nothing to the consumer, who wants them

• Public Goods: if provided, they benefit everyone

• Free markets

What is the hypothetical social contract?

• Initial hypothetical choice situation

  • We have to think of ourselves in the ORIGINAL POSITION and our abilities

• The original position (OP), with its Veil of Ignorance, models equality of concern

• What principles of distributive justice would be chosen there?

  1. Basic liberties

  2. Fair Equality of Opportunity

  3. The Difference Principle

Why must people in the original position (pops) be impartial?

• Veil of Ignorance rules out bias

  • Can’t benefit self at the expense of others

  • Don’t know my intelligence, economic class, talents, sex, sexual preference, race, social status

• Self-interest plus ignorance = impartiality

  • Wolff’s second example: you have amnesia and body bandages; now design a society

• POP: Principles for What?

  • Choosing principles of justice for institutions

  • Basic structure of society

  • Why the basic structure?

    • Because it has huge effects on our life prospects

  • Know What?

    • Are in the circumstances of justice

    • Are moderately self-interested and have conflicting goals

    • Moderate scarcity: between scarcity and abundance

    • Have a sense of justice

    • Have a conception of the good

  • This so called “thin theory of the good” = want Primary Goods: liberties, opportunities, income and wealth, and the social bases of self respect

• What are the constraints on choosing?

  • Physical constraints

  • Logical constraints

  • Formal constraints:

    • Publicity

    • Finality

• Which principles would be chosen by POPs?

  • Maximin → focus on the worst-off

  • Principle of greatest equal liberties

    • I wanna give everyone 2% why not

  • Principle of fair equality of opportunity

    • I wanna give everyone 2% but only if you hand in this assignment

  • Difference principle

    • Charlie Kirk is dying and can’t do his assignment so he gets two extra weeks

  • Lexical priority rules

Rawls’ arguing

• Morally arbitrary differences - social and natural - should benefit the socially and naturally unlucky

• Injustice is inequality that doesn’t benefit everyone

• Legitimate inequalities benefit the worst-off group

Nozick’s Entitlement Theory

• Distribution need not fit a pattern

• Patterns: need, ability, desert

• Nozick’s theory is historical and unpatterned

Nozick’s Objection to Rawls?

• Difference Principle = patterned principle

• Free exchanges = new distribution

• Difference Principle will require interference in people’s lives

What are some oversights of justice?

Question to ask: To what extent does empathy influence onto equality? Eg. if i had two laptops and someone didn’t have another and couldn’t afford to buy one even if it is second hand i wouldnt just give them a computer because then im losing value and money

September 17, 2025

What are some oversights of justice?

• Political thought may:

  • overlook whole areas of social concern

  • justify oppression as justice

  • Eg. Mill rejected racism but accepted a role for colonialism

• Who has been overlooked?

  • Women

  • Racial and ethnic minorities

  • Physically challenged

  • Mentally challenged

  • LGBTQQIP2SAA+

  • Foreigners

  • Immigrants

  • Future generations

• How are Justice and Racism connected?

  • “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line”

  • Du Bois: objects to skin color, hair texture, etc., as grounds for excluding people from sharing in “the opportunities and privileges of modern civilization” (Du Bois, 1900)

  • Racism in Politics - Permanent difference as the rationale for using power to treat other races unjustly

• Anti-racism

  • Challenge race as a category

  • Challenge societies’ institutions & attitudes

• How are Justice and Disability connected?

  • Disability Studies

  • Ableism

  • Persons with a disability or challenge

    • Disability or challenge does not define the person

    • Disability or challenge may be a part of person’s identity

  • What counts as a disability?

    • Controversial, debatable

    • E.g. deaf communities

  • Is ‘disability’ a misnomer?

    • Evolving understanding

    • Changing terms: Challenges? Altabilities?

    • E.g. blind communities

    • Medical model = should be treated medically

      • Training changes: control over medical decisions, care, options, etc.

    • Social model = society disables people

      • Political changes: laws, employment rules, accessibility requirements, multi-format teaching

  • How are Justice and LGBTQ+ connected?

    • LGBTQQIP2SAA+ as an identity group

      • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, 2-spirited, asexual, and allies

      • Sexual orientation & gender identity

      • Social movement (global)

  • How are Justice and LGBTQ+ connected?

    • Overcoming legal discrimination

    • Problem of state-sponsored homophobia, etc

    • Transphobia?

    • Polyamory

  • What of Justice beyond the state?

    • Cosmopolitanism = beyond

      • Human moral equality

      • Justice for all

      • National borders have no basic moral significance

      • Proposal: extend principles of justice to the entire world

        • Focus on the globally least advantaged

    • 3 defenses of justice-based duties to the near and dear = citizens

Nations & Nationalism

• What does it mean to be in a Canadian

Key terms:

• Ethnic Group:

  • Community claiming common language, religion, ancestry

• Nation:

  • categorization

  • comradeship

  • commitment to political autonomy, usually statehood

• Patriotism: commitment to the nation

• Nationalism

  • Sense of the integrity and value of the national community

  • Commitment to the nation’s political aspirations

• National identity: group characteristics & political aspirations

• Nation-state: state boundaries match national community: 1) rare 2) most multi-national

• National self-determination: principle supporting creation of nation-states

What is cultural nationalism?

Nation = ethnic foundations

• herder: natural and durable

• smith: adapted to modernity

• Justification for national liberation struggle

• exclusive

• Why cultural not ethnic?

  • ethnicity substitute for race

  • key subjective - component beliefs, culture

  • selective - which culture? which parts?

• What is political nationalism?

  • Nation constructed on foundations of state

    • Borders

    • Citizenship

    • Self-government

    • Political principles

  • Common in established states

  • Inclusive, assimilationist

  • The nation = constructed

    • Eric Hobsbawm: “invented” traditions

    • Benedict Anderson: an “imagined community”

  • Varieties of Nationalism

    • Liberal nationalism

    • Expansionist nationalism

      • Culturally or racially defined national community

      • Strives to complete national integration by incorporating other territories

    • Anti and post colonial nationalism

      • Defined by colonial boundaries

      • Imperfect national self-determination

  • Is there a brief history of nationalism?

    • Effects of the french revolution

      • National sovereignty

      • Mass conscription

      • Spurred nationalist reactions of rivals

    • The declaration of the rights of man and the citizen

      • The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation

    • Effects of WWI

      • Collapse of major empires

      • Released national energies

      • New Soviet empire - grows increasingly nationalistic over time

      • Woodrow Wilson: national self determination as the path to peace and freedom

    • Effects of WWII

      • But - problems with nations

        • whos in? whos out?

        • how can you sort and separate them?

        • may require force, ethnic cleansing

    • European states weakened by total war effects

    • decolonization - new nation-sates in asia, africa

    • european integration

September 24th, 2025

Who are Indigenous peoples

• 90 countries

• 1/4 world’s land surface

• ~500 million Indigenous peoples globally

• 5,000 different Indigenous peoples

• 5% of global population

• 70% = Asia

  • China: 125m + 52 groups (8.9%)

  • India: 104m (8.6%)

  • Philippines: 15m (15%)

  • Vietnam: 14m (15%)

  • Kenya: 12m

  • Mexico: 12m

• No formal UN Definition

• UN permanent forum on Idnigenous Issues:

  • Self Identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member

  • Historical continui3ty with pre-colonial and or presettler socieities

  • strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources

  • distinct social, economic or political systems and language, culture, and beliefs

  • from non dominant groups of a society or states

  • resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities

• Distinct peoples, worldviews, problems

• nothing without us for us

• probs of western thought: not moral agents, no property rights, etc

• Key failure: principles dumped when convenient and prevent supremacy

• pateman & mills: settler contract = justify rule of Indigenous peoples

• Survivance (vizenor)

  • erasure by repression, suppression, genocide, barring, discrimination, etc

  • exist against: state, genocide, assimilation, marginalization

• North America = impact of

  • Doctrine of discovery 1400s (loss title on discovery, non-Christian, must occupy

  • Settler-colonial populations

  • genocide including cultural

  • Land theft via exclusion “reservation lands”

  • liberalism = individualism

  • capitalism = land-ownership, production for profit

  • democracy = excluded from civic rights and roles

• Not the same as slave/post slavery african, immigrant, migrant, refugee, etc, ← join colonial patterns, systems, etc ≠ indigenous peoples

• some: dominant = bolivia, ecuador, samoa

• failure of treaties, agreements, etc

• settler/dominant political actors

  • neglect: basic necessities, supports, water, etc

  • omission: obligations treaties, legal rulings, history, cultural

  • attack: land grabs, genocide, slavery, habitats

• Activism: land back, idle no more, chipko, naga, chiappas

• free, prior and informed consent (fpic) = genuine consent from indigenous peoples before decisions are made + honouring “no”

• not only the past ways: changes of present and future

• UN declaration on right of indigenous peoples = new international standard — opposed initially by us, canada, uastralia, and new zealand

• alfred and corntassell: oppositional identity + internal pluralism

• debate, discord, discourse: need to develop & reimagine a politics and political language

• Demographic violencees

  • 33% of 900 million extremely poor rural population

  • murdered & missing indigenous women = nobodies, their fault, no votes

  • violences by the states: policing, imprisoning, dispossession, servitude, large scale projects

  • more jailing and deaths as % of overall population & in protests and activism

  • lower rates: literacy, health, shelter, clean drinking water ,_ state choices

  • non-impact of voting, representation, legal rulings ← nothing changes

  • impacts of climate change = more acute: land loss, migration, land theft

  • governing systems = discounted or ignored: chief, councils, spiritual, warriors — powers, authority, reciprocity, consensus, delegation

• Differences in approaches to worldviews, knowledges, education, science, epistemology (what we can know), ontology (what tells us about the world), etc

• truths about humanity, relationships, spirituality

• humans ≠ primacy/supremacy, earth centre, spiritualism-dominant

  • western: human centred, dominion over, scientism-dominant

• time: non linear, cyclical, nature

What is decolonization?

• self government/sovereignty: prior to current situation

• uninvisible: colonial frameworks → othering “indigenous peoples = old ways, pre-modern, non democratic, non scientific, subnature, non-christian, non settled, non self governing

• ending control/dominance of lands, peoples, resources, culture, etc

• challenging norm as settler (am) or dominant (scan) for ideas, values, laws, economy, etc

• history of pre settler or dominant relations with indigenous extraction, exclusion, oppression, genocide — and current manifestations (columbus day, thanksgiving, etc)

• cultural appropriation: clothing, language terms, names, etc

• avoid tokenism: one “what do your people …” minimization

• land acknowledgement: historical placing + what action/-changes are you undertaking?

• university: anthro, soc, law → any & interdisciplinary

• knowledge: written, present → verbal & oral, spiritual

• settler/dominant:

  • not innocence/romanticization.mind → settler/dominant solidarity/engagement/action

  • not guilt = centres on self → actions & change

  • not support → solidarity = action + long term + results

• acknowledge plurality of indigenous peoples, worldviews, etc

• using or merging indigenous ways of knowing, languages, cultures, ideas: authors & readings, approaches to nature, spiritual traditions

• self determination: resources, political institutions, child welfare, education, learning systems, etc

• history: humans but also land, nature, generations

• critique abuses of power — including complicities

• relationships

  • community, society

  • success = good, extensive relations

  • wealth = community, betterment of all, priority to vulnerable

  • non-assimilationist & accountable

• reciprocity & responsibility

  • ethical commitment

  • nature, land, non humans, community, localized

  • settler/dominant: history, treaties, political institutions, economic systems, social relations, etc

• Should indigenous claims be pursued through voting, legislative representation, law and court systems — normal channels

• yes -

• rights = enforceable

• legal, entrenched changes

• laws: rules based

• justice: exclude & imprision & break relations

• most indigenous people in canada live or near in urban centres

• no

• rights ≠ relationship change

• legitimize colonial systems

• power = settler system

• not self determination

• law: agent centred = healing circles

• justice: reintegration & fix relations

what is the origin and development of ideologies

destutt de tracy (1795)

• ideologie = science of ideas: the study of the origin of our ideas and their laws of operation

• aim:

  • improve rationality of public discourse

  • promote progress & truth

  • Early 1800s

    • Napolean supports a return to an alliance with the catholic church and tradition

    • ideology becomes a dirty word

  • Karl marx and fredrich engels

  • critical perspective on ideology 1846

  • ruling illustrations that conceal exploitative social relations and provide a rationale for class oppression

  • antonio gramsci

  • ideology = hegemony

    • ideas of the capitalists

    • capitalist world iew rules

    • dominant ideas and practices are naturalized and legitimized

    • what counts as common sense?

  • what are the 3 parts to any ideology

    • a worldview of the existing order

    • a vision of the future good society and an explanation of how political change can and should happen

  • some classical ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism → emphasize economics, interests

• new ideologies include feminism, ecologism, religious fundamentalism and multiculturalism → new ideologies stress culture, identity, and individual self definition

how do ideologies fit on the left and right spectrum?

values: left: liberty, equality, community

right: order, authority, hierarchy

human nature:

• left: optimism, social progress, changeable

• pessimism: skepticism about change, fixed

state intervention

• necessitated, economic regulation

what is common for liberalism?

• aim to promote

• individual liberty

• value liberty

• but disagree about the nature of liberty

what are barrys 3 features of liberal states

1. religious toleration

2. freedom of the press

3. abolition of servile social status

what are barrys 3 features of liberalism

1. no religious dogma can reasonably be held with certainty. = no certainty

2. every doctrine should be open to critical scrutiny

3. fundamental equality of all human beings: inequality is an artifact

waht are the central themes of liberalism

1. individualism

   1. the primacy of the individual

   2. immanuel kant (1724-1804): enlightenment, morality, freedom, dignity

   3. kant: treat human beings never merely as means but always at the same time as ends in themselves

2. freedom

3. reason

4. justice

5. toleration

History:

• class struggle

  • capitalism = bourgeoisie (capitalists) vs proletarians (workers)

    • concrete conflicts of interest

    • relation to means of production

    • future communist society = classless

• state = created/exists to deal with conflicts of interest generated by coercive surplus extraction

  • under communism, the state will wither away

• growth of human productive power (productive forces tend to develop)

• our production methods develop within economic structures

• Economic structures have characteristic relations of production

• society is like a 3 level building:

  • legal and political superstructure

  • relations of production

  • forces of production

• economic structure determines the legal and political superstructure

• level of development of productive forces

• explains the nature of the economic structure

revolution

• revoluton is likely in states that fail to integrate their excluded classes

• bismarck’s strategy: buy off the working class and maintain a loyal army state (welfare state)

• universal suffrage could lead to the election of a socialist government

• the state = gone

• dictatiorship of the proletariat

  • no more classes

  • temporary

  • communism

    • each according to his ability, each according to his need

    • state cuz no capitalism

• Eduard Bernstein

  • Social democracy

    • evolutionary socialist: no need for revolution

    • revisionist: update and revise marx’s claims

    • morality, freedom, respect, and a peaceful movement for change

Fascism

Historical Origins

Ancient Rome → “Fasces”: symbol of social unity under political leadership

Early twentieth century in Italy

Milan, spring 1919, violence, murder

Attack on socialism, liberalism and the rule of law: in the name of the nation

Lead by mussolini

• Counter enlightenment

• nationalism

• elitism

• irrationalism

• totalitarian

• reactionary

• cult of personality (leadership)

• mass mobilization ← monopolistic state political party

• Destroy non-state organizations

• Surveillance → no privacy

• Leader’s arbitrary violence; not rule of law

Mussolini facism

• national unity

• liberalism “no” obedience “yes”

• celebrate war and violence

• individual sacrifice and state worship

• even tho mussolini created fascism most people blame hitler because he executed facism in the worst way

why hitler’s nazism

two explanations: economic and charismatic → one leader → one people → one state

resentment → world war one

german people (volk) must defeat jews, communists, and liberals + against universal brotherhood

need strong, dominant leader (fuhrerprinzip)

hitlers title (fuhrer)

nationalism

lebensraum (living space)

social darwinism

racism and anti-semitism

• 10 million jews catholics twins lgbtq and others

• → 6 million = jews

• final solution → holocaust

paxton’s key themes

• sense of crisis needing radical solution

• subordination of individuals to the group

• one’s group is a victim whose enemies must be attacked

• fear of liberalism, class conflict, and other alien forces

• promote community integration by violence if necessary

• need for authority by natural male leaders embodying group’s destiny

• superiority of leaders instincts over abstract and universal reason

• celebration of violence and will when devoted to the groups success

• right of the chosen people to dominate others without restraint

Midgley & Carson

• Thomas Midgley = Leaded gas & freon (CFCs) = Human with MOST impact

• Midgley’s death = metaphor → tech as solution to problems?…

What is the environmental problem?

• loss of natural resources

• ceilings on needed resources: oil, trees

What is ecology as an ideology?

• beyond left and right

• greens v the mainstreem: 1) reject anthropocentrism, 2) most important issue

• an ecological ethic

  • interconnected natural system → respect for all life

  • enormous power = good or harm → responsibility

  • stewardship: protect, preserve, and sustain nature

• the gaia hypothesis (lovelock)

  • earth and its creatures = single, self-regulating organism being gaia = interconnectedness & interdependence

What is a deep vs shallow ecology?

• deep:

  • life = intrinsic value

  • living things value does not equal to usefulness to humans

  • radical change in consciousness

• Shallow:

• promote environmental goals as a means to serving human needs, esp economy

Why is this a collective action problem?

• clean air = public

• collective action requires cooperation vs free ride

• Tragedy of the commons

• Political engagement: enforce solutions to collective action problems (e.g. regulation)

November 19, 2025

Executives

• What are branches of government?

  • Legislature: makes laws, enacts legislation

  • Executive: implements and executes laws

  • Judiciary: Interprets laws, adjudicates

    • judiciary decided where trump’s actions went

1. Initially, undivided monarchical power and sovereignty

   1. simply made laws that fell in the favour of the majority, not EVERYBODY 1.

   2. over time, separate institutions assumed legislative and judicial responsibilities and set boundaries to executive power

      1. monarchical powers overpower most other rulings ← BEFORE the government

      2. power of executive has reached different boundaries → ended up just following the magna carta

      3. needs to redefine what executives can or cannot do → states such as taiwan have conscription but can you really force someone into war

   3. the executive remains the one indispensable part of the state - “can’t live with it, can’t rule without it”

      1. necessary because it controls a lot (taxation so it allows for the government to fix the roads, build infrastructure, etc, healthcare, distribution of finances in terms of governmental control)

What are the types of executives?

1. Bureaucratic & Political Executive:

   1. Bureaucratic Executive:

      1. Public Officials, Civil Servants

         1. Not minister, assistant deputy minister

         2. Don’t work political executive, you work for the people

         3. depending on where the poltiical executive is, they are usually appointed

         4. Police, esential workers

      2. Usually Appointed

      3. Implements Legislation

• Job continues on → (i.e. if Mark Carney fell ill the world didn’t just stop)

• Keeps the country moving

1. Political Executive

   1. Senior Officials: ‘The government of the day’

      1. AG starts investigating democrats involved within the epstein files

   2. politically chosen

   3. sets priorities, enables legislation, oversees implementation, resolves crises

      1. everything the poltiical executive does bureaucratic executive has to follow through (think political executive sets all the decisions bureaucratic does all the dirty work)

      2. prime minister and his cabinet can enable whatever but the bureaucratic executive has to implement the legislation

      3. variety of decisions on what to do about covid etc

What are the types of executives?

• Parliamentary executive - sharper distinction

  • political cabinet oversees bureaucratic civil servants

  • but do prime ministers still want impartial advice?

  • can bureaucrats ‘speak truth to power’?

• Presidential executive - Fainter distinction

  • usa: president elected, but cabinet appointed

    • donald trump can pick from the 900 million americans (anybody)

      • elon musk (south african-canadian american)

      • melania trump (slovakian american)

      • kim kardashian realistically can be appointed attorney general even though she sucks at law (profs words not mine)

  • many civil servants are temporary partisan appointees

    • public announcement of termination

• communist countries - all civil servants ‘political’

  • authoritarian systems: all political

  • trump turning us into a communist system

  • communist: party loyalty is all that matters ← stalin ideal because he believed most people werent going to be loyal

What are the structures and functions of executives?

• Dual executive:

  • head of state - queen, governor general, president

  • head of government - prime minister, chancellor

  • elected president combines these roles

  • Example: us combines dual executive, canada does not: our head of state is carney and king charles III and our governor general

    • but if trump gets off a plane in ottawa ← governor general would greet him

• Ceremonial leadership

• policy making leadership

  • prime minister

  • president

  • but if it was a dual head of state that role usually goes to the prime minister but not always (france has a president and prime minister)

  • president of the french system deals with this

  • king charles doesnt provide the leadership in canada

• popular leadership

• bureaucratic leadership

• crisis leadership

• us constitution: “energy in the executive”

  • executive always has to have the power and authority to not be held back by the state to ensure the safety of the states citizens

  • obama invaded pakistan to get rid of osama bin laden ← this is technically not right but it was the fastest way to get rid of him

    • shouldve brought obl in to confront him

    • but they just shot down his house his 7 wives and his kids

    • not covered by war crimes not prisoners of war

    • us carves out lots of laws but they are the exception (think ada)

What is a presidential system?

• elected president leads government

• separate electoral mandates for president and legislature

• separate personnel: cabinet not composed of legislators

• legislative removal of president exceedingly rare - impeachment

  • legislature gets passed

  • donald trump has been through two impeachment hearings - but has not been removed yet

  • not a judicial trial

  • cant showcase on tv - government tries to cover this

  • impeachment process for bill clinton - pursued for sexual harassment

  • until maga turns against trump they cannot just remove trump

  • face lasers being pointed against minorities (south and central americans)

• president cannot dissolve legislature

presidentialism

• president governs, but is checked by a legislature they cannot effecitvely control & by the supreme court

• different democratic mandates, political interests:

• president: nationwide

• senate: statewide

• house of representatives: single member districts

• supreme court should make legislature that doesn’t allow for the president to do whatever he wants

• its okay to do what trump is doing (disregarding court orders) so does the president have to follow the courts (says yes to constitution but what about courts)

• trump is a lil rebel

• fewer political resources:

• prime minister govern through cabinets and parties

• presidents: no cabinet posts for legislators

• no threat of dissolution, new election

• party ties looser…usually

  • sometimes democrats are consistently rightists but they vote democrats

What is a parliamentary system?

political executive: prime minister and cabinet

1. single electoral process

2. fusion of executive and legislative power

3. pm & cabinet hold legislative seats

4. executive falls with loss of legislative majority, non-confidence motion

5. head of state dissolves legislature upon request of pm

6. if carney wanted to behave like trump then it becomes increasingly hectic

presidential-parliamentary contrasts:

• presidential: clinton impeachment drama

• parliamentary: non-confidence motion, then move on

• presidential: debt ceiling crisis, government shutdown

• parliamentary: majorities may too easily pass legislation, big omnibus packages

presidentialization of the PM?

• the rise of the prime minister: from cabinet government to ‘first among equals’

• presidentialization: PM personalizes power, rises high above cabinet and party

• PMS rule through cabinet and party

• this makes them more powerful

• usa: 20th century “imperial presidency” still no match

Institutionalizing the executive: semi presidentialism

semi presidentialism:

prime minister accountable to legislature

PM and president may specialize - domestic vs foreign affairs

may check each other, especially with cohabitation

How has bureaucracies evolved?

• patrimonial administration:

• personal agents of monarch

• rooted in royal household

bureaucratic administration - why?

• more demanding and dangerous warfare

• more complex economy and society

• democratic pressures

How have bureaucracies evolved?

20th century - massive growth in

• areas of state activity

• administrative capacity

late 20th century/early 21st centuries - new public management

• contracting out

• quangos

• performance incentives

how have bureaucracies evolved?

weberian bureaucracy

• offices with assigned responsibilities

• merit based recruitment, advancement

• division of labour

• hierarchy

• formal rules

functions of bureaucracies

1. administration - yes but

   1. implementation with discretion

   2. agenda setting and policy advice

2. policy advice - what politicians know matters

3. articulating interest - clientelism too far?

4. political stability — even with spoils system

What are the varieties of bureaucracy?

• not every bureaucracy is the same:

  • french centralization, merit basis

  • us decentralization, spoils system

• not every bureaucrat is the same:

  • specialists (france)

  • generalists (uk)

• policy initiation: who sets the agenda?

• policy formulation: from procedure to [roposals

• policy implementation: is flexibilty good or bad

• policy evaluation: needs more investment

What are some theories of decision making?

• rational actor models:

  • ultilitarian: best choice to meet desires/outcomes

  • a helpful simplification?

• incremental models:

• consensus, evolution, ‘muddling through’

• stakeholder consultation

• conservation bias

• belief system models: schemas and filters

Bureaucratic organization models:

• organizational process - departmental values and standard operating procedures

• bureaucratic politics - separate interests, bargaining produce policy

Why Assemblies and not legislatures

• not just or only legislating (making laws)

• assemblies:

  • assemblies share legislative responsibility

  • executive role: decree, veto, legislative proposals

  • limited power of amendment, rejection

  • assemblies confined by constitutional law

  • a challenge to the separation of powers

Where do assemblies come from?

• initiative for medieval representqation lay:

• with crown, but also with roman notion - what concerns all should be approved by all

• compacts like magna carta

• modern democracy initially emphasized legislative role

  • james madison: in representative government, the legislative power necessarily predominates

  • britain: parliamentary sovereignty

What is the legislative function>

legislative role varies by system:

1. presidential - us congress experiences

   1. substantial independence from executive - checks and balances

   2. wea party discipline

2. parliamentary - canadian house of commons edxperiences:

   1. fusion with executive

   2. strong party disciplines

What are the differences between Canada vs the US?

• Both liberal democracies, majoritarian SMP electoral system

• executive:

  • can parliamentary

  • us presidential system

• electoral

  • can single electoral process

  • multiple, separate

• residual power:

  • canada: federal

  • usa: states

What is the structure of assemblies?

Chambers:

• uncameralism: streamlined democracy

• bicameralism:

  • place for the privileged

  • representation of neglected minorities

  • a check on the executive

• second chamber: appointment, indirect or direct election

• bicameralism can lead to legislative deadlock ,reduced accountability

Why study Ideologies in politics?

• structure political understanding, set goals, shape political systems, and act as a form of social cement

• aim to understand, interpret, explain, and evaluate the social world

• unify groups or classes around a set of beliefs and values

• are systems of ideas with their own histories

What is the origin and development of ideologies

• french revolution, 1789

• rise of many isms

• destutt de tracy (1795)

  • ideologie = science of ideas: the study of the origin of our ideas and their laws of operation

  • aim

    • improve rationality of public discourse

    • promote progress & truth

• early 1800s:

• napolean supports a return to an alliance with the catholic church and tradition

• ideology becomes a dirty word

• karl marx & friedrich engels

• critical perspective on ideology (1846)

• ideology = ruling ideas of every age are the ideas of the ruling class

• ruling illusions that conceal exploitative social relations and provide a rationale for class oppression

• false consciousness: makes the status quo seem natural

• ideology = hegemony

  • ideas of the capitalists

  • capitalist world view rules

  • dominant ideas and practices are naturalized, legitimized

  • what counts as common sense

  • antonio gramsci (1891-1937)

WHat is the modern definition of ideology

a set of ideas

provides the basis for organized political action

aimed at preserving, modifying, or overthrowing the existing system of power

waht are the 3 parts to any ideology

1. a worldview of the existing order

2. a vision of the future good society and an explanation of how political change can and should happen

What do ideologies describe?

what is

explain why it is thisthat way

propose what should be and provide a program of action

two types of ideologies

• classical ideologies

  • some classical ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism

  • → emphasize economics, interests, and social class

what are new ideologies

• new ideologies include feminism, ecologism, religious fundamentalism, and multiculturalism

• → new ideologies stress culture, identity, and individual self-definition

• new ideologies

how do ideologies fit on left and right spectrum?

• ideologies are often placed on a scale going from left to right, referring to three types of disagreement

• values

• left - liberty equality community, optimism, social progress, changeable state intervention necessitated economic regulation

• right - order authority hierarchy, pessimism, skepticism about change, fixed state intervention - suspicious, deregulated markets

liberalism

• what is common for liberalism

  • aim to promote indivudal liberty

  • value liberty

  • but disagree about the nature of libertyt

what are barrys 3 features of liberal states

1. freedom of the press

2. religious toleration

3. abolition of servile social status

4. no religious dogma can reasonably be held with certainty

5. every doctrine should be open to critical scrutiny

6. fundamental equality of all human beings: inequality is an artifact

what is the origin of liberalism and its development

1. medieval europe

• religious conformity

• feudalism - wealth, power

• ascribed status

• political absolutism

• challenging the medieval order

• questioning religious conformity

• rejecting ascribed status > favour: 1. achieved status, 2. equal opportunity

• overthrowing absolute monarchy

• protestant reformation

• luther against church corruption and preistly authority - martin luther

• unintentionally paves the way for religious pluralism and eventually toleration

• luther and john calvin: non resistance to political authority

• later calvinistsL right to overthrow rules who do not tolerate free exercise of their religion

1. revolutions in england, france & america

   1. england 1688:

      1. constitutional monarchy

      2. freedom of worship for dissenters

      3. religious toleration

   2. america 1776

   3. no taxation without representation

   4. all men are created equal

   5. legitimate government protects our natural rights

   6. france 1789

      1. the rights of man and the citizen

      2. equal opportunity

      3. constitutional government

      4. religious toleration

what are the central themes of liberalism

individualism

• primacy of the individual

• immanuel kant (1724-1804): enlightenment morality freedom dignity

• kant: treat human beings never merely as means but always at the same time as ends in themselves

freedom

• mills harm principle

• negative freedom from the role of the state positive freedom to

• 3 part concept of freedom

• a is free from b to do or become c

reason

the enlightenment and progress

against paternalism

promoting discussion and argument

justice

moral equality

equal citizenship

equal opportunity

toleration

secularism

pluralism

what is the liberal state?

• state & the rule of law

• state as a social contract

• john locke on political authroity and the state

• constitution bill of rights, rule of law, prevention of tyranny by majority

• separation of powers, executive legislative and judicial

• other ways to check power: cabinet parliament, bicameralism, federalism

what are the common themes of classical liberalism

individuals predominantly self interested

negative freedom

state necessary evil

civil society: positive view as a realm of freedom

what are the sources of classical liberalism

natural rights

what are natural rights

• john locke and thomas jefferson

three functions of the minimal state

property and public order

defence

contract enforcement

1. ultilitarianism

2. utility - max happiness + greatness

3. what is utilitariansim (did)

4. liberalism? — freedomes + rights = max happiness etc - jeremy bentham

economic liberalism

against mercantilism

seeking economic liberty

the ideas of adam smith

focus: what were smiths ideas on capitalism?

1776: smith’s wealth of nations

competition is fair and efficient

invisible hand: from self- interest to the public good

free trade benefits everyone

benefits the worst off

promotes international peace

conducive to order, good government, liberty, and security

fosters self reliance

what was the governments role according to smith?

• defend against attack

• protect property rights

• maintain order

• provide public education

• provide infrastructure needed to do business

• what was smith view of distributive justice

  • opposes trade barriers

  • supports taxation to benefit the poor

  • utilitarian

• on the poor

• rejects prevailing negative views of the poor

• are dignified, industrious, equally capable, and entitled to their fair share of goods

social darwinism

social evolution

absolute property rights

ineffectiveness and corruption of welfare programs

• herbert spencer 1820-1903

spencer’s view of distributive justice

no state aid to the poor because:

unfit to survive

society is too complex to be controlled in the way governments want

shouldnt override property rights

john stuart mill

individuality

positive freedom

social liberalism

economic management

government not merely necessary evil

state can advance individual liberty by promoting equal opportuntiies for all

greens two concepts of freedom

negative freedom: absence of restraint

positive freedom: actual ability to do something worth doing (green’s view)

main obstacles to freedom: poverty, iggnorance, prejudice, sickness

government can promote freedom through poor relief, public schools and hosptials, and regulation of wroking conditions

the welfare state

rights: civil political social economic

john rawls: liberal justice

john maynard keynes: economic justice

what is conservatism

what comes to mind “conservatism is not an ideology. conservatism is a way of life based on human experience knowledge reasoning and faith - mark levin

is trump a conservative?

key ideas:

1. desire to conserve

2. response to social political and ecomonic change

3. edmund burke against the french revolution of 1789

4. 1800s: conservatives react to industrialization, liberalism ,and socialism

2 tradition

• support for existing institutions and practices

• gradual or none over radical change

• skepticism about political knowledge

1. human imperfection

2. we are imperfect

• not changeable by social engineering

• psychologically dependent

• morally imperfect

• intellectually limited

1. organic society

2. society = living organism

3. society is prior to and more than the individual

4. do not tamper with social fabric

5. society = sacred intergenerational covenant → state

6. restrains individuals

7. private proerty

8. right to it

9. reason for state

10. inequality in ownership, talents, etc

11. inequality natural not in favour of readdressing equality by taking something that isnt yo0urs

12. free market capitalism

13. civil society

14. little platoons = civil society = non government associations

15. restrains behaviour (social pressure)

16. benefit of own religion

17. social fabric → beyond states

18. authoritarian conservatism

• reaction against the french revolution

• throne and altar - monarchy and church

• against enlightenment rationality

• authority as absolute mysterious and terrifying (example the executioner

• albert o hirshmann

• against reductive indivdual libs and class (socs)

• 3 objections to revolutionary change

  • perversity

    • opposite unexpected

    • more money for middle and upper middle class, use tax system to get money

  • futility

    • nothing, retrench

    • people inlower socioeconomic class lack resources for good schools, tools, tech, success-supports, jobs, etc

  • jeopardy → reducing inequality; increase class divisions; pressure on prof progs

  libertarian conservatism

  • reject traditional conservative emphasis on tradition authority and organic society

  • defend private property rights

  • laissez faire free market economy

  • strong state to maintain public order

  social cultural conservatism

  • preserve national values & traditions

  • traditional morality & values

  • religion over secularism on social issues (sex, race, gender, etc)

• new rights

• 1970s-onwards, largely american

• mixes classical & social

• combines two contrasting ideologies traditions: neoliberalism and neoconservatism

• us driven spreads

• different from populism

• new right

  • key additions

  • law and order - tough justice

  • patriotism: strong military

  • state sovereignty - against world government

  • spread democracy- allies

  • us hegemony - necessary & unique rolee

  • liberal new right

  • private = good; public = bad

  • eco & soc = individualism

  • conservative new right

  • social order

  • family values

  • military strength

  • nationalism

socialism

core socialist themes

community: social creatures engaging in collective effort for the common good

cooperation: against competition (not inherent)

significance of socioeconomic class (limits structures controls)

core socialist themes

common ownership: against private property and capitalism

social equality as a demand of justice

early socialism

thomas more 1478-1535

against poverty and inequlity

abolish money and private property

no more pride, greed, or envy

conflict and inequality are unnatural

early socialism: saint simon

class based historical stages (h&g → peasant farmers → workers)

belief based economic systems

property rights, rule of law → capitalism

replace capitalist inefficency (poverty, exploitation) wit expert planning and organizational hierarchy (rationalization)

Fourier

evils of commercial society

utopian socialist ideal:

stateless

free cooperation

the common good

socialism can change human nature

human nature is malleable

capitalism rewards greed and selfishness

provide cooperatively for the publi

who was karl marx?

• grew up & educated in germany

• moved to england

• writer for the NY times

• wrote communist manifesto

• impact on eco soc polisci philosophy etc

• revolutionary change

• engels: $ and writing partner

themes in marx

religion

alienation

history

explotation

class struggle

state and revolution

human nature

hegel

• history as the develppment of spirit

• god comes to self awwareness in history

• feuerbach

  • we create god in our own image

  • we alienate our human capacities for knowledge, power and goodness

• religion

  • religion is created in response to poverty and suffering

  • religion is the opium of the people

    • produces euphoria

    • painkiller

    • can render you incapable of flourishing

• alienation

• human essence detached from human existence

• creative producers whoser work is punishing degraded, commodified

• workers lives are subject to alien forces

• from the product in productive activity

• from our species being

• from other human beings

history is class struggle growth of human productive power (productive forces tend to develop

our production methods develop within economic structures

economic structures have characteristic relations of production

society is like a three level building

forces of production

relations of production

legal and political superstructure

economic structure determines the legal and political superstructure

level of development of productive forces

explains the nature of the economic structure

exploitation = extraction of surplus labour

distinction between labour and labour - power

capitalist profit = surplus value ← created by workers

history = class struggle

→ capitalism = bourgeoisie vs proletarians

concerte conflicts of interests ← relation to the means of production

future communist society = classless

state = created to deal with conflicts of interest generated by coercive surplus extraction

• under communism, the state will wither away

• the state

  • the state as a committee for managing the common interests of the bourgeoisie (based on 19th century british politics)

  • executive committee of the bourgeoisie

  • the state as an independent actor based on 19th century french and german politics

    • welfare state

  • role: prevent change to capitalism

• 7 revolution

• revolution is likely in states that fail to integrate their excluded classes

• bismarcks strategy: buy off the working class and maintain a loyal army (welfare state)

• universal suffrage could lead to the election of a socialist government

• and the state = gone

• dictatorship of proletariat

  • no more classes

  • temporary

  • communism

    • each according to his ability: each according to his need

    • no state cuz no capitalism

• revolution

• marx: advanced capitalist west

• lenin: feudal, semi industrial west

• mao: agrian china & post colonial

• destructive trade cycle

• large number of unproductive people (superfluous middlemen)

• social democracy

  • evolutionary socialist: no need for revolution

  • revisionist: update and revise marx’s claims

  • morality: freedom, respect, and a peaceful movement for change

• social democracy

• politics

• socialist parties can achieve social reforms

• economics

• working class standard of living improved

fabian/parliamentary socialim in britain

parliamentary path to socialism

national efficiency and social justice

nationalization and social welfare

Fascism: why should we care

Fascism was the major political innovation of the 20th entury and the source of much of its pain - robert paxton, the anatomy of fascism

Historical Origins

Ancient rome → under fasces: symbol of social unity under political leadership

state → pepole

need for a storng leader

modern origins

early twentieth century in italy

milan spring 1919: violence murder

attack on socialism and the rule of law: in the name of the nation

what are the key ideas of fascism

• counter enlightenment

• nationalism

• elitism (anti-elitism)

• irrationalism

totalitarian

reactionary

cult of leadership

what are the key ideas of fascism?

• mass mobilization through monopolistic political party (state party)

• destroy intermediate organizations (trade unions, etc)

• abolition of privacy (surveillance

• rule of law replaced by arbitrary violence (leader)

mussolinis fascism

• national unity

• liberalism no; obedience yes

• celebration of war and violence

• individual sacrifice and state worship

why hitlers nazism

two explanations for hitlers rise to power

economic

charismatic

• one leader

• one people

• one state

what was hitlers nazism

resentment about the end of world war one

german people (volk) must defeat jews, communists, and liberals who promote ideas of universal brotherhood

need a strong dominant leader (fuhrer)

hitlers nazism

nationalism

lebensraum (living space)

social darwinism

racism and antisemitism

10+ million: caths, LGBTQ, others

final solution → holocaust

what are paxtons key themes

• sense of crisis needing radical solution

• subordination of individuals to the group

• one’s group is a victim whose enemies must be attacked

• fear of liberalism, class conflict, and other alien forces

• promote community integration by violence if necessary

• need for authority by natural male leaders embodying groups destiny

• superiority of leaders instincts over abstract and universal reason

• celebration of violence and will when devoted to the groups success

• right of the chosen people to dominate others without restraint

what is gender

sex = physical (does not equate to gender)

gender = social c onstructions

usually imposed by society

may be chosen by individuals

limit options as masculine or feminine and especially for those not fitting these categories

many sexes & genders

patriarchy

eliminating subordination of women

against patriarchy: system of rule by men giving them power over politics, economics, society, etc

what personal is political

traditional view:

politics is public

family & personal relationships are private

public man dominates the state, education, and the economy, and family

private woman restricted to home and family

personal is political

feminist view: personal is the political (carl hanisch)

• constructed public/private divide

• empowerment of women needed = political action & changes (e.g. domestic violence, rape, jobs, education)

• what is justice?

• equality/difference/equity

  • liberals seek equality: everyone treated the same as individuals before the law, opportunities etc

  • conservatives seek maintaing differences as essential to society: family, mother, etc

  • radical & socialists seek liberation: seek fairness inpower relationships: society & economics & political structures, etc. barriers removed

  • where is feminism in western philosophy

  • aristophanes’ lysistrata (411 BC)

  • assterting womens power → sexual

  • grossly simplifying & limiting

  • mary wollstonecraft 1759-1797

  • a vindication of the rights of women (1792)

  • enlightenment commitment to reason and equality

  • women and men are equals in possessing the capacity to reason

  • women oppressed by social institutions, including education

  • differences between men and women are artificial, not natural

  • changing institutions (e.g. marriage, education) will end inequality

• what is liberal feminism

  • overcome overt discrimination

  • change laws and institutions

  • goal: equalize opportunities for women and men

  • when did women get to vote:

  • 1917: canada, 1918, uk, 1920 USA

• socialist feminism

• capitalism → patriarchy:

• systems of inequality artificially created

• pink collar jobs = women or the feminine

• feminization of labour (guy standing) women lowers wages and conditions and push men out

• double burden day: home + work

• what is socialist feminism

• the economists glass ceiling index measures gender equality in the labour market

• the glass ceiling index

• environment for working women, 2016 or latest, 100 = best

radical feminism

• start from womens experiences to analyze and rebuild politics

• patriarchy → capitalism

• overcome sexist attitudes and beliefs → women also internalize harmful attitudes and false beliefs

• emphasize womens differences

• against: patriarchy’s artifice

• for: empowerment, choice, equity

• overthrow patriarchy

• male bias in the debate over rules & setting up society

• women had no role in creating

• empower women: institutiosn & local & family & sexuality & individually

• liberation more than poli & eco = empancipation from controls:

  • sexualities

  • reprudictive rightws

  • family violence

  • workplace harassment

  • sexual violence

• new paths in feminism

• recognize diversity of womens experience & political impact

• sexual (lgbtq+)

• racial & ethnic & accessibility (indigenous & anti-racism/BLM & antiableism/ac)

• recognize diversity of women’s experience & political impact

• sexual LGBTQ+)

• racial & ethnic & accessibility

• indigenous & anti racism/blm & antiableism/ac

• geographical (post colonial

• mens liberation (masc studies)

• intersectional feminism: catch all

• does biology decide gender

• how does gender affect biology

• how do we handle its political implications

is tech the answer

thomas midgley

leaded gasoline (ethyl)

freon (CFC)

human with most impact

midgely’s death = metaphor → tech as solution to problems

environmental problems

loss of natural resources

• natural habitats

• wild food sources

• biological diversity

• climate change

• majority scientists, ipcc, etc

• skeptics

  • inexactness of climate science

  • belief over science

• climate projections = uncertain = temp increases could be smaller or much larger

• uncertainty = need to act, eg tax on co2 emissions green vehicles only

• plastics reduction = prevent and protect

• human population

• stabilize at 9-12 billion (future)

  • people = resources = enviro damage

  • per capita environmental impact

  • developed world = developing world x 32

• what is ecology as an ideology

• beyond left and right

• greens vs the mainstream

• greens reject anthropocentrism = idea that human interest are overriding moral importance and we can use nature for our own ends

• action on environment = most important

• ecological ethic

  • interconnected natural system

  • respect for all life

  • enormous power to do good or harm to the planet so we have a great responsibility

  • stewardship: protect, preserve and sustain nature

  • gaia hypothesis

    • british scientist lovelock

    • earth and its creatures = single self regulating system that is one organism: a single huge living being (gaia)

    • interconnectedness and interdependence of all parts of the earth’ ecology

  • deep vs shallow ecology

  • deep:

    • all forms of life has intrinsic value

    • no living things value depends on their usefulness to humans

    • shallow

      • aims to promote environmental goals as a means to serving human needs, esp economy

  • deep ecology: radical change in consciousness

  • shallow ecology or environmentalism = institutional change in states and markets

  • do we need to change our mindset/lives (deep) or change the world (shallow)

• why is this a collective action problem

  • private and public goods: clean air is a public good that cannot be divided and distributed

  • environmental collective action requires cooperation → everyone has an incentive to free ride

multiculturalism

what is citizenship

common set of rights and duties for all citizens - civil rights, political rights, socioeconomic rights

gradual expansion of the class of citizens

from: white property owning protestant men to working class men: catholics, jews, women, blacks and others

what is multiculturalism

cultural diversity of modern societies

challenging the idea of the normal citizen

rejection of exclusion: keeping non majority minoriteis out

assimilation: forcing compliance with majority norms and practices

marginalization: forcing indigenous peoples onto reserves or to give up their traditional way of life

silencing: institutionalizing the disabled; criminalizing homosexuals; banning languages or dress options

seeks: citizenship = inclusive

from coercion and paternalism → to consent and autonomy

recognize plurality of identities

integration not assimilation

what is the politics of recognition

three approaches to social advancement

republicanism: equal legal and political rights

redistribution: social rights and equal opportunity

recognition: endorsing cultural difference

what are the 3 types of minority rights

self government rights for national minorities (e.g. quebecois and indigenous peoples)

e.g. first nations as a response to a majority nation-building

polyethnic rights for ethnic groups and religious minorities: exemptions and public funding

special representation rights in public positions

what are arguments against multiculturalism

ghettoization: retreat into ethnic enclaves

differences over commonalities

danger of internal restrictions: violating the rights of individual members of minority cultures

protections from dominant culture equality between groups

freedom or individuals within groups

what is the history of external threats according to rpi (radical political islam)

crusades (1095-1300 AD)

european imperialism

the state of israel

western ideas of modernity

current us threats according to rpi

intervention

support corrupt regimes

occupying holy lands

what should be done according to RPI

sayyid qutb (1906-1966)

us educated

muslim brotherhood

jahiliyya (darkness or ignorance)

fight false consciousness

muslim counter-enlightenment

offensive holy war

what should the rpi state do

attacking corrupt muslims

attack us power

educating boys not girlssharia law

bearing witness (shahadah)

fascism + religion

whatshould rpi state do

problem: western decadence

resist western influence

establish islamic state

what should the rpi state do

not a monolith

alqaeda: terrorist attacks (9/11) → create ummah

ISIS - islamic state (iraq, syria)

what is radical political islamism

religion is politics

politics bounded by religion

fundamentalist society following the quran

rejects the idea of modernism

militant and violent

ho are islam and the rpi connected

religion: islam → 1 of 3 abrahamic religions: judaism, christianity, islam

ideology: radical political islamism → a fundamentalist political ideology

islam is connected not the same

background to islam

islam

mohammed

quran

hadith

sharia

jihad

what is a political systems vs a regime

political system: government plus broader structures and processes of interaction with society

but is system the right metaphor?

government: officials charged ewith routinely exercising power

state: basic institutional context within which these rules apply

regime: fundamental rules and procedures determining who may exercise power and how

within the context of the way the economy is organized, distribution of wealth and power in society, and society’s ideology and culture

what are the degrees of institutionalization

state: more permanent institutions exercising public authority

change is exceptional

regime: rules determining the distribution of power within the state

who has the right to govern?

election winners

eldest sons of family dynasty

change unusual by revolution or war

government: officials holding power based on election win, legitimate succession, coup detat

democratic change

what is the three worlds classification

first world:

democratic

capitalist

developed, industrialized

second world:

one party dictatorship

command economy

state led industrialization - second best

third world/global south

subordinated to cold war logic

generally traditional dictatorships

varied and shifting economic systems

underdeveloped

economic:

development in third world

nics (newly industrializing countries)

brics (brazil russia india china)

rise of china - is west still best

what are recent challenges to three worlds?

political:

third wave of democracy since 1974

fourth wave as 1989-91

what are recent challenges to three worlds

strategic:

collapse of USSR - end of second world

partial integration of communist china no new second world

the end of history: first world - only world

liberalism

capitalism

democracy

no, complex world

a new framework

1. western liberal democracies

2. robert dahl - polyarchy

   1. rule of law

   2. competition

   3. increasing participation

   4. liberal individualism

   5. signs of decline in mature democracies

3. illiberal democracies - incomplete or imperfect transitions

   1. fareed zakaria - democracy requires law and individual rights

   2. illiberal democrats: liberalism has failed to defend crucial national interests

   3. competition but on a tilted playing field

   4. ruling party colonizes the state

   5. judicial independence weakened

4. east asian regimes - common acceptance of

   1. state led development

   2. strong government

   3. social cohesion over liberal individualism

5. but china is an outlier

   1. ruling communist party

   2. market stalinism

   3. still more agrarian

6. a new framework?

   1. islamic regimes - import islamic way of life to political sphere

   2. theocracy = government based on holy text

   3. can feature liberal and democratic elements

7. military regimes - access to power depends on position within military

• junta

• military backed dictatorship

• egypt, north korea, pakistan

what is authoritarianism

• rule by small group of individuals

  • but cna be a large organization

• not accountable to the public - no role in selecting leaders

• restricts freedom, represses dissent

• monarchy

  • ruling: before liberal democracy

  • non ruling: within many liberal democracies

• still ruling: mainly in the arab world

• personal dictatorship

  • direct personal relationship to the people

  • kleptocracy = rule by theieves

• military rule

  • 19th century latin america

  • 20th century to africa and asia

  • often coup detat against weak civilian rules

  • saddam hussein - iraq

• one party rule

  • fascism, communism - modern regimes

  • totalitarianism - state power used to subordinate and transform society

  • extended to less ambitious post colonial african states

  • mugabe kenya

  • Kim jong un - north korea

  • xijinping - china

• theocratic rule

  • resurgent since late 20th century

  • fusion of religious and political leadership

• what is a law governed state

  • the rule of law: government of laws not government of men

• types of law:

  • common law - customs tradition, precedents

    • judge made law

    • civil law - written legal codes

      • judge administered law

• what is a constitution

  • a set of written or unwritten rules

  • that defines the powers of the various institutions of government

  • regulates the relationships of these institutions, including between different levels of government

  • and designates the rights of citizens

• what is constitutionalism

  • acceptance that our political institutions operate within the context of overarching rules

  • which set real limits to the exercise of political authority

  • medieval: monarchy limited by god, law, and corporate privileges

  • modern: beginning with french and american revolutions

  • constitutions emerge after rupture:

  • war

  • independence

  • regime change

• what is the purpose of a constitution

  • empowering states: creating and enabling states

  • establishing fundamental values and goals

    • custom? higher law? general will?

  • providing government stability: mapping power within the state

  • protecting freedom: transferring power from leaders to rules - impersonal, equally applied

    • constrains the powerful

    • confines the privileged

    • clarifies rights — negative, yes; positive, maybe not

  • legitimizes regimes: commitment to common values and legal rationality

  • what are the constitutional forms

  • codified

    • single, authrotiative document

    • above statute law

    • limits legislature

    • constitutional amendment required

  • uncodified

    • sources in common law

    • statute law prevails

    • parliamentary sovereignty

    • constitution evolves with statutes, norms

  • constitutional effectiveness:

    • bounded by culture and values of society

    • can be self sustaining - checks and balances

    • may require adaptability to changing circumstances

    • US: codified, general, flexible

    • UK: uncodified, openended, adaptable

  • what is judicial review

    • US justice john marshall

    • evaluation of the constitutionality of legislation

    • by a supreme or constitutional court

    • well established in codified cases

    • growing in importance within uncodified cases

    • question: review or new law/public policy

  • how is populism against constitutionalism

    • inadequate defense against democratic dismantling

    • populism is illiberal - sets the people against courts and the law

    • president trump: mexican judges, so called judges, biased judges

    • polish case:

      • law and justice party actively undermining judicial independence

      • state TV: the supreme court is destroying th rule of law

  what do elections do

  • bottom up

    • produce politicians - the right stuff?

    • make governments - directly or indirectly

    • representation - or electoral punishment?

    • influence policy - promises

    • educate voters - if the info is reliable

  • top down

    • strengthen elites - channel popular discontent

    • sustain democracy - governments change, not regime

    • build legitimacy - mobilize active consent

• what is an electoral system

  • the rules governing elections

  • can affect election results and how people feel about democracy (included? represented)

  • majoritarianism

    • choose candidates

    • in single member districts (SMD)

    • winner takes all

  • proportional representation

    • choose parties - perhaps also candidates - rank ordered

    • in multi member districts (MMD)

    • winner takes some

    • what is an electoral district?

      • compnents:

        • area

        • population

        • representative

      • who sets up?

        • independent boards, e.g. Canada

        • provincial state legislatures eg ontario or georgia

        • gerrymandering: rearranging electoral boundaries to favour one party

      • gov elridge gerry of massachusetts 1812

    • district magnitutde - size of actual district

    • single district (local)

    • sub unit districts - senators

    • national districts

    • what is majoritarianism? single member plurality

      • single member districts

      • first past the post - a plurality of votes wins seat

    • canadian election 2000

    • PRO: districts with their own representatives

    • clear voter choice

    • strong and stable single party governments

    • con:

      • disproportionate resultes

      • artificial governing majorities

      • wasted votes

    what is majoritarianism - second ballot system

    • first round: majority winners prevail

    • second round usually get majority because only two candidates go forward or weaker ones out, the rest consolidate left right

    • PRo: majorities enhance legitimacy

    • parties broaden base of support in second round

    • con:

      • only slightly fairer to small parties

      • will people show up for second round

    what is majoritarianism? - alternative vote

    • voters rank single member district candidates

    • if no majority, bottom candidates dropped, voters second choices counted

    • repeat if necessary

    • pros: avoids wasted votes and can produce majority governments

    • cons: not necessarily more proportional than fptp

    • small party second preferences favoured

    what is proportional representation

    increases voter turnout

    political parties represented in an assembly or parliament

    direct proportion of percentage of seats equaling their percentage of voters

    varieties of pr: party list

    • multi-member constituencies, or one national consistuency

    • voters choose parties

    • parties make lists of candidates

    • pros: highly proportional

    • encourages smaller, idea based parties

    • with more diverse candidates

    • cons: proportionality may be lost in construction of coalition government, may be weak and unstable

    single transferable vote

    • multi member constituencies

    • voters rank all candidates

    • those meeting quota get a seat

    • remaining seats: eliminate bottom candidate, redistribute second preferences

    • pro: establishes competition. within as well as between parties

    • so focus more on candidates themselves

    • con: may weaken parties and will candidates perform district duties

    • proportionality of results may vary

    what are the varieties of pr? mixed member proportional

    • two simultaneous votes, one for constituency candidate one for party

    • this is actual PR

      • half of seats distributed on single member plurality (SMP) basis

      • the rest used to generate proportional result

    • example:

    • party a: 30/50 smp seats, 40% party vote, 100 seat legislature

    • 30 + 20 (40%) = 50 seats (50% of seats. -wrong)

    • so party gets just 10 party seats (20%) so that 40%

    • proportion of seats matches party vote

    german elections 2017

    christian democrats: 246 seats, 32.9% vote

    social democrats: 153 seats, 20.5% vote

    alternative for germany: 94 seats, 12.6% vote

    free democrats: 80 seats, 10.7% vote

    left party: 69 seats, 9.2% vote

    pro: best of both worlds - constituency representation and proportional results

    cons: less proportional than party list

    but parties powerful

    two classes of members

    what is a prty?

    a group of people

    • organized for he purpos of winning governmental power

    • usually with common ideological orientation and

    • a program covering a wide array of issues

    modern institution

    • emerging 18th 19th snd earyl 20th centuries

    • to manage representative governmnet in an age of mass suffrage

    • initial resistance - parties seen as factions

    • shifting popularity of parties ever since

    what is party democracy

    schattschneider

    ‘ modern democracy is unthinkable in terms of parties’

    what are the functions of parties

    • representation

    • elite formation and recruitment

    • goal formulation

    • interest articulation and aggregation

    • socialization and mobilization

    • organization of government

    • what are the party types?

    • cadre - elitist:

      • before mass suffrage, or

      • emphasizing ideological leadership

    • party types

      • mass

        • dependent on membership

        • for resources to challenge elites

      • catch all

        • usually parties of representation (over integration)

        • little commitment to ideology, class

      • constitutional and revolutionary

      • left wing and right wing

    • why does party organization matter

      • do parties reinforce or compensate for social inequality

        • ostrogorski (1902): party machine

        • michels (1911): iron law of oligarchy

        • overstated - parties generally hard to control from centre

        • growing gap between central and local party bodies

      • patries are concerned with their own popular legitimacy

        • USA: nominating primaries and caucuses

        • Canada and elsewhere: losers reform

      • what are party systems

        • a relatively stable pattern of relationships amongst parties

        • based on their

          • number

          • size

          • usual way of relating to each other

          • cooperation and consensus

          • conflict and polarization

          • only of value if systemic features, relationships and interactions actually explain outcomes

          • one party system - party structures state

            • strongly - communist regimes

            • weakly - post colonial africa

          • dominant party system - competitive but one party wins consistently

            • greatly influences state orientation

            • competition within party and society

          • two party system - two major parties alternating in power - party government - responsible, effective

          • encourages party moderation but us case?

          • rarely seen in pure form

          • multi party systems - variations:

            • two and a half parties - where is the smaller third party

            • three or more parties - consensus or polarization

            • coalition government

          • parties dont just represent social constituencies

          • they also respond to the competitive cues from the party system which influence party programs and strategies

        • populism and radical right parties

        • partisan dealignment

          • voters less attached to parties

          • parties weaker

          • party system less clearly definwed

        • what is populism

          • elites as self interested and corrupt - anti elitism

          • the people:

            • as victimized - simple solutions to complex problems

            • as virtuous and wiser than experts

            • as homogenous - anti pluralism

            • as sovereign - elites and outsiders need not apply

          • what is populsim?

            • thin centred ideology

              • compatible with different ideologies

              • dependent on a host ideology

              • left leaning in latin america

              • right leaning in europe and north america

              • although post crisis south europe has seen left populism

            • why is populism bacK

            • disappearnace of reliable high quality jobs

            • neoliberalism - growth, flat wages, perceived unfairness,

            • unresponsive governments amidst global constraints

            • increased awareness of political corruption

            • status decline for traditionally privileged groups

            • nationalist resurgence - take back our country and way of life

            • pushes controversial issues onto the political agenda: immigration, european integration, austerity’s impact, national identity, cultural homogeneity

            • giving voice to people who feel left behind by democratic institutions

          • what are populisms pitfalls

            • in tension with liberal democracy

            • the will of the people

            • as interpreted by the leader

            • may prevail over democratic norms and supportive institutions

            • undermining legitimate opposition and minority rights

            • cas mudde on populism “ an illiberal democratic answer to problems created by an undemocratic liberalism

          • why do populist parties emerge?

            • when new party ingredients are available

              • charismatic leadership, popular touch

              • organization, internal cohesion

              • avoidance of overtly anti democratic and racist appeals

              • with help of electoral system

                • proportional representation best

                • especially with low threshold

              • when issues of immigration and national integration are salient

              • mainstream parties (CAPs) ignore or mismanage these issues

              • a sense of crisis is successfully promoted

            • ow successful are radical right populist parties

            • france’s national front

              • 1997: 14.9% round 1

              • 2002 - beat socialist to enter roun 2

              • 2012 13.6% round 1

              • 2017 21.3% 33.9

    • what of trump and populism

      • it cant happen here - single member plurality, two party system

      • no radical populist party

      • trump commandeered a major party

      • trumps opening - socially conservative - fiscally liberal republicans

      • who fear they are losing their country

      • trump as a populist

        • the system is rigged against me

        • i won in a landslide

        • don the con - attac public healthcare, sign tax cuts

        • govern, or just keep campaigning

        • against norms, institutions and enemies of the people

        • and blame the deep state for failrues

        • ongoing legal issues: theyre after me; theyre after us

        • the above are frgom 2016

        • survived italy, slovakia, greece

        • sliding into dictatorship: hungary, venezuela

        • remaking and overtaking institutions: poland, usa

        • can strong democratic institutions survive a populist leader

    why assemblies and not legislatures?

    not just or only legislating (making laws)

    • assemblies

      • assemblies share legislative responsibility

      • executive role: decree, veto, legislative proposals

      • limited power of amendment, rejection

      • assemblies confined by constitutional law

    • a challenge to the separation of powers

    • where do assemblies come from?

      • roots in royal courts: judge important cases, powerful nobles, meet with crown

      • gradually more settled, consistent (13th/14th century onwards)

        • consultations on war, trade, and taxation, with

        • leading representatives of corporate groups

        • territories

      • initiative for medieval representation lay

        • with crown, but also

        • with roman notion

          • what concerns all sould be approved by all and

          • with compacts like magna carta

        • modern democracy initially emphasized legislative role

          • james madison: in representative government, the legislative power necessarily predominates

          • britain: parliamentary sovereignity

    what is legislative function

    -legislative roles varies by system

    • preseidential - us congress experiences

    • substantial independence from executive - checks and balances

    • weak party discipline

    • parliamentary - canadian house of commons experiences

      • fusion with executive

      • strong party discipline

    what are assemblies other functions

    • representation - standing in for the people

    • scruntiny and oversight of executive - tools: question period, special inquiries, and reports, committes

    • recruitment and training - especially in parliamentary system

    • legitimacy - mobilizing consent

    • what are the differences between canada vs us

      • both liberal democracies, majoritarian smp electoral system

      • executive:

        • can parliamentary

        • us presidential system

      • electoral:

        • can: single electoral process

        • multiple, separate

      • residual power

        • can: federal

        • usa: states

    what is the structure of assemblies

    • chambers

      • unicameralism: streamlined democracy

      • bicameralism

        • place for the privileged

        • representation of neglected minorities

        • a check on the executive

      • second chamber: appointment, indirect or direct election

      • bicameralism may lead to legislative deadlock ,reduced accountability

    • committes

      • outdo assemblies as sites for deliberation, consultation, and decision making

        • tighter group

        • accumulated expertise

      • committees stronger where parties are weaker

    • good government may not require a strong assembly - political stalemate?

    • but legislative power in decline due to

      • emergence of disciplined parties

      • growth of big governmemt

      • organizational weaknesses of assemblies

      • rise of interest group and media power

    • assemblies will likely always be with us

    judiciary system

    • law

      • common law system

        • british system and colonies

        • like cases = like decisions - ensure equity, similarity

        • stare decisis: past decision by courts of equal or higher jurisdiction bind/limit lower court rulings- rule of law, reliability/predictability, hierarchy of courts

      • religious law

        • use of religious texts, doctrines, and rules

        • canonical law: based on christian texts and values - usually catholic

        • sharia law: based on islamic texts and values - mostly middle east

        • most states are built on some religious laws/rules → codified morality - west = judeochristian

        • extent of religious law or oversight depends on the state - theocracy in iran to secular state in france

        • issue: rights of nondominant groups - minorities, women, etc

        • canada: limited recognition of religious ruling

        • aboriginal law has elements of religion

        • cannot trump common law system

      • judiciary defined

        • courts, tribunals, adjudicators, arbitrators, referees

        • branch of government responsible for interpreting constitutions and laws

        • two basic elements of law

          • basic behaviour rules for citizens

          • limits power on governing officials

        • public law: criminal constitutional, etc

        • pertains to government government and government citizen/society relations

        • private law: disputes between citizen society members

        intl law

        • treaties between governments

        • un or other international organization declarations & treaties

        • civil law system

          • judges make decisions based on principles of law - law is parameter for decisions

          • quebec

      • court types

        • judicial power = interpret & enforce laws

        • regular courts = try cases

        • appellate courts = try appeals → errors of law, etc

        • quasi-judicial power

          • similar roles as courts

          • have limited roles & powers

          • commisssions such as human rights or police oversight

          • can be taken back to regular court system

      • administrative tribunals

        • adjudicators of administrative matters

        • regulatory agencies so usually government officials

        • areas: immigration, aviation, etc

      • military courts:

        • separate usually from civilian system - depends on the state

        • have separate rules & laws - military code or ethics

        • military officials without or with legal training

        • faster due to less legal protections - terrorist trials, national security

    • judiciary’s functions

      • holds legislatures and executives accountable

      • may create rules and laws through decisions - directive or strike down

      • most effective & legitimate: independent, protected, punishment options - rule of law, legitimate system

      • connection morality & rules - moral side of law

      • various results: judgement, arbitrate, mediate, consolidate, remove - depends on cases/issues; adds legitimacy

      • ensure rule of law trumps arbitrary power

      • judicial review:

        • principle of limited government

        • judge whether or not government actions are legal, esp constitutional

        • habeus corpus: state must charge the accused or release - limited detention, prevent abuse

        • ultra vires: state exercising powers beyond its legal jurisdiction - can feds in health

        • 1803: marbury vs madison ← american principle now globalised

          • 1610: Dr bonham’s case & lord coke vs parliamentary sovereignty - parliament supreme

          • judges can check the power of executives

      • debate: judicial activism

        • are judges making law directly or by voide

        • what is the power of judges versus legislatures & executives

        • social issues: abortion? aboriginal status of metis?

        • economic issues: reparations for past crimes? required assistance for special needs

    political cultre & media

    • what is political culture

      • culture:

        • patterns of beliefs and behaviour

        • social traits

        • shared by a large group of people: nation, region, class, ethnic group

        • institutional arrangements - governments, bureaucracies, education

      • political culture = cultural attitudes towards politics & government

        • attitudes beliefs, values norms about political issues and ideas

          • what are these for canadians

      • what are the four pairs of values

      • tension between trust vs suspicion, hierarchy vs equality, liberty vs coercion, commitment vs disinterest

    • what is civic culture?

      • almond & verba

      • 1960s

      • 3 types of political cultures

    1. parochial

       1. negative view of government

       2. uninterested

       3. low participation

       4. participate if their interests are at stake

       5. complacent

    2. subject

       1. positive view of governments

       2. observers participate in regularized ways, eg voting

       3. leave to political authorities & elites

       4. low participation

       5. → authoritarian/deferential

    3. participatory

       1. positive view of government

       2. high participation

       3. active in national politics

       4. want/demand voices heard & input sought

       5. participation in regularized & non regularized ways, eg interest groups, media

       6. government responds

  1. civic poltiical culture = combo = need some of all three to balance out a society & state = order

what is a social capital

• why do we need a robust political culture = social capital

  • de tocqueville (1800s)

  • network of relationships

  • among people who live and work in a particular society

• (gramsci (1900s): ‘common sense’ hegemony)

• putnam (1980s-90s)

  • enables that society to function effectively

  • bowling alone

    • → cellphoning alone

      • social media

what are culture wars

• james d hunter (1990s)

• political fights over identity

• populism

• open: minority groups rights, multiculturalism, diversity

• closed political attitudes: nationalism ,traditionalism

• american and global phenomenon

• control over political institutions and norms = shape political attitudes and options

• gets people politically engaged

  • biden = culture (reagan: 9words, evil empire)

  • trump = economy (bill clinton: economy stupid)

• debate:

  • divisive?

  • democratize

  • incivility

  • cancel culture

  • violent

  • necessary = who are we?

• whats the media’s role in politics?

  • inform and instruct

  • direction

  • agenda set

  • entertain

  • convey public opinion

  • pluralist: gives voice to competing ideas, etc

  • dominant ideology: capitalists control

  • elite: dominant groups in society

  • market: profit maximization and consumers

• how does media help democracy

  • promotes free expression

  • articulates government actions

  • watchdog: investigative capacity

  • connect voters to leaders

  • improve policy and laws through ideas and public input

  • political education

• how does media hinder democracy

  • sensationalizes confliect, divison, partisanship

  • voices the opinions of the elite

  • focsues on style over substance

  • highjacks political adgendas

  • distracts from major issues as governments react

  • biases may be hidden or nuanced

  • not accountable, unlike politicians

  • provide access/platform for anti-democratic politicians

• what’s social media’s impact on politics

  • impact of facebook, instagram, snapchat, youtube, pinterest, google, personal v/blogs

  • algorithms = money → demographic info, prer=ference aggregation, social & political connections

    • company = targeted ad revenue

    • political = targeted political views, connections, votes, money

  • impact in many countriess

  • e-democratizes politics = participation & discussion not controlled by media, elites, etc

  • get over, around, past governments, etc

  • more eyes on issues → cellphone camera, etc

  • global political organizing

  • younger demographic

• whats social media’s negative impact on politics

  • fake news: avoid scrutiny, fact-checkingm, anti intellectual, etc

  • post truth: propaganda, conspiracies, evidence

  • levelling: youtuber vs expert

  • echo-chambers of politics: not engage with other arguments

  • tech companies: decide speech but profit driven organization

  • decline of civility & reasoning = godwins law: as an online discussion continues, the probability of a reference or comparison to hitler or nazis approaches 1