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Introduction to Political Science > TASK 7 - POLITICAL EXECUTIVES > Flashcards

TASK 7 - POLITICAL EXECUTIVES Flashcards

1
Q
  1. categories. name the first 2
A

A. ‘political’ exec VS ‘bureaucratic’ exec
B. level of status and responsibility

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2
Q
  1. political executive. main concept
A

face of politics with which the general public is most familiar
- source of pol leadership
- widened responsibilities of state (domestic + international)

BRANCH OF GOV EXECUTING AND IMPLEMENTING LAW

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3
Q
  1. categories: political vs bureaucratic execs
A

distinction btw politicians and civil servants
a. parliamentary executives
1. political exec:
- elected politicians
- ministers accountable to the assembly make policy in accordance with pol and ideol priorities of party

      2. official exec:
          - appointed civil servants
                   offer advice and administer policy
                   requirement of pol neutrality
                   loyalty to minister

b. presidential executives
- president only elected pol
- cabinet members: appointed officials
- civil servants temporary and partisan

c. communist executives
- distinction rendered redundant by ruling comm party
- ex: chinese bureaucrats are ‘political’ -> ideological commited

POL-BUREAUC DISTINCTION BLURRED
-> senior civil servants have subst contribution to policy-making

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4
Q
  1. categories: level of status and responsibility
A
  • exec branches: often pyramidal
  • hierarchical divisions easier to identify
  • centralized around leadership of certain person
  • two posts identified, may be held by same person
    a. head of state (formal, symbolic)
    b. head of gov
    (in parliamentary system separate, in presidential joint)
  • beneath chief executive-> range of ministers and secretaries
    less policy formulation
  • enforcement agencies: police force/armed forces
    help put policy into effect
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5
Q
  1. FUNCTIONS OF POL EXEC.
A

–> at most simple, to provide leadership

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6
Q
  1. Functions. Leadership categorization
A
  1. ceremonial leadership
  2. policy-making leadership
  3. popular leadership
  4. bureaucratic leadership
  5. crisis leadership
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7
Q

3.1 ceremonial leadership

A

-> heads of state, chief executives
to lesser extent: senior ministers or secretaries

  • represent larger society and simbolize its unity
  • formal and ceremonial role
  • broader significance:
    provides focus for unity and loyalty
    helps build legitimacy
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8
Q

3.2 policy-making leadership

A

-> key function of pol exec is to direct and control policy process

  • development of econ and social programms
  • control state’s external relationships
    growth of exec legislative powers
    encroachment of trad responsibilities of assembly
  • decrees, orders and other instruments
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9
Q

3.3 popular leadership

A

-> popularity as crucial to character and stability of regime

  • mobilize support (ensure cooperation + compliance)
  • linked to legitimacy of broad regime
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10
Q

3.4 bureaucratic leadership

A

-> linked to overseeing of the implementation of policy

  • lack the competence, managerial experience and administrative knowlege to control a sprawling bureaucratic machine
  • gov departments can develop own interests
    not favorable
    forging alliances w client groups
  • need to discourage resistance
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11
Q

3.5 crisis leadership

A

-> ability to take swift and decisive action

  • response in times of crisis
  • assemblies often grant near-dictatorial powers in times of war
  • states of emergency
  • subject to abuse! -> weaken/erradicate opps
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12
Q
  1. THREE DIMENSIONS OF POWER. name the three
A
  1. Formal dimension: constitutional roles and responsibilities of exec
  2. Informal dimension: role of personality, politcal skills, and experience and the impact of factors such as parties and the media
  3. External dimension: political, economic and diplomatic context of gov
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13
Q
  1. PRESIDENTS. Define distinction
A
  1. Constitutional presidents
  2. Executive presidents
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14
Q
  1. presidents. constitutional presidents
A
  • feature of parliamentary systems
  • responsibilities: confined to ceremonial duties
  • figurehead
  • exec power wielded by prime minister/cabinet
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15
Q
  1. president: executive presidents
A
  • confine responsibilities of head of state with the pol power of a chief exec
  • basis of presidential gov
  • may be limited or unlimited!
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16
Q
  1. president. executive presidents: unlimited presidentialism
A
  • near-dictatorial powers
  • dictatorships
  • often in one-party systems resting heavily on military
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17
Q
  1. presidents. executive presidents: limited presidentialism
A
  • operate with constraints (imposed by constitution, pol democracy, party comp, or separation of powers)
  • counterbalance by assembly
  • ex: usa
18
Q
  1. presidents. limited presidentialism: usa. What does their power depend on? (4)
A
  1. Congress
  2. Federal bureaucracy
  3. the supreme court
  4. the media
19
Q
  1. presidents. limited presidentialism: usa. What does their power depend on? - congress
A

–> most crucial relationship

  • can be rebuffed by congress
  • if congress is controlled by opposing party (trouble)
  • argued to have ‘two presidencies’
    domestic presidency: policy failure + gridlock
    foreign presidency: proving leadership creds
  • power of impeachment: aquitted at trial by State
20
Q
  1. presidents. limited presidentialism: usa. What does their power depend on? - fed bureaucracy
A

–> exists to serve presidency but often acts as constraint

  • frequently respond to interests at odds with priorities of the exec
21
Q
  1. presidents. limited presidentialism: usa. What does their power depend on? - supreme court
A

–> force presidents to shape pol agenda

  • President appoints justices to the Supreme Court
    may be rejected
    once appointed cannot be controlled
22
Q
  1. presidents. limited presidentialism: usa. What does their power depend on? - media
A

–> vital for presidents who need to appeal directly to the public

  • seek the truth?
  • pol independence?
23
Q
  1. PRIME MINISTERS. Main concept
A

heads of gov whose power is derived from leadership of majority party, or coalition in assembly

24
Q
  1. prime minister. presidential vs parliamentary systems
A

presidential systems:
- tend to rely on personal mandate and indpendent powers

parliamentary systems:
- forced to govern in and through assemblies

a. exec power derived from assemblies and linked to party politics
separate HoS required to fulfill ceremonial duties

b. pol exec is drawn from assembly

c. exec is directly responsible to assembly
- at least lower chamber
- survives gov as long as retains its confidence

25
Q
  1. prime ministers. powers: what does it rely on?
A

2 sets:
1. cabinet, individual ministers and gov departments
2. his/her party and through it, the assembly and public

26
Q
  1. prime ministers. powers: what does it rely on? - cabinet
A
  • relevant for those designated primus inter pares
    forces them to operate through system of collective cabinet gov
  • power as a reflection of the degree to which they can ensure that ministers serve under them
27
Q
  1. prime ministers. powers: what does it rely on? - his/her party
A
  • relies on position as party leader
  • provides holder w ability to control assembly
  • degree of party unity, parliamentary strength of his party
28
Q
  1. prime ministers. constraints
A
  • no free hand in hiring and firing
  • need to mantain party unity
  • pms are only as powerful as their cabinets, parties allow them
29
Q
  1. CABINETS. main concept
A

all pol execs feature one. it consists of a committe of senior ministers who represent the various gov departments/ministries

30
Q
  1. cabinets. features
A
  • need for collective procedures within pol exec
  • enable gov to present a collective face to assemblies and public
  • administrative device
  • ensures effective coordination of gov policy
  • generally remain loyal to pm
31
Q
  1. LEADERSHIP. Why increasingly important? (5)
A
  • towards personalization
    enhanced by mass communication
  • society becoming more fragmented - > ppl look for personal vision of individual leaders
  • decline of pol parties
  • diminishing imp of ideologies
  • rise of ‘strongman’ leaders
32
Q

8.1 THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP. Name the 4

A
  1. natural gift
  2. sociological phenomenon
  3. organizational necessity
  4. political skill
33
Q

8.1.1 natural gift

A
  • individual quality
  • destiny
  • embodied in idea of charisma
34
Q

8.1.2 sociological phenomenon

A
  • leaders created by part sociohistorical factors
  • vehicle through which hist forces are exerted
  • personalities not imp
  • product of collective behavior
35
Q

8.1.3 organizational necessity

A
  • rational or bureaucratic device
  • leadership arises from need for coherence, unity and direction within complex institution
  • hand in hand w hierarchy
  • impersonal, based on formal rules
36
Q

8.1.4 political skill

A
  • as artefact
  • can be learned and practiced
  • art of manipulation
  • linked to cults of personality
37
Q
  1. STYLES OF LEADERSHIP. Name the 3
A
  1. Laissez-faire leadership
  2. Transactional leadership
  3. Transformational leadership
38
Q

9.1 laissez-faire leadership

A

–> reluctance of the leader to interfere in matters outside his responsibility

  • ‘hands off’ approach
  • requires that ideological goals constitute 1 broad stated vision
  • strengths:
    subordinates given greater responsibility
    fosters harmony and teamwork
    allows leaders to focus on pol + electoral matters
  • weaknesses:
    leads to weak coordination of gov policy
39
Q

9.2 transactional leadership

A

–> ‘hands-on’ approach

  • adopt positive role in relation to policy-making + gov management
  • motivated by pragmatic goals and considerations
  • maintenance of party unity
  • gov cohesion
  • electoral credibility
  • managerial (technocratic) style
  • weaknesses:
    may be seen as opportunistic wheeldealers
    devoid from convictions or principles
40
Q

9.3 transformational leadership

A

–> leader is not so much a coordinator, but an inspirer or visionary

  • motivated by strong ideological convictions
  • pol will to put them into practice
  • attempt to mobilize support from within gov, parties and general public
41
Q
A

Introduction to Political Science (11 decks)

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