2. Principles of Politics

Question 1

What are the 5 Principles of Politics?

Answer 1

1. Political behavior is deliberate
2. Institutions (formal and informal) structure politics
3. All politics is collective action
4. Political outcomes are a product of individual preferences, institutional procedures, and collective action
5. History matters

Question 2

What does it mean to say that politics is deliberate behavior?

Answer 2

Because political behavior is motivated by very specific objectives, and is rational

Question 3

How do they pursue courses of action?

Answer 3

By choosing the most efficient and cost-effective answer

Question 4

What are social institutions?

Answer 4

a relatively stable set of norms, principles, and rules around which individual’s expectations converge in a given issue area

Question 5

What are norms?

Answer 5

Collectively held beliefs about appropriate and inappropriate behavior

Question 6

What are rules?

Answer 6

Context-specific behavioral expectations

Question 7

What are principles?

Answer 7

Collectively held beliefs about purpose and process (emphasis on cooperation, shared experinces. There are formal principles (explicity stated/documented) and informal (unspoken)

Question 8

How do institutions structure politics?

Answer 8

Because institutions guide behavior, influence the range of possible actions, & create the rules

Question 9

What do differential effects mean?

Answer 9

Empowering some groups while simultaneously disempowering others

Question 10

What are some examples of ‘empowering some groups while disempowering others’?

Answer 10

Racial biases (when it comes to policing) and socioeconomic biases (like bail)

Question 11

How are politics collective action?

Answer 11

Because 1 man cannot accomplish everything. Group coordination is crucial for certain outcomes. In addition cooperative behavior often yields results relative to individual behavior

Question 12

What are some barriers to collective action?

Answer 12

1. In Large groups it’s difficult to reach a mutual agreement 2. In collective action failures everyone looses (as in no one reaps the benefits)

Question 13

What are public goods?

Answer 13

A benefit that once it is created is open to all members of a given community NOT just those that provide for it

Question 14

What are free rider problems?

Answer 14

in collective action scenarios everyone has the natural incentive to withhold their contribution, however if everyone withholds their contribution the good can never be produced and everyone looses

Question 15

Why does history matter in these situations?

Answer 15

Because decisions of the past have long-lasting effects like institutional effects, path dependencies, loyalties, and historical concentrations of wealth and power

Question 16

What is path dependency?

Answer 16

Path dependency is when some possibilities are more or less likely because of earlier events and choices