Comparative Politics Test 1 Flashcards
(172 cards)
1
Q
Definition of a State
A
Administrative Entity, a political bureaucracy that rules or administers a people or territory.
Defining feature: Has monopoly over violence [professional police force and armies]
2
Q
Treaty of Westphalia
A
Nation-States began to recognize the sovereignty of other states
3
Q
2 Types of Political Systems
A
- Democratic
2. Authoritarian
4
Q
Definition of Nation
A
“People”; Ethnic group, tribe
5
Q
Social Strata
A
How a society is divided or organized (class, religion, race)
6
Q
2 Types of Economic Systems
A
- Capitalism
2. Socialism
7
Q
Characteristics of a Traditional Society [LIST]
A
- Family [social unit]
- Agrarian [economy]
- Hierarchy [social organization]
- Static [change]
- Religious [world view]
8
Q
Characteristics of a Modern Society [LIST]
A
- Individual [social unit]
- Industrial [economy]
- Egalitarian [social organization]
- Dynamic [change]
- Secular [world view]
9
Q
Quantitative Approach Characteristics and Uses
A
Characteristics: finds patterns and evidence in human behavior that leads to prediction
Uses: Voting behavior, economics, I.R. (data on War and International Political Economy)
10
Q
Qualitative Approach Characteristics and Uses
A
Characteristics: The goal is understanding, loos at more factors and entails more disciplines
Uses: Study of leadership and leaders, political histories, political culture, ideologies
11
Q
Historicism
A
all societies in time are so unique that they can’t be compared
12
Q
3 Paradigms used for studying politics [LIST]
A
- Traditional
- Behavioral
- Radical
13
Q
Characteristics of the Traditional Paradigm [LIST]
A
- Fact & Value are both present [normative]
- Qualitative
- Focus: Individual Countries or Leaders
- Culturally Specific [Western scholars focus on Western studies]
- Descriptive, Static [details but did not explain social change]
- Historical OR Ahistorical
14
Q
Characteristics of the Behavioral Paradigm [LIST]
A
“Positivism”
- Separate Fact & Value - normative judgements should be left out
- Quantitative
- Comparative [compare gov’t and politics between countries]
- Western bias still present
- Relatively Static
- Ahistorical [looks at current political systems, not historically]
15
Q
Characteristics of the Radical Paradigm [LIST]
A
“Marxism”
- Fact and Value are interrelated [norms are towards social change]
- Uses both Qualitative and Quantitative
- Comparative
- Explicit Non-Western Focus
- Dynamic [explained social change]
- Historical
16
Q
Origin of the State
A
Emerged after 1500 in Europe and was brought around the world through Colonialism.
17
Q
Contrasting religious formulations of the State
A
- Religion created conditions for the Modern State to emerge.
VS. - The State is a natural manifestation of historical development. It is a secular process, and separates itself from religion to become its own autonomous entity. The State was allowed to develop because religion was removed from the political world.
18
Q
What were some positive influences of the Middle Ages?
A
The Rule had to protect and respect the populous.
Politics focused on the ideas of justice and rights.
19
Q
Why do we accept authority? [LIST]
A
A. Tradition
B. Charisma
C. Rationality
20
Q
What are the Features/Attributes of a State? [LIST]
A
A. Organization [structure]
B. Differentiation [many functions & departments]
C. Sovereignty [exclusive jurisdiction over people + territory]
D. Part of the International State System
E. Secular [in theory]
[DOSIS]
21
Q
What are the Sources of State Authority? [LIST]
A
A. Religion
B. Leader
C. Ideologies
D. The People (Democracy)
22
Q
What are Threats to the State?[LIST]
A
A. Supra-National Entities [EU, UN]
B. TNCs & Market
C. Religion
23
Q
What is the importance of war to States?
A
War-making is the ultimate expression of power; shows the ability to mobilize and gather resources.
24
Q
How are States “moral actors”?
A
They are acting in the “Common Good” by defining political philosophy/ideology.
25
What are the 2 major critiques of the State?
1. Marxist
| 2. Conservative
26
What is the Marxist critique of the State? What is the solution?
Critique: the State is an economic tool used by the rich to exploit and control the poor.
Solution: Stateless society
27
What are the Conservative criticisms of the State? [LIST]
```
On the MODERN State:
A) Artificiality [abstract, artificial bureaucracy]
B) Impersonal [leaders are distant]
C) Enforced Conformity
D) Boundlessness
```
28
What is Political Culture?
Feelings of pride, citizenship. Type of government and the political culture in the government.
29
What is Political Socialization?
Ways in which political values are formed, sustained & transmitted
30
What are some agents of Political Socialization?
```
Media & Entertainment
Education/Schools
Family
Interest Groups
Religion
```
31
What are some key elements of Traditional societies?
- Religion is internalized
- Leaders are worshipped
- Many forms of Government
- Empire & Pope represents the separation of the Church & State
32
What did modernity lead to?
Reformation & Enlightenment
33
How did the idea of Modern Capitalism emerge?
With the protestant idea of "work ethic"
34
What were some key elements of the enlightenment?
- Predominance of reason and rational thought above faith
- Cultivating reason at social and political level leads to secular state
- Emergence of quantification and elevation of science
- Revolution-oriented
35
What marked the beginning of the Modern Era?
Renaissance and Reformation
36
What revolutions stemmed the Enlightenment?
French and Industrial
37
Religion is to the Traditional State as ______ is to the Modern State
Ideologies
38
What are the 5 major ideologies? [LIST]
1. Democratic Capitalism
2. Democratic Socialism
3. Communism
4. Fascism
5. Nazism
39
In what century did Democratic Capitalism emerge?
18th Century
40
Key elements of Democratic Capitalism?
- Limited government
- Market and Private property are central to social life
- Individualistic
- Capitalism freed people from feudalism
41
When did Democratic Socialism emerge?
19th Century
42
Key elements of Democratic Socialism?
- Government expands [involves itself in economy & social problems]
- Places limits on wealth, property & market through taxation and regulation
- Limits on Individualism more collective and cooperative]
43
What is another term for Communism?
Revolutionary Socialism
44
Key elements of Communism?
- Total government
- no private property, no market (gov't dictates all profits and resources)
- Collective and classless society enforced
- Right-Left labels
45
When was the end of Communism?
1994 (End of Cold War)
46
What are the key elements of Fascism?
- Nationalism/Culture-Focused
- Cooperate rather than compete
- Leader Worship
- Wants to protect itself from communism & capitalism; isolation and defends itself from international ideologies
47
Key elements of Nazism?
- Government control over land and property
- focus on Race
- wants to expand country for dominance based on rase
48
What is Anarchism?
"Against Government" with an emphasis on the individual.
49
What is the class structure in the Traditional Society?
Aristocrats
Clergy
Bourgeoisie
Peasants
50
What is the class structure in Modern hierarchy?
Bourgeoisie
Clergy
Proletariat
51
What changes have occurred in the transition to a Modern society?
- Elites & aristocrats have been replaced by the middle class
- Shift from Agrarian to Industrial Society
- Capitalism controls population
- Power is buffered through groups that have some level of auttonomy
52
What are some groups that have autonomy over class (buffer power) - Intermediary Organizations?
- Class system
- Worker guilds
- Family
- Community
- Church
- Commerce
53
Define Revolution
Dramatic and often violent change in political, economic or social environment
54
Connection between Revolutions and Enlightenment
There is a desire for a transformation based on abstract ideas/concepts - against the "old order"
55
What were the 4 major revolutions and their dates? [LIST]
1. American Revolution [1775 - 1783]
2. French Revolution [1789-1799]
3. Russian Revolution [1917-1921]
4. Chinese Revolution [1934-1949]
56
What year was the Iranian Revolution and what was it about?
1979 - an effort to return to Theocracy; a counter-revolution surfacing in the Islamic World
57
Define Democracy
Full participation and equity amongst a population
58
What is a Direct Democracy?
Small group, village - people know each other
59
What is a Representative Democracy?
Forms as a society becomes larger; distributes power equally and controls power of the State (desired by Right)
60
What is Mass Democracy?
Large group with no representatives, voting directly for a leader (desired by the Left)
61
What are the Features of a Democracy? [LIST]
A) Degree to which gov't responds to demands of the people
B) Transparency
C) Open Competition (elections)
62
What are the features of an Industrial Democracy? [LIST]
A) Endurance of Single-Party Rule
B) Emergence of Catch-All Parties
C) De-Alignment
D) New Corporatism [business corporation and interest/professional groups are working together]
63
What is the role of Political Parties in Industrial Democracies? [LIST]
A) Interest Aggregation
B) Intermediary Organizations
C) Integrate People into Policy & Politics
64
What are the 2 different types of democracy?
1. Majority Rule
| 2. Pluralism
65
What is Majority Rule?
The majority rules - suppresses minority
66
What is Pluralism?
Every group in Society must have a voice (ethnic, class, gender, race)
67
Four major ethnic groups in the UK?
Ireland, [Britain, Scotland, Whales]
68
What is the Magna Carta and when was it signed?
Marked the 1st Democratic transition, gave power to the lower-level Aristocrats. Signed in 1215.
69
What century was the British Reformation?
16th Century
70
Who was the key figure that cut the ties with the church to create the modern state?
Henry the 8th
71
Who fought in the English Civil War?
Puritans [Bourgeoisie] and Anglicans
72
When was the English Civil War?
17th Century
73
When was the Anglican Church established?
The Reformation (16th century)
74
How long was the English Civil War?
10 years
75
Who emerged as a military dictator from the Civil War?
Oliver Cromwell
76
When did Industrialization begin in Britain?
18th Century
77
Who were British Political Liberal Theorists?
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
JS Mill
78
Who were British Economic Liberal Theorists?
Adam Smith
Daniel Ricardo
J.M Keynes
79
What is Deferential style of authority?
British defer the power to the hierarchy (do not tolerate egalitarianism or authoritarianism)
80
What is Responsible Party Government?
When one party controls the political decision-making of the country and proceeds according to the mandate given by the people: requires that political power is concentrated in that one party *they are responsible to the other party AND the people
81
What are the primary parties of the British Two-Party government?
Tories & Labour Party
82
Which two parties formed the British coalition government in 2010?
Liberal Democrats & Tories
83
Who were 2 famous Tories?
Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill
84
What is the 4th Major British Political Party?
UKIP (UK Independence Party)
85
What are the two major elements of the British Government?
Parliament + Government
86
What is the British Parliament made up of?
Legislature + Political Party
87
What is the "Government" in Britain made up of?
Cabinet + Prime Minister
88
Who are the "Heads of State"?
Chief of State: Prime Minister (executive office)
Head of State: The Crown
89
Who is the current Prime Minister of England?
David Cameron
90
Who is the current Head of State in Britain?
Queen Elizabeth
91
What is the British Legislature made up of?
Lower House: House of Commons - more power
| Upper House: House of Lords
92
Who holds more power in England: Prime Minister or Political Party?
Political Party
93
What is the british Cabinet made up of?
Ministers of the Party and Outside Advisors
94
What is a "Shadow Government"?
The party and its leadership that is not in the government at a give time [but is established as the future P.M and party]
95
Define "Vote of Confidence"
The party in power can discipline the government to this if the party feels the Prime Minister is weak or the Party is not leading the country properly
96
How long is the term of the British Prime Minister?
5 years
97
What are the 4 trends in British politics? [LIST]
1. Question of Lords & the Crown [any role in politics]
2. Economic Reform
3. Education Reform
4. Immigration Reform
98
What are some primary differences between France and England? [LIST]
- French are more ideological
- French had rapid, violent change
- Intellectuals are more prominent in France
- French "Exceptionalism"
99
What are the 2 major similarities between France and Britain?
1. Political Stability
| 2. Democracy
100
When was France the power of Europe?
9th century - 19th century
101
When was the French Revolution
1789-1799
102
What class change occurred in the French Revolution? (who did they seek to overthrow)
Aristocracy & Clergy
103
What was the Reign of Terror and who was the leader?
Robespierre; he increased violence to create a "perfect" society by turning the population of 20 million to 5 million
104
Who had the idea of making France into a Mass Democracy?
Rousseau
105
Who made up the Right and Left that emerged in the French Revolution
Right: Aristocracy & Clergy
Left: Commoners
106
When did Napoleon become emperor?
1804
107
What were the Napoleonic Wars?
Napoleon wanted to consolidate power; took revolutionary ideas and implemented them into war, bringing the ideas of a political revolution throughout all of Europe. He created "Frenchness"
108
What 2 entities united to create an Absolutist State?
Aristocracy & Clergy
109
Who was the "Sun King"
Louis the 14th
110
Who were the French Intellectuals during the Enlightenment?
Rousseau
| Voltaire
111
Who was a French intellectual during the Counter-Enlightenment (or Romantic Period)?
Chateaubriand
112
Who were the French Existentialist/Post-Modernist Intellectuals?
Sarte
| Foucault
113
What are the Negative Freedoms and who utilized these?
One should be free from arbitrary violence/coercion; "Defensive" Rights. British used these.
114
What are Positive Freedoms and who utilized these?
"Offensive Rights"; right to a job, property, education, health care. Used by French.
115
What are the 3 Characteristics of French Society? [LIST]
1. Ideological Society
2. Centralized System
3. Egalitarian
116
Where is the government centralized in France?
Paris
117
What happens when you centralize power?
Becomes more Bureaucratic
118
What kind of governmental system does France have?
Unitary: power is not distributed geographically, one center of power = Paris
119
Is France a Parliamentary or Presidential System?
Presidential
120
How long is the president's term in France?
5 years
121
When was the presidential system in France created?
1958
122
Who created the Presidential System in France?
Charles de Gaulle
123
What Republic did Charles de Gaulle become president?
5th
124
Who appoints the "Premier" or Prime Minister in France?
The President
125
What is Cohabitation?
President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of Parliament.
126
Who is the current president of France?
Francois Hollande
127
What are the 2 houses of Legislature in France?
Upper House: Senate
| Lower House: National Assembly (law making)
128
What is the Upper House in France?
Senate
129
What is the Lower House in France?
National Assembly
130
How are Elections conducted in France?
Two Ballet System where all parties have a candidate for the 1st ballet, narrows it down to 2 candidates for the 2nd ballet
131
What are the Right Political parties in France?
UMP
| National Front
132
What are the Left political parties in France?
Socialists
Green Party
Communist Party
133
What is the current political party in France?
Socialists
134
What are the qualities of a Bureaucracy? [LIST]
Impersonal Rules
Routinized Behavior
Insolated from the public
135
What are the major trends in France? [LIST]
- France & the EU (French economy is less competetive as Germany positions itself as economic power of Europe]
- Foreign Affairs (Middle East & Africa]
- Islam is growing
136
When was the Holocaust?
1930s-1945
137
What was the goal of the Holocaust?
Systematic extermination of an entire population
138
When was German Unification?
1871
139
What is the significance of Germany's geographic location?
Germany is hemmed in the center of Europe; it is land-locked with no access to overseas trade. It was the battle ground for major and smaller wars (30 years, Napoleonic).
140
Why was there no political centralization in Germany?
War and Marshall Military Culture
141
What role does religion play in Germany?
The Protestant Reformation occurred here; it maintained a divided and fragmented "mosaic". It led to the 30 years War that was fought on German Soil.
142
What was the 1st "Total War"?
30 Years War
143
When and what was the Protestant Reformation in Germany?
16th century; Martin Luther created it with theological arguments and critiques of the Catholic Church
144
When and what was Romanticism in Germany?
18th century; intellectual revolt against the Enlightenment [existential philosophy and music]
145
When did Nazism arise and what was it?
20th Century; a Romantic movement focused on the "Will to Power". Used aesthetics and technology in politics. Believed that the greatest existence is the warrior on the battlefield.
146
When was the Franco-Prussian War?
1871
147
What was the Franco-Prussian War?
In 17th century, Prussia had emerged as the dominant German power. It had a history of warfare with Austria. As Prussia grew, it became the most powerful, organized and political state. Napoleon helps consolidate Germany, and the Franco-Prussian War unifies Germany. Prussia wins against France and rallies the Germans to success.
148
Who was Otto von Bismarck?
Ruthless Statesman that was totally devoted to Germany, key actor in the Franco-Prussian War.
149
When was WWI?
1914-1918
150
Who was part of the Triple Alliance?
Austria, Hungary, Ottoman Empire
151
Who was part of the Triple Entente?
Britain, France, Russia, US
152
What was the Treaty of Versailles and when was it signed?
It required the payment of reparations to the "winners" and a loss of territory for the losers. Signed in 1919.
153
What are some of the historical attributes of German Political Culture?
- Authoritarian/Paternalistic
- Romantic impulse
- Ideology
- Law Obeying: good citizens, informed, vote
- Legalistic
- Role of the Intellectual
154
Who is a key German "Romantic" Intellectual?
Schopenhauer
155
Who is a key German "Existentialist" Intellectual?
Heidegger
156
What were Nietzsche's fundamental ideologies?
Will to Power, Anti-Democratic, Anti-Marxist
157
What kind of governmental system does Germany have?
Parliamentary, Federal system
158
Who makes up the German Parliament?
Chancellor: "Chief of State" - Prime Minister
President: "Head of State"
159
What are the two houses in the German Legislature?
Bundesraat
| Bundestag
160
What is the Upper House in German Legislature?
Bundesraat
161
What is the Lower House in the German Legislature?
Bundestag - laws are made here
162
When did Germany become a Coalition Government?
1946
163
What are the Conservative (Right) German Parties?
- CDU - Christian Democratic Union (most important politicians)
- FDP - "Libertarians" Free Democratic Party
164
What are the Left/Liberal German political parties?
- SPD: Social Democratic Party
| - Greens
165
What is the largest political party in Europe?
Greens
166
Who are the key figures in the CDU?
Adenauer
| Kohl
167
What figure was responsible for the reunification of Germany in 1989?
Kohl
168
Who is the "father of Democratic and Modern Germany"?
Adenauer
169
Who is the current chancellor of Germany?
Angela Merkel
170
What is Angela Merkel's legacy?
Leadership in the EU: financial policies to send a signal to French that Germany is the economic power of the EU
171
What are some trends in Germany? [LIST]
```
A) Reunification
B) EU:
- reunificiation
- debt problems
- German leadership
C) Russia & Eastern Europe
- Germany sees itself as mediator of the East
- dependent on Russia economically
- Crucial part of Eastern Europe stability
D) Domestic Reforms
E) Immigration
```
172
Who are the primary immigrants in Germany?
Turks
