Unit 1 Flashcards

Question

What is ethnic identity?

Answer 1

Ethnicity can be described as a common culture that unites people. These binding attributes include religion, language, history, culture and ancestry. Ethnicity, unlike citizenship and nationality is not by nature political. Members of a particular ethnic group can live with members of another ethnic group without the need for their own sovereign state.

Answer 2

A nation is a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory. A stateless nation is an ethnic group or nation that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation state. The term "stateless" implies that the group "should have" such a state (country). Stateless nations are not uncommon. Examples include the Palestinians, the Kurds, the Basque, and the European Jews before they were given land in Israel. In contrast to ethnic identity is national identity. Nationalism unites people based on their pride and value for their nation. They believe that they can work together to achieve their political destiny. In contrast to the term nation, nationality refers to the country of citizenship. People can share the same nationality but be of different ethnic groups and people who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities. (Jews and Asians living in the US. Kurds in Syria and Kurds in Iraq.) People physically living in country may not be a citizen, whether they are guest-workers or students with a visa or people who have migrated illegally. Nationalization means the transfer of a major branch of industry or commerce from private to state ownership or control. "the nationalization of the railroads"

Answer 3

Another term relating to people and the relationship to the state is citizenship. Citizenship is a formal relationship between the individual and the state, and usually comes with certain rights, and privileges. Citizenship differs from national identity, because it's purely political.

Answer 4

A cleavage can be most easily defined as a split or a sharp division. People are divided against each other due to differing political beliefs and goals. Examples include social cleavages and political cleavages. Divisions in society based on religion, class, race, gender, and any other difference between people.

Answer 5

Some examples of social cleavages include 1) church versus state, 2) owner versus worker or 3) rich versus poor. 4) rural vs. urban 5) educated vs. uneducated

Answer 6

Cross-cutting cleavages divide people into groups with smaller interests. Therefore, not allowing large groups of people on one side of a particular cleavage. Cross-cutting cleavages do not break a society apart. An example of a cross-cutting cleavage would be workers in Great Britain. These workers have many common interests, politically. But when it comes to voting, there are differences that divide them into smaller groups outside of workers. When it comes to voting, they may be religious-minded or state-minded. Cross-cutting cleavages help to maintain stability in a political system by dividing people into smaller interests instead of uniting them into one large group pitted against another. Cross-cutting cleavages divide people, so that they may find conflict on one issue, but work together on another.

Answer 7

Another type of cleavage is coinciding. Coinciding cleavages are reinforcing cleavages and have the ability to divide a society so deeply that it can no longer find a stable unity. Start by matching all of the lines of the cleavage running parallel with one another, such as all of the workers in favor of union and all of the owners in favor of industrial freedoms. This leads to the side with the majority to be the ones that constantly shape the political policies leaving the other side to always lose on political issues. Coinciding cleavages can lead to revolutions or separatist movements. Nigeria's a good example of a state that faces the threat of coinciding cleavages. There's a deep division between the northern rural Muslims and the southern urban Christians in Nigeria, which threatens their unity. As we study comparative politics, we will constantly approach the topic of political change. We will look at the history of political change country by country, as well as how political change occurs.

Answer 8

Radicals do not agree with the current system and believe it needs to be changed rapidly, sometimes using violence to achieve their goals. Liberals believe in making progressive change through evolutionary reform. They are not looking to change the existing regime, but rather to modify it. Conservatives are typically satisfied with the status quo. They do not wish for change and approach change with caution. Reactionaries are against the changes that brought about the current regime and wish to go back to a regime from the past. Like the radicals, they too are willing to use violence in order to achieve their goals.

Answer 9

Political attitude identifies the pace in which different groups of individuals would like to see change whereas political ideology identifies the goals an individual has when it comes to politics.

Answer 10

Liberalism, communism, social democracy, fascism and anarchism. Liberals look at both economic and personal freedoms as the central goals of a political system. Liberals feel that the state should not interfere with topics, such as religion, political views or career choices. Communists believe that economic equality is what leads to freedom. Communists look to cancel monetary balance through strict state control of all economic action. (The idea that equality can be achieved through total government control of all financial assets and institutions.) Social democrats or socialists value economic equality and work to achieve a balance in classes. Socialists reject state control, which is what sets them apart from communists. Instead of allowing the state to control the economy, social democrats believe the state should regulate and redistribute taxes while allowing private enterprise to exist. A democratic country with a capitalist system but programs to help those in need. Fascist dismissed the thoughts of freedom and equality. Fascist believed that members of the society can be ranked as superior or inferior. Establishing superior already of their own people through loyalty to the state and political leadership. Anarchist believed that equality in freedom can only be achieved by getting rid of the state or any institution with laws altogether, believing people should be truly free to live without the interference of formal laws or enforcement.

Answer 11

Political culture is also important when it comes to studying comparative politics. Political culture is a widely held set of beliefs amongst a group of people that is shaped by historical events, culture, religion and much more.

Answer 12

The result of this debate are two different trends that have been identified. The first trend believes that we are seeing a changing global political culture and is coming together as our world faces 1) globalization 2) modernization (more countries adopting technology and 1st-world type systems) and 3) democratization (more countries changing to a system where the people give the power). Not all political scientists agree with the trend that our political culture is coming together. The argument against that idea is that the political culture remains resistant to change. Some political scientists believe the trend of political culture will ultimately retreat from the forces that lead them toward globalization, modernization and democratization.

Answer 13

Globalization is the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of nations around the globe fostered through free trade. Modernization, in sociology, the transformation from a traditional, rural, agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial society. Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime (power granted by the people), including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. Developed countries are secular, urban, and industrial. Countries that have developed infrastructure and social programs. Developing countries are somewhere on the spectrum from traditional, rural, agrarian society to approaching secular, urban, and industrial. Countries that are still building up their infrastructure and social programs.

Answer 14

An illicit and unregulated market. (does not generate tax revenue) A Black Market operates illegally by ignoring the laws of the state. An example of this would be the narcotics market. Even when the state tries to eliminate the sell of narcotics, the Black Market still makes the product available. Often with negative consequences, such as, violence and addiction.

Answer 15

The Bourgeoisie are the social and financial elite of a society. ``` The proletariat are workers or working-class people, regarded collectively (often used with reference to Marxism). "the growth of the industrial proletariat" ```

Answer 16

The central financial institution of a country that regulates the value of and creates its currency. a national bank that provides financial and banking services for its country's government and commercial banking system, as well as implementing the government's monetary policy and issuing currency.

Answer 17

Centifugal forces are forces that divide the people in a society. Centripetal forces are forces that unite the people in a society.

Answer 18

The idea that democratic decisions should apply to all people in a party, government, or country. the Leninist organizational system in which policy is decided centrally and is binding on all members. Democratic centralism is a practice in which political decisions reached by voting processes are binding upon all members of the political party. Although mainly associated with Leninism, wherein the party's political vanguard composed of professional revolutionaries practised democratic centralism to elect leaders and officers as well as to determine policy through free discussion, then decisively realised through united action,[1] democratic centralism has also been practised by social democratic parties.[

Answer 19

The idea that goods and resources move from poorer, less developed countries to more affluent countries. Dependency theory is the notion that resources flow from a "periphery" of poor and underdeveloped states to a "core" of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former. It is a central contention of dependency theory that poor states are impoverished and rich ones enriched by the way poor states are integrated into the "world system". This brings forward the Dependency Theory of Economic Development that was debated in the late 20th century. Those in favor of the theory, believe that former colonies were made to be dependent on their former colonial masters for markets and production. They would struggle to find their economies to be developed and powerful on their own without implementing trade barriers, such as tariffs and trade quotas. Those against this theory believe that, if the developing nations followed this idea of thought, they would cut themselves off from the modern world. So what was the result? The countries that enacted protectionist policies that were recommended by the dependency theory tended to suffer. They generally experienced poor growth and sustained poverty.

Answer 20

When you own very little, and have an extremely meager income. defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services" (income is less than $1.90 a day, the international poverty line)

Answer 21

Free Trade is trade unrestricted by tariffs and other trade restrictions. Some examples of protectionist policies are tariffs and import quotas. Tariffs are taxes on goods imported into a country from a foreign state. Import quotas are restrictions that limit the amount of foreign goods that enter a country. Occupation and place in society also influence one’s ideology on trade. In the developed world, business entrepreneurs, managers, and investors are excited about the possibilities that trade and globalization can bring. Whereas, laborers in the developed world see that free trade can eliminate their employment. This changes when looking at the developing world. In developing nations, laborers often see opportunity to gain better employment and pay by working for multinational firms. Local business owners tend to feel threatened by the competition that these multinational firms have created.

Answer 22

A measure of how much value is made by a region or segment of a population during a period of time.

Answer 23

Inflation is seen when the popular level of prices for goods and services is rising, and consequently, the purchasing power of currency is falling. Amid times of recession when the economy is declining and production has been reduced, there is a lot of political weight on the bank to use its power to help encourage a recovery. Flooding the economy with effortlessly available loans is a simple approach to fulfill this. However, this might grow the money supply to the point where inflation occurs. This is a constant balancing act that the Central Bank must deal with, in order to maintain the value of currency and avoid inflation. When extra money in the system or increased demand for scarce resources leads to price increases, which then devalues the currency.

Answer 24

Factions that try to influence public policy to meet their political agenda.

Answer 25

Institutions that create an outlet between the people and the government, like political parties.

Answer 26

A group of powerful people in charge of an oligarchic nation (especially in Russia) a very rich business leader with a great deal of political influence.

Answer 27

A group of people who fiercely believe in a person and their interests and actions, no matter what said interests and actions are. excessive public admiration for or devotion to a famous person, especially a political leader.

Answer 28

The distribution of wealth in a country and its economic system in relation to how it affects the politics of a country. Political economy, branch of social science that studies the relationships between individuals and society and between markets and the state, using a diverse set of tools and methods drawn largely from economics, political science, and sociology. The term political economy is derived from the Greek polis, meaning “city” or “state,” and oikonomos, meaning “one who manages a household or estate.” Political economy thus can be understood as the study of how a country—the public’s household—is managed or governed, taking into account both political and economic factors.

Answer 29

Strongmen who control the government simply because they have the power to do so through the military or other outlets of control. is a politician who came into politics from the security, military, or similar services, often the officers of the former KGB, GRU, FSB, SVR, FSO, the Federal Drug Control Service, or other armed services who came into power. A similar term is "securocrat" (law enforcement and intelligence officer).

Answer 30

A subsidy is money given to a company or industry to help keep them in business and the prices for their goods and services low. Subsistence farming, form of farming in which nearly all of the crops or livestock raised are used to maintain the farmer and the farmer's family, leaving little, if any, surplus for sale or trade. Preindustrial agricultural peoples throughout the world have traditionally practiced subsistence farming

Answer 31

A country which provides services to ensure the well being of its populace. a system whereby the government undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need, by means of grants, pensions, and other benefits. The foundations for the modern welfare state in the US were laid by the New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, social expenditures are given to only some members of a society to help achieve economic equality. Social expenditures are more commonly known as the welfare state. Some examples of social expenditures would be unemployment insurance, low income housing, and pensions for the elderly. In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Answer 32

An economy is the production and consumption of goods and services

Answer 33

Right Left

Answer 34

Economic freedom alludes to the degree in which people and private firms are allowed to possess property and settle on choices about how to use, consume or invest it without the impedance from the state.

Answer 35

Economic equality, on the other hand, is the idea that a society should have a balance of wealth. There's a belief here that the state should use resources collectively for the good of the people this eliminating poverty and extreme wealth through re-distributive actions by the state. We must remember though, that every time the state makes a decision to reduce economic inequality, they are taking away a portion of economic freedom of the people.

Answer 36

Several components make up the political economy: 1) the market, 2) property, 3) public goods, 4) social expenditures, 5) taxation, 6) money, 7) inflation, 8) regulation and 9) trade. You must look at the current regime, and current government to help you determine how the state will act when dealing with each of these components.

Answer 37

A market is the basic term used to portray any setting in which free market activity collaborates with another. Markets make it possible for individuals to buy, sell, and trade what they produce for what they consume. Prices rise or fall depending on the current supply and demand in the market at any given time. Occasionally, the state attempts to disturb market behavior; when they see undesirable results, such as high prices on necessary goods.

Answer 38

Here, the state may require prices to remain low 1) by enacting laws or 2) by giving subsidy, which is funding given by the state to either the buyer or seller to keep necessary goods at competitive prices. 3) Raise interest rates to reduce the amount of capital in circulation Controlling the market can be quite difficult for the state. When states place laws and restrictions on the market, black markets may arise. Unemployment may increase when the state attempts a "market correction."

Answer 39

Property is the ownership of goods and services.

Answer 40

Public goods are those goods and services that are given to members of the state, either for free or subsidized rates by the state. The goods that are given in this way, as opposed to by the market, is a contention between the left and the right side of the political spectrum. States are most likely to give goods that have no profit in the market. Some examples would be, military protection, and law enforcement. Each state is unique in the programs and financing levels they establish as public goods. For instance, Great Britain gives citizens health care as a public good. And Nigeria places its oil under public ownership, and helps its citizens by granting subsidies for gasoline.

Answer 41

Much like public good, social expenditures involve the state providing economic goods or services to the people. However, social expenditures are given to only some members of a society to help achieve economic equality. Social expenditures are more commonly known as the welfare state. Some examples of social expenditures would be unemployment insurance, low income housing, and pensions for the elderly. In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Answer 42

Regulations are governmental orders that control activities in the market. Regulations can be legitimized as a measure to enhance the security of employees on a job site. Shielding customers from harmful products, or even protecting the environment. These controls naturally raise the expenses to the organization, and consequently, the cost of products and services go up as well.

Answer 43

Money is a currency, or legal tender, that is usually issued by a central bank in charge of managing the state's money supply. These central banks have the responsibility of making sure the money supply is growing just fast enough to support the economy and population. If the supply grows too quickly, inflation occurs.

Answer 44

Right Left

Answer 45

a) The other answers can be explained with data--hard numbers.

Answer 46

False Linkage institutions are not "formal."

Answer 47

a) Requires a belief in a shared political goal for one's people [although, outside of this course, is often is used to describe where your citizenship resides]

Answer 48

b) Relies heavily on public support for successful policy implementation [The example given in the text is Britain, which has low autonomy and needs the people's support, as opposed to China, which has high autonomy. The Chinese government can do whatever it wants, without the support of the people. Neither Britain nor China are considered a weak state. Both have legitimacy. c) and d) apply to China.] In my mind high autonomy = autocracy.

Answer 49

There's a constant debate in economics on the conflict of economic freedom and economic equality. The contention between these two characterizes the political atmosphere in a state, which has led to the divide between the right and the left. On the right side of the political spectrum, you have those who value economic freedom over economic equality. On the left side of the debate, are those who value economic equality over economic freedom. So what exactly is economic freedom? Economic freedom alludes to the degree in which people and private firms are allowed to possess property and settle on choices about how to use, consume or invest it without the impedance from the state. Economic equality, on the other hand, is the idea that a society should have a balance of wealth. There's a belief here that the state should use resources collectively for the good of the people this eliminating poverty and extreme wealth through re-distributive actions by the state. We must remember though, that every time the state makes a decision to reduce economic and equality, they are taking away a portion of economic freedom of the people.

Unit 1 Flashcards

(78 cards)