1 | 1 copyright © cengage learning. all rights reserved. introducing comparative politics chapter 1...

1 | 1Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCING COMPARATIVE POLITICSINTRODUCING COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Chapter 1

Introducing Comparative Politics


IntroductionIntroduction• Over the last twenty years, we have experienced the

following critical junctures:– 1989: Fall of Berlin Wall

o End of Cold War Cold War and

beginning of current era Cold warCold war—hostile relations

between the United States

and the Soviet Union from

late 1940s to 1991.

SECTION 1SECTION 1

THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF COMPARATIVE THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF COMPARATIVE POLITICSPOLITICS


Introduction (Continued)Introduction (Continued)– 2001: The attack of the World Trade Center Towers

o New era of global insecurity– 2008: The Great Recession of 2008

o Global economic tailspino Heightened political conflicto Anxiety over the future



Introduction (ContIntroduction (Cont’’d)d)– 2011: Three remarkable events:

o Protests in Tunisia and Egypt toppled decades-old dictatorships.o Protests in other countries in Middle East and North Africa, including

Algeria, Bahrain, Libya, Syria, and Yemen had very different outcomes and massive violence.

o March, 2011: Japan suffered first an earthquake and then a tsunami that culminated in the crippling of six nuclear reactors.

• Introduction to Comparative Politics studies how countries shape and are shaped by the world order created by watershed events, such as those that occurred in 1989, 2001, 2008, and 2011.

– Each of the above dates, 1989, 2001, 2008, and 2011 describe a critical juncture critical juncture —an important historical moment when political actors make choices that shape institutions and future outcomes.



Making Sense of Turbulent TimesMaking Sense of Turbulent Times• Introduction to Comparative Politics– Cross-national comparisons and explanations on four themes:

o The World of States: Historical formation, internal organization, and interaction of states within international order

o Governing the Economy: Role of the state in economic management

o The Democratic Idea: Spread and challenges of democracy

o The Politics of Collective Identities: Sources and political impact of diverse collective identitiescollective identities

Collective identitiesCollective identities—groups with which people identify, including gender, class, race, region, and religion, and which are the “building blocks” for social and political action.



SECTION 2SECTION 2

WHAT—AND HOW—COMPARATIVE POLITICS WHAT—AND HOW—COMPARATIVE POLITICS COMPARESCOMPARES

Making Sense of Turbulent Times (ContMaking Sense of Turbulent Times (Cont’’d) d) • Comparison dates back to Aristotle

– Categorized Greek city-states according to their form of political ruleo Single individual, few, all citizens

– Distinguished good from corrupt o Whether those with power ruled in their own interest or for the common

welfare

• Comparative politicsComparative politics—field within political science that focuses on domestic politics and analyzes patterns of similarity and

difference.



Making Sense of Turbulent Times (ContMaking Sense of Turbulent Times (Cont’’d) d) • Distinction between comparative politics and international relations

– Comparative politics studies domestic political institutions, processes, policies, conflicts, attitudes in different countries.

– International relations studies foreign policies of and interactions among countries, role of international organizations, influence of global actors.

– Studies overlap; distinction important because political activity occurs within state borders.

– Despite increased international economic competition and integration (key aspect of globalization)globalization), countries are fundamental building blocks in structuring political activity.

o GlobalizationGlobalization—intensification of worldwide interconnectedness associated with speed and magnitude of cross-border flows of trade, investment and finance, processes of migration, cultural diffusion, and communication.



Making Sense of Turbulent Times (ContMaking Sense of Turbulent Times (Cont’’d) d) • Comparative approach focuses on selected institutions and

processes when analyzing similarities and differences among countries.

– As students of comparative politics (comparativistscomparativists), we must look at more than one case to make reliable statement.

– Look at two or more cases selected to isolate common and contrasting features

– May analyze broad issues or institution, policy, process through time, e.g., shift in orientation of economic policy from KeynesianismKeynesianism—an approach that gives priority to government regulation of economy to neoliberalismneoliberalism—approach that emphasizes the importance of market-friendly policies.



The Internet and the Study of Comparative Politics The Internet and the Study of Comparative Politics • Information found on the web:– Current events– Elections– Statistics; e.g., Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), United Nations

Development Program (UNDP), and World BankWorld Bank– Rankings and ratingso For example: UNDP Human Development Index (HDI)Human Development Index (HDI); the Global Gender GapGlobal Gender Gap; the

Environmental Performance IndexEnvironmental Performance Index; the Corruption Perceptions IndexCorruption Perceptions Index; and the Freedom in the World RatingFreedom in the World Rating.

– Official information and documents– The United States Department of State– Maps – General comparative politics



Level of AnalysisLevel of Analysis• Comparisons are useful for political analysis at several different

levels.– Specific institutions in different countriescountries o CountriesCountries—distinct, politically defined territories that encompass

governments, composed of political institutions, cultures, economies and collective identities.o Countries are historically most important source of collective political

identity and major arena for organized political action.



Level of Analysis (ContLevel of Analysis (Cont’’d)d)– StateState—key political institutions responsible for making, implementing,

enforcing, and adjudicating policies .

o National executiveexecutive (president or prime minister) and the cabinet cabinet are most important state institutions.

ExecutiveExecutive—the agencies of government that implement or execute policy

CabinetCabinet—the body of officials (e.g., ministers, secretaries) who direct executive departments presided over by the chief executive (e.g, prime minister, president).

o Other key institutions: military, policy, and bureaucracybureaucracy Bureaucracy Bureaucracy —an organization structured hierarchically, in

which lower-level officials are charged with administering regulations codified in rules that specify impersonal objective guidelines for making decisions.



Level of Analysis (ContLevel of Analysis (Cont’’d)d)o Alongside executive is the legislaturelegislature and judiciary.judiciary. LegislatureLegislature—one of the primary political institutions in a country, in which elected

members are charged with responsibility for making laws and usually providing for the financial resources for the state to carry out its functions.

JudiciaryJudiciary—one of the primary political institutions in a country; responsible for the administration of justice and in some countries for determining the constitutionality of state decisions.



Level of Analysis (ContLevel of Analysis (Cont’’d) d) • Political legitimacylegitimacy required for long-term stability

LegitimacyLegitimacy—support of significant segment of the citizenry.– Affected by economic performance and distribution of economic

resources– May require some level of democracy

• Not all states are the same.– Variance in organization of institutions

o Differences impact political, economic, social

o Process of state formation state formation influences political differences

State formationState formation—historical evolution of the state.



Level of Analysis (ContLevel of Analysis (Cont’’d) d) • Variance in extent to which citizens share a common sense of

nationhood– Nation-stateNation-state—when state boundaries and national identity

coincide.– Source of political instability when they do not coincide– Nationalist movements challenge existing boundaries.



Causal TheoriesCausal Theories• Countries and states are the two critical units for comparative

analysis.

• One approach is to develop causal theoriescausal theories.– Causal theoriesCausal theories—Hypotheses expressed as “If X happens then

Y will be the result.”o Include factors (independent variablesindependent variables) that are believed to

influence the outcome (dependent variables(dependent variables)

o Inverse correlation – X and Y vary in the opposite direction

• Even without hypotheses, comparativists try to identify similarities and differences to discover patterns.



Causal Theories (ContCausal Theories (Cont’’d)d)• Limits on “scientific” political science

– Two differences between “hard” and social scienceso Social sciences study people who have free will.

o Experimental techniques cannot isolate factors.

• Debate over whether or not social sciences should seek scientific explanations

• Rational choice theory Rational choice theory borrowed from economics– Rational choice theoryRational choice theory—approach to analyzing political decision making

and behavior that assumes that individual actors rationally pursue aims in effort to achieve most positive net result.



Causal Theories (ContCausal Theories (Cont’’d)d)• Most comparativists agree on middle-level theory.middle-level theory.– Middle-level theory Middle-level theory seeks to explain phenomena in limited range of

cases.– Study of democratic transitions democratic transitions identifies influence of variables

on political stability.

o Democratic transitionsDemocratic transitions—the process of a state moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system.o Process in which authoritarian governments such as military

dictatorshipsdictatorships develop more democratic regimes

DictatorshipsDictatorships —a government in which one or a few rulers has absolute power.

o Identify common patterns that make sense of political events and link experiences.


SECTION 3SECTION 3

THEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Theme 1: A World of StatesTheme 1: A World of States• States have been primary actors for about five hundred years

– Individuals, international organizations, transnational corporations may play crucial role.

– States still send armies to conquer other states.

– Legal codes of states allow businesses to operate within borders and beyond.

– States provide and enforce laws, and some social welfare.

– States regulate movement of people across borders through immigration.

– Protect citizens from aggressive actions by other states



Theme 1: A World of States (ContTheme 1: A World of States (Cont’’d)d)• Country chapters emphasize the importance of understanding

similarities and contrasts in state formation and institutional institutional design design across countries.

– Institutional designInstitutional design— institutional arrangements that define relationships between executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and between the central government and sub-central units.

• States may collapse when rivals challenge rulers or when leaders violate the rule of law.

– Failed statesFailed states—states in which the government no longer functions

– AnarchyAnarchy—lawlessness due to absence of government



Theme 1: A World of States (ContTheme 1: A World of States (Cont’’d)d)• All states experiencing increased pressure from external

influences– Do not have same impact on all states

– Some states can shape structure and policy of international organizations.o States with greater level of economy, military, and resources have a

greater global influence and benefit more from globalization.

o Countries with fewer advantages are more dependent on states and international organizations and benefit less from globalization.

o International organizations and treaties challenge national sovereignty, including United Nations, the European Union (EU), European Union (EU), the World Trade Organization (WTO)World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the North American Free North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

o Political borders do not protect people from global influences



Theme 1: A World of States (ContTheme 1: A World of States (Cont’’d)d)• Technology, immigration, and cultural diffusion impact domestic

policies and challenge state supremacy.

• Global media have increased knowledge about international developments.

– May increase demands on local governments to intervene to stop atrocities

– May cause local governments to be held to international standards of human rights and democracy



Theme 1: A World of States (ContTheme 1: A World of States (Cont’’d)d)• Puzzle: To what extent can even the most powerful states

(especially the United States) preserve their autonomy and impose their will on others in a globalized world? And, in what ways are the poorer and less powerful countries particularly vulnerable to the pressures of globalization and disgruntled citizens?

– Politics and policies of states increasingly influenced by international factors

– Constituencies also challenge power and legitimacy of central governments .



Theme 2: Governing the EconomyTheme 2: Governing the Economy• Ability to ensure adequate volume of goods and services affects

state’s ability to maintain sovereign authority and control.– Inadequate economic performance important reason for rejection

of communism– Success in promoting economic development major factor in

survival of Communist Party in China

• How state “governs the economy” is key element in overall pattern of governance.

– Difference in balance between agriculture and industrial production – Strategies to improve economic performance– Competition in international markets– Importance of private market forces versus government direction

of the economy



Theme 2: Governing the Economy (ContTheme 2: Governing the Economy (Cont’’d)d)• Political economyPolitical economy—how governments affect economic

performance and how economic performance affects politics.– Belief that domestic and international economy affects politics

• There is no one right way to manage the economy.

• No clear measure of economic success– More countries emphasizing sustainable development sustainable development —an

approach to promoting economic growth that seeks to minimize environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources.



Theme 2: Governing the Economy (ContTheme 2: Governing the Economy (Cont’’d)d)• Puzzle: What is relationship between democracy and successful

national economic performance?– Both democratic and authoritarian regimes have been successful.

– For example: China, an authoritarian communist party-statecommunist party-state has enjoyed highest growth rate among major economies since 1990.

o Communist party-stateCommunist party-state—type of nation state in which communist party attempts to exercise complete monopoly on political power and controls all important state institutions.



Global Connection—How Is Development Measured?Global Connection—How Is Development Measured?– Two commonly used measures of size or power of country’s economy:o Gross domestic product (GDP)Gross domestic product (GDP)—value of total goods and services produced

during a given year.o Gross national product (GNP)Gross national product (GNP)—GDP plus income earned abroad by country’s

residents.o Textbook calculates GDP using purchasing power parity (PPP) purchasing power parity (PPP) method. PPPPPP takes into account the real cost of living in a particular country by calculating

how much it would cost in the local currency to buy the “same basket of goods” in different countries.

Since PPP does not take population size into account, it does not reveal prosperity.o One of the important measures is Human Development Index (HDI)Human Development Index (HDI)—a composite

number used by the United Nations to measure and compare levels of achievement in health, knowledge, and standard of living.

Based on life expectancy, adult literacy rate and school enrollment statistics, and GDP per capita at PPP.



Theme 3: The Democratic IdeaTheme 3: The Democratic Idea• DemocracyDemocracy—from the Greek demos (the people) and kratos (rule). A

regime in which citizens exercise substantial control over choice of political leaders and the decisions made by their governments.

• Strong appeal and rapidly spreading

• Hard for authoritarian governments to survive persistent and widespread pressure for democratic participation – Democracy’s stability, affluence, freedom may appeal to citizens in

authoritarian regimes.

o Most consistent with human aspirations for freedom, prosperity, and security

o Some observers claim that democracy is dangerous.

o Democratic policymaking tends to be dominated by “short-term political and electoral considerations” whereas wise policy requires long-range perspective.



Theme 3: The Democratic Idea (ContTheme 3: The Democratic Idea (Cont’’d)d)• Conditions that are necessary for democratic idea to take root:

– Secure national borders, stable state, minimum level of economic development, acceptance of democratic values, agreement on rules, and institutional design

• Gulf between transition to and consolidation of democracy– Transition occurs when authoritarian regime is toppled and

democratic foundations are established.

– Consolidation requires adherence to democratic procedures and making the government more sturdy and durable.

– Reversal of democratic regimes to authoritarian rule have occurred in the past.

• Comparative politics does not support a philosophy of history or theory of political development that identifies a single (democratic) end point toward which all countries will converge.



Theme 3: The Democratic Idea (ContTheme 3: The Democratic Idea (Cont’’d)d)• Must examine incompleteness of democracy even in countries with

long experience of democratic government– Democratic idea invoked to make government more responsive

and accountable.– Social movements Social movements target actions, inaction.

o Social movementsSocial movements—large-scale grassroots action that demands reforms of existing social practices and government policies.

• Puzzle: Is there a relationship between democracy and political stability?

– Democracy permits opposition making political life turbulent and unpredictable.

– Legitimacy of political opposition deepens state support and promotes state stability.

– Once adopted, odds are democratic regime will endure.



Theme 4: The Politics of Collective IdentitiesTheme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities

• At one time comparativists believed that social class social class was the most important source of collective identity.

– Social classSocial class—group whose members share common economic status determined largely by occupation, income, and wealth.

• Formation of group attachments and interplay of collective identities more complex

– In many long-established democracies identity based on class declining but still important politically and economically

– Economically-based sources of collective identity growing in significance



Theme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities (ContTheme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities (Cont’’d)d)• Politics of collective identities involves struggle to mobilize groups

to be politically influential– Constant struggle among groups over relative power and

influence– Issues of inclusion, political recognition, representation, resource

allocation, and ability to shape public policies

• Issues about collective identities never fully settled– Identity-based conflicts appear in every multiethnic society.

o Particularly intense in post-colonial countries Colonial powers forced ethnic groups together and drew

borders with little regard to existing identities.– Political conflicts between and within religious groups

o May cross national boundaries and involve globalizationo Political orientation of religious community not predetermined



Theme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities (ContTheme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities (Cont’’d)d)

• Puzzle: How do collective identities affect country’s distributional distributional politicspolitics?

– Distributional politicsDistributional politics—use of power, particularly by the state, to allocate some kind of valued resource among competing groups.

– Most groups desire material benefits and political influence.

– Analytical difference between material and nonmaterial useful

– Compromise may be difficult in situation of extreme scarcity.

– Nonmaterial demands may be harder to satisfy through distributional politics.


SECTION 4SECTION 4

CLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMSCLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMS

IntroductionIntroduction• Over two hundred states with distinctive political regimes today

– Create typologytypology to facilitate comparison within and between types of states

o TypologyTypology—analytic construct that helps us engage in comparisons that yield useful knowledge.

– Most different case analysis to compare across types

• From World War II until 1980s consensus on “Three Worlds” – First World was Western industrial democracies

o Countries somewhat democratic, not industrialized

– Second World was communist stateso Nearly disappeared today; remaining have developed market-based

policies.



Introduction (ContIntroduction (Cont’’d)d)– Third World Third World was economically less developed

o Third WorldThird World—countries with low or moderately low economic development as measured by GNI or GDP.

• Typology classifies states into three groups:

– Consolidated democraciesConsolidated democracies—democratic political systems solidly and stably established for ample period of time with consistent adherence to core democratic principles.

– Transitional democraciesTransitional democracies—countries that have moved from authoritarian government to a democratic one.

– AuthoritarianismAuthoritarianism—system of rule in which power depends not on popular legitimacy, but on the coercive force of political authorities.



The Meaning—or Meanings—of DemocracyThe Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy• Contentious debate over meaning

– Procedural definition versus provision of substantive equalities

• Rough consensus over minimum features– Free and fair elections to select highest public offices

– Political parties free to compete

– Government policies developed according to rules that include transparency and accountability

– Political rights and civil liberties for all citizens

– Legal system based on “rule of law” and principle of legal equality; independent judiciary

– Elected government exercises supreme power

– Political, social, economic and identify-based conflicts to be resolved peacefully , without violence, according to prescribed procedures.



The Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (ContThe Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (Cont’’d)d)• A Typology of Political Systems– Criteria to distinguish between consolidated and transitional democracies

o Time—Whether or not democratic institutions have been solidly and stably established for a period of time

Length of time open to interpretation

o Extent—extent of democratic practice

Consistent adherence to seven democratic principles

Violation of democratic norms sometimes occur



The Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (ContThe Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (Cont’’d)d)• A Typology of Political Systems (Cont’d)

– Authoritarian regimes:o Lack effective procedures for selecting political leaders through competitive

elections

o Have few institutionalized procedures for holding those with political power accountable to its citizens

o Severely restrict oppositional politics and dissent

o Do not permit people of different genders, racial groups, religions, and ethnicities to enjoy equal rights

o Operate with a legal system that is highly politicized; moreover judiciary is not an independent branch of government

o Coercion and violence are part of the political process.



The Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (ContThe Meaning—or Meanings—of Democracy (Cont’’d)d)• A Typology of Political Systems (Cont’d)– Variety of authoritarian regime types:o Communist party-states (e.g., China and Cuba)

o Theocracies (e.g., Iran)

o Military governments (e.g., Myanmar (formerly Burma))

o Absolute monarchies (e.g., Saudi Arabia)

o Personalistic dictatorships (e.g., Venezuela)

– Categories are not air-tight and many straddle between two (e.g., Brazil and India).


SECTION 5SECTION 5

ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXTORGANIZATION OF THE TEXT

IntroductionIntroduction• Country case studies selected:

– Significance in terms of comparative themes

– Provide interesting samples of political regimes, economic development, geographic regions

• Main issues and questions covered:– The Making of the Modern State– Political Economy and Development– Governance and Policy-Making– Representation and Participation– Politics in Transition



1. The Making of the Modern State1. The Making of the Modern State• Section 1 in each chapter provides overview.

– Politics in Action —uses specific event to illustrate recent history and highlight critical issues being faced.

– Geographic Setting—locates country in regional setting and discusses related political implications.

– Critical Junctures—looks at major stages and turning points in state’s development.

– Themes and Implications—shows how past patterns continue to shape the current political agenda

– Historical Junctures and Political Themes—applies the core themes.

– Implications for Comparative Politics—discusses significance of country for the study of comparative politics.



2. Political Economy and Development2. Political Economy and Development• Section 2 looks at issues raised by theme of governing the

economy and how economic development has affected political change.

• Within this section are the following subsections:– State and Economy—discusses organization of country’s economy.

o Emphasizes role of state, relationship between government and other actors, and analyzes the state’s welfare policies

– Society and Economy—examines social and political implications of the economic situation.

o Who benefits from economic change?

o How economic development creates or reinforces cleavages.

– The Global Economy—considers the country’s global role.



3. Governance and Policy-making3. Governance and Policy-making• Section 3 describes state’s policy-making institutions and

procedures.

• Within this section are the following subsections:– Organization of the State—describes principles on which political system

and distribution of power are based.– The Executive—describes key offices at the top of the political system.

o How they are selected and use their power to make policy

o Analyzes bureaucracy, its relationship to the executive, its role in policymaking

– Other State Institutions—looks at military, judiciary, semipublic agencies, and subnational government .

– The Policy-Making Process—summarizes how policy is made and implemented.



4. Representation and Participation4. Representation and Participation• Section 4 describes the relationship between state and society.• Within this section are the following subsections:– The Legislature—describes representation of interests and its role in

policymaking.– Political Parties and the Party System— describes the organization of the

party system and major parties.– Elections— describes the election process, recent trends in electoral

behavior, significance of elections for participation and change.– Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity—examines how people perceive

themselves as members of the political community, nature and source of political values and attitudes, and how different groups understand their relationship to the state.

– Interests, Social Movements, and Protests—describes pursuit of political interests outside the party system.



5. Politics in Transition5. Politics in Transition• In Section 5 we identify and analyze the major challenges

reshaping the world and study of comparative politics .• Within this section are the following subsections:– Political Challenges and Changing Agendas—identifies the major

unresolved issues facing the country and assess which will likely dominate in the near future.

o Challenges involve: globalization, economic distribution, collective identities, human rights and civil liberties, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and consequences of America’s exercise of global hegemonyhegemony.

o HegemonyHegemony—capacity to dominate the world of states, control terms of trade and alliance patterns in global order.

– Politics in Comparative Perspective—highlights implications of the country for the study of comparative politics.

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