Unit 1 Review Summary

Unit 1 review summary

Government Basics

Be prepared to connect Comparative Theories to real life examples – Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory
Define and make connections to examples of STATE / REGIME / NATION
Define Sovereignty and list sources of Sovereign power
Define Legitimacy
Types of Legitimacy – Traditional / Charismatic / Rational – Legal

II. Democracy and Types of Government

Define and Distinguish characteristics of Liberal (Substantive) / Procedural / and Illiberal Democracies
Define Representative Democracy (Republic) and list elements of a Rep Dem
Democratization and the transition to Democracy = democratic consensus
Trend is toward more democratic systems in the world
Characteristics of Authoritarian Systems

Political Culture and Participation

Define and List characteristics of civil society
Explain the role of citizens in a civic culture
Explain the role of political parties
Define a Catch All Party and which electoral system leads to 2 dominant catch all parties
Reasons for elections in non-democratic regimes = tied to legitimacy
Explain the electoral system known as Proportional Representation in MMDs and its impact on the number of political parties represented in the Legislature
Explain the electoral system known as First Past the Post with SMDs and its impact on the number of political parties represented in the Legislature
Pros and cons of each electoral system
Explain and distinguish the major ideologies = liberal (American and the rest of the world), conservative, libertarian, social democratic, Christian democratic, radical and reactionary
Define and Distinguish a Pluralist System and a Corporatist System based on Patron-Client Relations
Elite Recruitment in both democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes
Changing role of women in world politics

Institutions of Government

Define, compare, and contrast Unitary, Federal and Confederal Systems of government organization
Centralized vs. decentralized power
Explain parliamentary systems and apply it to the working of the government
Explain Presidential Systems and apply it to the operation of government
Distinguish Presidential and Parliamentary systems
Role of a Head of State
Role of the Head of Government
Unicameral vs. Bicameral Legislatures – pros and cons
Judicial Review – define and explain

Chapter 11 – Economics – and Globalization

Define Globalization
Benefits and problems of globalization
Economic Impact of globalization
Define Third World and understand how broad and diverse the category is
Dependency Theory
Economic liberalization – define and explain its basic policies
Development programs = Import Substitution and Structural Adjustment
Data Analysis – Be able to explain GDP / GNP / Per Capita / HDI / Gini Index / CPI / Freedom House
Analyze political cartoons

UNIT 1 COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT

BIG IDEAS

Who governs and to what ends?
How are political systems organized?
Who has the political power?
How is public policy made within a country?
What factors go into making public policy – both internal and external?

UNIT 1 OBJECTIVES

Upon the completion of Unit 1 of AP Comparative Government, the students will be able to:
1.) Understand the importance of current events to the political development of a country
2.) Define Key vocabulary terms on government
3.) Demonstrate an understanding of the different schools of Comparative Analysis
4.) Explain the sources of sovereignty for a state
5.) Describe the factors that impact the level of legitimacy for a regime
6.) Compare and contrast the different forms of government around the world
7.) Distinguish between the forms of Democratic regimes around the world
8.) Analyze the different electoral methods used around the world.
9.) Compare and contrast the First Past the Post SMD Electoral system and the Proportional Representation Electoral System
10.) Explain the concept of Civil Society and distinguish between a pluralist and a corporatist system.
11.) Assess the impact of Import Substitution and Structural Adjustment economic policies on the development of 3rd world nations.

III. COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT / COMPARATIVE ANAYLSIS

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
A. Define CP? The study and comparison of domestic politics across countries.
• Study Politics in countries by classifying, comparing and choosing
• Look for patterns – similarities and differences

B. Why do Comparative Analysis of Countries?
• To understand public policy decision in countries and to be able to make predictions
• To understand why things differ from place to place
• AGOA for example
• Serious Issues like war and peace / democracy / economy / health care / prosperity v poverty

C. Schools of Comparative Analysis
• POLITICAL ECONOMY APPROACH – Focuses on the nation-state level. It emphasizes the nexus between economic conditions and politics
• MODERNIZATION THEORY – Focuses on the nation-state level. It emphasizes domestic forces such as cultural issues that may enhance or hinder development. This theory divides the world into a “modern” sector and a “Backward” Sector.
• DEPENDENCY THEORY – Focuses on the global system and not just the country level. Poverty is a global issue and not just a political, economic or cultural issue. The small “core” of developed countries which specialize in high-value added manufactured goods, are conspiring to keep the rest of the “peripheral” countries depressed as they specialize in commodity products and resources. Poverty is based on a country’s position in this international system.
• SYSTEMS THEORY – The focus is on all the players in the process of policymaking.
o Inputs (Supports or demands – voters, interest groups, political parties, media) go to the Decision makers (institutions and Political Leaders) who produce Outputs (Public Policy) which leads to feedback (see the Media) with the system being affected by Environmental forces (globalization, the economy, etc)

IV. GOVERNMENT BASICS AND FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

GOVERNMENT BASICS, DEMOCRACY, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND PROCESSES
1. Comparative Basics:
A. Government ? = Either a generic term to describe the formal part of the state or the administration of the day. The leadership or elite or elected officials in charge of running a state.
B. Nation ? As used by political scientists, primarily a psychological term to describe attachment or identity rather than a geopolitical unit such as the state.
C. State ? All individuals and institutions that make public policy, whether they are in the government or not. (Country)
D. Regime? The institutions and practices that endure from government to government, such as the constitutional order in a democracy.
Did the US do regime change in Iraq? In Afghanistan?
E. Power = ability to maintain control
F. POLITICAL POWER: The ability of one person (or a group) to cause another person (or group) to act in accordance with the first person’s intent in terms of political issues.
G. Politics ? The process through which a community, state, or organization organizes and governs itself. The struggle for power that gives one person or group the ability to make decisions for the larger group.
H. Autonomy? The ability of the state to wield its power independently of the public
I. Sovereignty? The right to rule – The ability of a state to carry out actions or policy within its territory independently without external or internal resistance - where a government gets its right to rule – source of its power
• Sources?
• Factors on why a country would give up some of its sovereignty?
J. Authority? The “right” to lead a country
K. Legitimacy ? A value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power - The extent to which the citizens accept the government as its true ruler
• What factors go into raising or lowering the level of legitimacy in a regime?
• Traditional, Charismatic, and Rational-Legal Legitimacy
L. Capacity? Strong v. weak v failed states? The ability of the state to wield power to carry out basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy.

FORMS OF GOVERNMENT - DEMOCRACY

I. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

Despite the numerous names for governments that have existed since the beginning of time, political scientists have distilled governments down into one of three types.

What is the basic test between these three types of Governments? THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE POWER

SOVEREIGNTY – where a government gets its right to rule – source of its power
LEGITIMACY – The extent to which the citizens accept the government as its true ruler

Forms of Government Organization

Unitary Systems vs. Federal Systems vs. Confederal Systems
Push for Devolution today

Three types of Government:

1.) AUTOCRACY – A government in which ONE person has the power – RULE BY ONE!

Sources of Power: Hereditary / Divine Right (power comes from God) / Control of the Military
Types of Autocracies: MONARCHY / DICTATORSHIP / THEOCRACY (One religious leader in power like the Ayatollah in 1980’s Iran)

2.) Oligarchy – Rule by a Few - A (relatively) small group of people control the power

Sources of Power: Family connections / Membership in a group (CCP in China) / Military Control
Totalitarian / Fascist Regimes – rule by power and fear
Examples: China and the Theocracy in Iran today

3.) DEMOCRACY – See below

FORMS OF DEMOCRACY

1.) DEMOCRACY – FORMS OF DEMOCRACY
• Pure / Direct / Participatory vs. Indirect / Representative / Republic

• Liberal Democracies / Substantive Democracy / Advanced Democracy– define it? Examples?
o A democratic form of government in which there are free, fair, and frequent elections and where there is a full spectrum of civil liberties and civil rights in place
Liberal Democracies – define it? Examples?
Illiberal Democracies – define it? Examples?
A gov’t with elections that are not free, fair or frequent and with large scale disenfranchisement
A gov’t which does not protect the people’s civil liberties, rights or human rights
A gov’t without an independent judiciary
A country with no or weak civil society

PROCEDURAL DEMOCRACY

Form of democracy in which there is the appearance of democracy with some protections for rights and liberties and elections BUT the elections are not free, fair, or competitive. Such as some citizens being denied suffrage, or one group controlling access to government (Corporatism), OR one group manages and rigs the elections through Electoral Alchemy or Tacos with the PRI in Mexico in 20th century

SUBSTANTIVE DEMOCRACY VS. PROCEDURAL DEMOCRACY
• In SD, electoral process gives all eligible citizens opp to equal participation in fair, frequent, free and competitive elections with extensive protections for rights and freedoms A democracy in which citizens have all the symbols or trappings of democratic process but carry far less influence than in a traditional or substantive democracy
• Citizens elect reps but have far less influence on policy
• PD are managed by members of the bureaucratic elite but these elite do not let many other freedoms or rights exist
• Examples: Russia, Iran, China and Nigeria (Mexico PRI era)

SUBSTANTIVE DEMOCRACY / PROCEDURAL DEMOCRACY
Define? See Lib Dem above

In SD, electoral process gives all eligible citizens opp to equal participation in fair, frequent, free and competitive elections with extensive protections for rights and freedoms

/ A democracy in which citizens have all the symbols or trappings of democratic process but carry far less influence than in a traditional or substantive democracy

Citizens elect reps but have far less influence on policy
PD are managed by members of the bureaucratic elite but these elite do not let many other freedoms or rights exist
Examples: Russia, Iran, China and Nigeria (Mexico PRI era)

What is meant by the concept of “Institutionalized Democracy”? - (HINT - Rule of Law)

As a country develops into a liberal democracy and the people come to accept the rule of law, then the idea of democracy becoming more legitimate and accepted , therefore institutionalized

What is the most basic or common method by which people can participate in politics?

Voting and elections

Basic terms: SUFFRAGE AND CONSTITUENCY

Suffrage = right to vote
Constituency = the geographic area that an elected official represents – really is the people in that area
Popular Sovereignty – The right to rule comes from the people

Review of Initiative, Referendum, Recall and Plebiscites

Plebiscite: a nonbinding referenda designed to gage public opinion on an issue and not a final binding decision

Factors needed in a successful democracy:

FFF and competitive elections
Suffrage protections
Liberty and freedom
Rule of Law and an Independent Judiciary
Sep of Powers
Civil Society vs. Civic Culture – Social Capital
ideological / economic / social / educational conditions

3 / 4 waves of democratization (Samuel Huntingdon)

Late 19th century – Increase in education and urban population – 20 of 65 Indep Countries are demo
End of WWII – Breakup of Euro Colonial powers
Late 1970’s – Started in Southern Europe and spread to Latin America and Asia but picked up speed in 1989 -1991 with the Fall of the USSR
Early 21st century / Post 9/11 World – USA all the way – The Arab Spring / Sprung

ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND PROCESSES

I. What is the most basic or common method by which people can participate in politics?

Voting and elections

II. Basic terms: SUFFRAGE AND CONSTITUENCY

Suffrage? THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Constituency? The voters in A geographical area that an elected officialrepresents
Popular Sovereignty? The power to rule comes from the consent of the people

III. What is the primary institutional mechanism to regulate political competition? ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

What is meant by the concept of an ‘ELECTORAL SYSTEM”? The rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in the leg / gov’t

IV. What is Duverger’s Law? Scientific principle that focuses on the relationship between an electoral system and political party systems. The electoral system chosen in a country will impact the political party system that develops in that country.

V. What are the major forms or types of electoral systems in Liberal democracies?

Explain the First Past the Post Single Member District Electoral System (FPTP / SMD)

The voting districts are set up as only 1 representative for each constituency
Winner Take All process
Plurality = Candidate with the largest # of votes wins the seat

What is the difference between Plurality Elections and Absolute Majority Elections?

Plurality is the most votes regardless of whether it is over 50% and majority means 50% plus 1 vote

In a FPTP system, how are seats in the legislature allocated? The candidate who gets the most votes in the SMD gets the seat
What is meant by a Run Off Election? IN electoral systems where the winner needs a majority of the vote, it is the second stage election after the first round where no one gets a majority

What are the pros and Cons of the FPTP SMD Electoral System?

PROS / CONS

Easier to get a majority and less being held hostage by small parties
More control over the legislature
Representative accountability to voters
Tends to push system toward a 2 party Process with less # of PP in leg

Wasted votes as many votes cast do not actually count to anyone being elected
Voters are reluctant to vote for smaller PP
Leg is dominated by 2 major PP
Smaller groups are not represented so less democratic

Explain the PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION (PR) Electoral System
MMD = Multimember Districts so more than 1 leg seat is contested in each district– not a candidate centered process
PR – LIST = each party offers a list of candidates and voters select between party lists (Closed). Voters cast ballots for a PP rather than for a candidate and the % of votes the PP receives in a district determines how many seats the PP gets in that district. PP sets up a list of its candidates by rank and then allocates the seats in district based on % of vote received
PR –OPEN LIST STV (Single Transferable Vote) = voters show their support for individual candidates as voters rank candidates by preference eon ballot (can cross party lines)

In a PR system, how are seats in the legislature allocated? By % of the vote received for the party
What are the Pros and Cons of the PR system?

PROS / CONS

Seats in Leg reflect range of opinion of voters
More power to the PP which controls the candidates
Leads to smaller PP
Increases the # of PP in leg.
Greater diversity of representation
More consensus and coalition building

Not a candidate centered process
Too much power for PP’s
Not as democratic as people do not actually choose their leaders
Coalitions lead to instability

9. What is meant by a Threshold Requirement for seat allocation?

A minimum percent of vote needed in order to qualify for seats in legislature.

10. Explain the idea of a MIXED ELECTORAL SYSTEM?

Voters vote for candidates in SMD and also for PP using PR

11. Which type of electoral system tends to lead to a dominant 2 party system? FPTP

12. Which electoral system gives 3rd Parties the best chance of winning seats? PR

13. Which electoral system tends to distort the winning margin of the victorious candidate / party? FPTP

14. Which type of electoral system is often criticized because it leads to wasted votes? FPTP

15. In which electoral system do voters actually get to directly choose their representative? FPTP

16. Which type of system leads to more competitive political parties? PR

17. Which type of system leads to more coalition governments? PR

18. Which type of electoral system is the most common? PR

19. Which type of electoral systems tends to lead to political parties made up of broad coalitions with diverse constituencies and interests under one party? FPTP

20. Under which electoral system is it harder to hold politicians accountable? PR

VI. KEY PRINCIPLES / PROCESSES OF DEMOCRACY

How do you encourage competition in democratic elections? Allow the existence of PP

Why are Political parties so important?

They act as unifying symbols that assist voters in making choices
Bring together diverse groups of people and ideas
PP create the means by which politicians are held accountable to voters
Encourage competition but also are loose enough to prevent tyranny

How is a Political Parties different than an Interest Group?

Only a PP runs candidates for office

POLITICAL CULTURE – SEE POWER POINT