UNIT I The Comparative Method

Politics and government matter.  Why? Americans are apathetic about politics and government.  Why? American youth are not likely to be informed about government and politics and rarely participate in politics.  Why? 2

What is Politics? The core of politics is about human beings making important decisions for themselves and for others Comparative Politics: Two Elements  It is a subject of study  comparing the nature of politics and the political process across different political systems  It is a method of study  Involving how and why we make such comparisons

What is Politics? Politics deals with human decisions, and political science is the study of such decisions We will examine the political process and its impact on the citizens

What Is Comparative Politics? Political decisions are social, public, and authoritative. They take place within a political system.  The public sphere deals with collective decisions that extend beyond the individual and typically involve government action.  Private sphere deals with actions that do not bind anyone outside a group (e.g., family, friends).  Boundaries exist between the two.  These boundaries can change.

Why We Compare “Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know how to proceed.” -- Tocqueville Comparing is the only way we can fully understand our own political institutions. Examining politics in other societies permits us to see a wider range of political alternatives. It illuminates the virtues and shortcomings of our own political life. Comparative analysis helps us expand our awareness of the possibiliteis of politics. “Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know how to proceed.” -- Tocqueville Comparing is the only way we can fully understand our own political institutions. Examining politics in other societies permits us to see a wider range of political alternatives. It illuminates the virtues and shortcomings of our own political life. Comparative analysis helps us expand our awareness of the possibiliteis of politics.

Why We Compare The goals of comparative methods used by political scientists are similar to those used in more exact sciences. However, political scientists cannot normally design experiments, a major path to knowledge in many of the natural sciences. We cannot control and manipulate political arrangements and observe the consequences— especially with large scale events that drastically affect many people Researches cannot and would not want to start social revolution to see its effects. The goals of comparative methods used by political scientists are similar to those used in more exact sciences. However, political scientists cannot normally design experiments, a major path to knowledge in many of the natural sciences. We cannot control and manipulate political arrangements and observe the consequences— especially with large scale events that drastically affect many people Researches cannot and would not want to start social revolution to see its effects.

What is the State? Government – the formal part of the state; particular set of institutions and people authorized by formal documents (such as a constitution) to pass laws, issue regulations, control the police, etc. State – all individuals and institutions that make public policy and exercise power, whether they are in the government or not. Regime – the institutions and practices that endure from government to government, such as the constitutional order in a democracy. Nation – primarily a psychological term to describe attachment or identity rather than a geopolitical unit such as the state.

The Comparative Method Research design that seeks to understand the effects of a particular variable on countries, e.g. Revolutions and how do they impact countries  Most Similar Approach – examining case studies of states that are more similar, UK and USA, allows the comparativist to limit/control the variables  Most Different Approach – look at cases that are very different from one another

Political Systems: Environment and Interdependence To utilize a structural-functional systems framework to compare political systems we need to discuss three general concepts:  System: suggests an object having interdependent parts, acting within a setting or an environment  Structure: Specialized agencies, courts, bureaucracies, etc.  Function: What a government can do, make and enforce policies To utilize a structural-functional systems framework to compare political systems we need to discuss three general concepts:  System: suggests an object having interdependent parts, acting within a setting or an environment  Structure: Specialized agencies, courts, bureaucracies, etc.  Function: What a government can do, make and enforce policies

S TRUCTURES

F UNCTIONS

Structural-Functional Approach: Example Russia Example of structures and functions in Russia before and after the breakdown of communist rule in the Soviet Union

Structural-Functional Comparison Soviet Union 1985Russia 2000

Public policies of a government are all of those things a government decides to do. Public policies are usually expressed in the form of laws. A system is then created to see that the public policies are  created (legislature)  carried out (executive), and  applied (judicial) 15 What is “public policy”?

The Policy Level: Performance, Outcome, and Evaluation Important question:  What do the differences in structure and function do for the interests, needs, and aspirations of people?  This is the policy level of the political system! We call the outputs of a political system- its extractions, distributions, regulations, and symbolic acts- its policy performance. Example:  Input: American spending on education; more than any other people in the world.  Output: U.S. children perform less well in subjects such as mathematics than do children in some other countries that spend substantially less.  “Why is this?” Important question:  What do the differences in structure and function do for the interests, needs, and aspirations of people?  This is the policy level of the political system! We call the outputs of a political system- its extractions, distributions, regulations, and symbolic acts- its policy performance. Example:  Input: American spending on education; more than any other people in the world.  Output: U.S. children perform less well in subjects such as mathematics than do children in some other countries that spend substantially less.  “Why is this?”

The Policy Level: Performance, Outcome, and Evaluation Key Point:  The outcome of public policy is never wholly in the hands of the people and their leaders.  Other forces: conditions in the internal environment, conditions in the larger external world, and simple chance may frustrate the most thoughtfully crafted programs and plans Evaluation of Public Policy  Assessing performance and outcomes of implemented policy Key Point:  The outcome of public policy is never wholly in the hands of the people and their leaders.  Other forces: conditions in the internal environment, conditions in the larger external world, and simple chance may frustrate the most thoughtfully crafted programs and plans Evaluation of Public Policy  Assessing performance and outcomes of implemented policy

How We Explain Once we describe politics with the help of a conceptual framework, we then must explain it.  Identifying the relationships between political phenomena  Ideally we want to put many political relationships in causal terms. Why like this?  Peace = Democracy? / Democracy = Peace? / or neither Theories are statements about causal relationships between general classes of events.  Ex: What causes democracy, war, or welfare policies?  Scientific theories are always tentative; always subject to modification or falsification as our knowledge improves.  Theories need to be testable.  Good theory holds up after many trials. Once we describe politics with the help of a conceptual framework, we then must explain it.  Identifying the relationships between political phenomena  Ideally we want to put many political relationships in causal terms. Why like this?  Peace = Democracy? / Democracy = Peace? / or neither Theories are statements about causal relationships between general classes of events.  Ex: What causes democracy, war, or welfare policies?  Scientific theories are always tentative; always subject to modification or falsification as our knowledge improves.  Theories need to be testable.  Good theory holds up after many trials.

How We Explain Comparative analysis is a powerful and versatile tool. Enhances our ability to: 1. Describe and understand political processes and change in a country by offering concepts and reference points from a broader perspective 2. Also stimulates us to form general theories of political relationships 3. Encourages and enables us to test our political theories by confronting them with the experience of many institutions and settings Comparative analysis is a powerful and versatile tool. Enhances our ability to: 1. Describe and understand political processes and change in a country by offering concepts and reference points from a broader perspective 2. Also stimulates us to form general theories of political relationships 3. Encourages and enables us to test our political theories by confronting them with the experience of many institutions and settings

How We Explain Studies:  Large “N”/statistical and small “n”/case studies  Variables: the features on which our cases differ  Statistical analysis enables us to consider possible alternative causes at the same time, accepting some and rejecting others.  Case studies permit us to go deeply into a case.  These methods are complementary.  Large “N” statistical studies allow us to be more certain and precise in our explanations.  Case studies provide depth - encourage us to formulate insightful hypotheses for statistical testing; allow us to trace the nature of cause-and-effect relations better than large “N” studies. Studies:  Large “N”/statistical and small “n”/case studies  Variables: the features on which our cases differ  Statistical analysis enables us to consider possible alternative causes at the same time, accepting some and rejecting others.  Case studies permit us to go deeply into a case.  These methods are complementary.  Large “N” statistical studies allow us to be more certain and precise in our explanations.  Case studies provide depth - encourage us to formulate insightful hypotheses for statistical testing; allow us to trace the nature of cause-and-effect relations better than large “N” studies.

State, Society, and Globalization “Culturally speaking, globalization is largely, though not entirely, the spread of Americanization – from Big Macs to iMacs to Mickey Mouse – on a global scale.” Thomas Freidman The Lexus and the Olive Tree Globalization – popular term used to describe how international economic, social, cultural, and technological forces are affecting events inside individual countries

Two Times of Globalization End of World War I until 1989  Cold War Period  USA vs. USSR 1989 to present  Since the fall of the Berlin Wall (Communism)

Comparing the Cultures Cold War (Old)  Division – The Wall  Frozen  Regional homogenization  Weapons  Friends and Enemies Globalization (New) Integration – The Web Dynamic & Growing “Americanization” Bandwidth Competitors

The Lexus & the Olive Tree The Olive Tree  All that is old and traditional  What roots us to a place, culture or family The Lexus  All that is new and innovative  Drive for sustenance and improvement  Global markets

…And the Walls Came Tumbling Down Changes from Cold War system to Globalization  The way we communicate  The way we invest  The way we learn about the world

Conclusion Globalization revolves around embracing and exploiting the Internet and E-business. Keeping up with, or ahead of, technological advances of others will make or break a country or company. Remember your Olive Tree’s and buy a Lexus.