1. Comparative Political Literacy
Comparative Government and Politics

2. Topics of Comparative Government
The Comparative Method
Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Political and Economic Change
Citizens, Society, and the State
Political Institutions
Public Policy

3. Government vs. Politics
Government- Leadership and Institutions that make policy decisions for a country.
Politics-Who has the power to make decisions and how did they get it?

4. The Comparative Method
Empirical Data- Based on factual statements and statistics.
Scientific Method- Hypothesis, testing variables and judging correlations.
“Three-world Approach”- Based in Cold War Politics.
1st world-US and allies
2nd world- Soviet Union and its allies
3rd world- Nations not in first two categories that were economically deprived.
How is this a problem?

5. The Comparative Method 3 New Groupings
Liberal Democracies
Like “first world”-”Developed World”
Global Influence via restrictive group membership
High Quality of Life Indicators
Democratic Regimes
Respect of Individual Rights and Properties
Japan, US, Canada

6. The Comparative Method 3 New Groupings
Communist/Post-Communist States
Making transition from command economy (state planned) to market economy (consumer driven)
Parties with a watch-dog role
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland (“emerging stars”

7. The Comparative Method 3 New Groupings
Less Developed and Newly Industrializing
Less Developed
Potential for economic and political advancement
Barriers of social cleavages like ethnic or religious
Overly dependent on singly commodity
Coffee Oil
Political Instability
Poor infrastructure
Nigeria, Columbia, Philippines

8. The Comparative Method 3 New Groupings
The Third World
Newly Industrialized Countries
Exporting finished goods
Political Stability
Solid Infrastructure
Mexico, India, Argentina

9. The Comparative Method 3 New Groupings
The Third World
Islamic States
26 Countries in Middle East, North Africa, southern Asia
Where Islam and Qur’an guide for government
What is this called?
Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan

10. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power States, Nations, and Regimes
International sense synonymous with country
To exist must have…
Permanent population
Defined Territory
Organized government
Sovereignty-Ultimate Political authority within one’s own soil

11. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power States, Nations, and Regimes
Currently 197 (196 last year) states exist globally-Controversial
Highest in history
Upped since breakup of Soviet Union and other Eastern European states
193 countries in UN
Any guesses which are not?

12. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power States, Nations, and Regimes
Cultural rather than political
Common…
Language
Religion
Diet
Interests
Examples?
Thousands exist

13. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power States, Nations, and Regimes
“Stateless Nation”
Any culture that actively desires statehood but lacks it.
Palestine (until recently)
Quebecois (Canada)
Kurds
Others?

14. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power States, Nations, and Regimes
Rules that a state set and follows in exerting its power.
May be compared by using categories of democracies and authoritarian systems.

15. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Democracies
Bases its authority on the will of the people.
Indirect- Elected officials representing people.
Direct- Have immediate say over decisions government makes.

16. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Democracies
Parliamentary Systems- Vote for legislature and then vote for executive branch.
Prime Minister or Premier
Fusion of powers with no separate elections
Prime Minister elected member of legislature
Members of cabinet members of majority party
Executive and Legislative branch work in concert
Prevents gridlock

17. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Democracies
Parliamentary Systems Cont…
More flexible-leader can easily change
No fixed date but held within general 5 year period since previous election
More leverage for prime minister
Party with majority may change leaders from within
Head of State-Role that symbolizes power of regime.
Head of Government-Deals with day to day task of running government.

18. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Democracies
Presidential Systems- Vote for legislative and executive branch separately.
Head of state and head of government fused.
One branch does not dominate the others.
US, Nigeria, Mexico

19. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Democracies
Semi-Presidential systems-prime minister coexists with president.
Presidential system with weaker prime minister.
Russia-Poor example with Putin
France and India

20. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Authoritarian Regimes
Decisions made by elites without much input from citizens.
Many based in communism
Some in cooperatism-An arrangement where government officials interact with people outside government (business or labor leaders)
Usually have patron-client systems- provide reciprocal favors and services to supporters.

21. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Authoritarian Regimes
Common Characteristics
Small group of elites with power over state.
Citizens little to no input in selection of leaders or decisions of government.
No constitutional responsibility of leaders to public.
Restriction of civil rights and civil liberties.

22. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Authoritarian Regimes
There is a common misconception that they are not legitimate governments!
Military Rule
Especially prevalent in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Where legitimacy and stability in question, military may take over.
Starts with coup d’etat- forced takeover of government.

23. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Legitimacy
Notion that a government’s rule is just and has a right to exist
High in US, Britain, and Canada
Lowest in Nigeria
Many different constitutions in past 40 years

24. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Legitimacy
Max Weber said 3 forms of legitimacy
Traditional Legitimacy- Tradition determines who should rule.
A particular family has done it for hundreds of years. (Monarchy)
Charismatic Legitimacy- Based on dynamic personality of one leader or small group.
Charisma makes people want to follow (Napoleon Bonaparte)
Rational-Legal Legitimacy- Based on well established laws and procedures.
People obey because they believe in the system. Most countries now based in this.

25. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Legitimacy
Factors that encourage legitimacy are
Economic well being
Historical tradition/longevity
Charismatic leadership
Nationalism/shared political culture
Satisfaction with government’s performance/responsiveness.

26. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Political Ideologies
Liberalism- Emphasis on individual political and economic freedom.
Communism- Generally values equality over freedom.
Socialism- Shares value of equality with communism but is influenced by liberal value of freedom.
Fascism- People exist in degrees of inferiority and superiority.
Religions- Can make up entire system of government or give strong ties to government.

27. Political and Economic Change Types of Change
Reform- Do not want to overthrow but change from within.
Revolution- Major revision or overthrow of institution.
Coup d’etats- “blows to the state”. Replace leadership usually in places with weak institutions.

28. Political and Economic Change Attitudes Toward Change
Radicalism- rapid dramatic changes need to be made.
Liberalism-reform and gradual change rather than revolution.
Conservatism- Much less supportive of change.
Reactionary Beliefs-Less supportive of change than conservatives. Want to turn back the clock.

29. Political and Economic Change Three Trends
Democratization
Nations turning more towards democracy for government system.
Competitive elections that are regular, fair, and free.
To have liberal democracy need-
Civil liberties
Rule of law
Neutrality of judiciary
Open civil society
Civilian control of military

30. Political and Economic Change Three Trends
Why has democratization occurred?
Loss of legitimacy
Expansion of urban middle class
New emphasis on “human rights”
“snowball” effect

31. Political and Economic Change Three Trends
Economic Liberalism and Market Econ
Command Economy-Government owned almost all industrial enterprises and retail sales outlets
To…
Market economy- Capitalism and free enterprise
Mixed economy probably most successful

32. Political and Economic Change Three Trends
Why move to market economies?
Belief that government is too big.
Lack of success with command economies.

33. Political and Economic Change Three Trends
Revival of Ethnic or Cultural Politics
Fragmentation- divisions based on ethnic or cultural identity- increasingly important in politics.
Much has been done in Middle East with Islam and Sharia Law.

34. Citizens, Society, and the State
Social cleavages have immense impact on politics.
Social Class
Ethnic Cleavages
Religious Cleavages
Regional cleavages

35. Citizens, Society, and the State Comparing Citizen/State Relationships
Attitudes and Beliefs of Citizens- Political efficacy important-citizen’s capacity to understand and influence politics.
Political Socialization- How do citizens learn about politics?
Types of Political Participation- Most common participation is voting.

36. Citizens, Society, and the State Comparing Citizen/State Relationships
Voting Behavior- Do citizens participate in elections?
Factors and Influence Political Beliefs- Do cleavages make a difference in political beliefs and behaviors?
Level of Transparency- A transparent government is one that operates openly by keeping citizens informed about government operations.

37. Citizens, Society, and the State Civil Society
Voluntary organizations outside of the state that help people define and advance their own interests.
Usually strong in liberal democracies where individual freedoms are valued and protected.
Class, religious, or ethnic interest or cross them.

38. Political Institutions
Structures of a political system that carry out the work of governing.
The same type of institution in different countries may carry out different functions.

39. Political Institutions Levels of Government
Unitary
All power at national level
Sub-state governments exist to administer laws of state government
Occur in smaller geographic states
Most Western European States
Like what?

40. Political Institutions Levels of Government
Federal
Government power shared between state and sub-state entities
Allows for regional differences
When clashes, country’s legal authority honored
Found in large geographical areas with more cleavages and heterogeneous population
US, Russia, Brazil
What about China?

41. Political Institutions Levels of Government
Confederation
State government almost no power, sub-state government extensive control
System DOOMED 
Partially European Union
Some elements of federalism
Failed Systems
Articles of Confederation
Former Soviet republics

42. Political Institutions Supranational Organizations
Organizations that go beyond national borders.
Encourage integration- process that encourages states to pool their sovereignty in order to gain political, economic, or social clout.
NATO, EU, NAFTA, OPEC
Reflect phenomenon of globalization.

43. Political Institutions Centripetal vs. Centrifugal Forces
Centripetal Forces
Binds together the state and gives it strength
Nationalism most powerful force
Encourages allegiance
Examples?

44. Political Institutions Centripetal vs. Centrifugal Forces
Destabilize the government and encourage country to fall apart.
Separatist movements.
Causes devolution- tendency to decentralize decision making to regional governments.

45. Political Institutions Devolution
Forces that cause devolution-
Ethnic forces- May have many different ethnic groups that see themselves as separate.
Economic forces- Many have inequalities that destabilize the nation.
Spatial forces- distance, remoteness, and peripheral location promote devolution.

46. Political Institutions Executives
Carries out the laws and policies of the state.
Many times split into head of state and head of government.
Head of state-symbolizes people, may or may not have real power.
Head of government- deals with everyday task of running state, directs activities of other members.

47. Political Institutions Executives
The Cabinet
Very important in parliament
Heads all the major departments

48. Political Institutions Bureaucracies
Agencies that generally implement policy.
Max Weber created the classic concept of bureaucracy.
Weber says bureaucracy has:
Hierarchical authority structure
Task specialization
Extensive rules
Clear goals
The merit principle
impersonality

49. Political Institutions Legislatures
Branch of government which makes laws
Formal approval is usually required.
Today more than 80% of countries in UN have legislatures.

50. Political Institutions Legislatures
Bicameralism
Bicameral- two houses
Unicameral- one house
May be traced to British House of Lords and House of Commons.

51. Political Institutions Judiciaries
Judiciary role varies considerable between countries.
Many judiciaries have judicial review- ability to review laws and declare constitutionality of laws.

52. Political Institutions Linkage Institutions
Groups that connect the government with its citizens.
The larger the population and the more complex the government’s policy-making activities, the more likely the country is to have linkage institutions.

53. Political Institutions Parties
The Two-Party System- Rarity occurring in only about 15 countries.
Multi-party system- Found in most European countries. Usually arise in countries with strong parliamentary systems, particularly those with proportional representation method.

54. Political Institutions Electoral Systems
Single Member District Plurality “SMDP”
“First Past the Post”
Districts by equal population
Candidate gaining most votes-plurality-represents the district
Says it is misrepresentative of district
Why?
Promotes winner takes all and two-party system

55. Political Institututions Electoral Systems
Proportional Representation
Voters just choose party with their vote
Votes tallied country wide
Percentage of party votes won translates to percentage of seats
More representative but no majority
Can also have a mixed system-different by district.

56. Public Policy All political systems set policy.
Common policy issues include
Economic performance-
GDP- All goods and services produced by a country’s economy in a given year.
GNP- Like GDP but also includes income citizens earned outside the country.
PPP- Takes into consideration what people can buy using their income in the local economy.

57. Public Policy Common policy issues:
Social Welfare- health, employment, education, family assistance
Measures include life expectancy, income levels, education levels.
Civil Liberties, rights, freedoms- Promotion of equality and freedom
Environment- many modern democratic states take big interest in protecting the environment. Particularly European countries.

58. Non-Governmental Organizations
Groups not funded by any particular government but by private donations
Do work in more impoverished developing areas
Green Peace
Doctors/Nurses without Borders
Amnesty international