Political Science 330 Chapter One - Introductions and US pt. 1

1. Chapter One

2. Globalization Defined: global diffusion of investment, trade, production, and electronic communication technologies “Global Factory” – global redistribution of workforce Globalization represents dilemma for post-Cold War world – “global inequalities” Split between “have” and “have not” nations Promotes international terror networks?

3. Globalization forged new forms of international governance – European Union (EU) and World Trade Organization (WTO) Negative impact on poor, environment, labor rights Globalization complicates politics No State can secure well-being of citizens in isolation from rest of world

4. Comparative Politics Subfield of political science One of four subfields: political theory, international relations, American politics the others Studies domestic politics of countries or peoples Uses in-depth case studies of cross-section of countries

5. Countries: distinct, politically-defined territories that encompass political institutions, cultures, economies & ethnic identities State: (within a country) – key political institutions making policies within a country State synonymous with “government”

6. State Institutions National Executive: President/Prime Minister and Cabinet Military Police Legislature Court System Administrative bureaucracy

7. For past 500 years, States have been primary actors in world – still basic building block Rulers of States send armies to conquer other States & territories Globalization threatens States When State boundaries & national identity coincide – result is a Nation-State Major political instability when they don’t coincide Kurds (Turkey, Syria, Iraq) – want “Kurdistan”

8. Political Economy How governments affect economic performance & how economic performance in turn affects a country’s political processes Relationship between democracy & economics: Democratic nations often rank among world’s most stable, affluent, & cohesive countries

9. Classifying Political Systems Nearly 200 States in world today Often classified according to a typology (larger # of cases into smaller # of types) From end WWII to 1980s – Typology was First World: Western industrialized democracies Second World: Communist States Third World: economically less developed countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America

10. This typology less useful today since we have more democratic countries, not industrialized nor in N. Atlantic region Still Third World useful to describe more than 130 countries U.N. classifies as “developing” Least developed countries – constitute a “Fourth World” – four dozen countries: Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Haiti Only Communist States left: China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, North Korea

11. A New Typology? Alternative to “three worlds” classification – what extent governments are democratic? Keep in mind – no government has ever fully lived up to democratic standards 1. Consolidated democracies (long established) 2. Transitional democracies (newly established) 3. Authoritarian regimes

12. Five conditions for a democracy 1. Free & fair elections to highest offices 2. Political parties free to organize, present candidates, compete in elections 3. Elected government provides for due process, accountability of elected executives 4. All citizens possess civil & political rights – civil liberties such as privacy, free expression, including right to criticize government 5. Judiciary with powers independent of executive & legislature – protects citizens

13. Consolidated democracy aka Durable – long established (over 50 yrs) Most have parliamentary governments (Great Britain, Germany, Japan, France) Chancellor, prime minister, premier Chief executive & cabinet chosen from elected members of legislature – leaders of dominant party U.S. unusual with President separate from legislature Relatively consistent adherence to five democratic principles

14. Transitional democracy Newly established – less than 50 yrs “Façade” of democratic institutions Informal practices (corruption) violate basic features of democracy Examples: Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Russia (controversy about whether Russia classified as authoritarian)

15. Authoritarian regimes Lacking democratic principles generally – although can be some democratic principles Number of dictatorships outweigh democracies Authoritarianism: political systems in which power (or authority) is highly concentrated in a single individual, small group of people, single political party

16. Types of authoritarian regimes Communist Party States (China, Cuba) Theocracies – religious leaders (present-day Iran) Military governments (Pakistan, Burma) Absolute monarchies (Saudi Arabia) Personalistic dictatorships (Iraq under Saddam Hussein, Iran under Shah) **Totalitarian regimes: sub classification for most extreme forms – control every aspect of public & private life (N. Korea, USSR under Stalin, China under Mao)