Canadian Government and Politics Chapter 1

Canadian Government and Politics Chapter 1 Summary

• Politics: The process where public authorities settle conflicting claims.
• Oppressive Political Theories: Marxism, feminism, and postmodernism.
• Pluralist Theory & Factors Influencing State Response: The state primarily reacts to groups that are well-organized, financially strong, and capable of representing large populations.
• Marxist Social Classes: Bourgeoisie (middle class) and proletariat (working class).
• Authority: Power recognized as legitimate and requiring obedience.
• Coercion: The application or threat of force (e.g., imprisonment, fines) to enforce power.
• Class Analysis: Political perspective focusing on class divisions and wealth disparities.
• Cultural Hegemony: Dominant class shaping societal values and beliefs.
• Marxism: Political philosophy emphasizing class conflict and control of wealth creation.
• Democracy: Political system with equal rights, electoral accountability, and protected freedoms.
• Feminism: Political theory focusing on gender conflict and male dominance.
• Globalization: Increased global interconnectedness in trade, migration, culture, and international institutions.
• Legitimacy: Public acceptance of the state's rules and institutions.
• Operationalize: Define a concept using measurable methods.
• Pluralism: Theory focusing on organized groups and their influence.
• Postmodernism: Rejection of absolute truths in favour of contingent and relative oppression.
• Public Agenda: Current issues, concepts, and ideas in a society's politics.
• Representative Democracy: System where citizens elect representatives to make laws.
• Rule of Law: Principle of equal application of law to all.
• Social Capital: Interpersonal trust, social duty, and belief in political participation's impact.
• State: Public institutions (legislatures, courts, police, etc.) exercising public authority.
• Totalitarianism: Authoritarian government suppressing dissent.
• Tyranny of the Majority: Danger of majorities oppressing minorities.
• State's Nature & Capitalism (Core Theorizing): Karl Marx.
• Marxist State View: Tool for controlling wealth and maintaining class dominance.
• Feminist State View: Patriarchal institution.
• Postmodern State View: Oppressive and repressive.
• 1970 October Crisis & Coercion: The crisis tested Canada's ability to balance democracy and coercion.
• State Institutions: Judiciary, armed forces, public corporations.
• Legitimacy of Government: Acceptance of the state's rules and institutions.
• Unstable Government: Governments reliant on threats and violence often lack stability.
• Cultural Hegemony (Definition): Ability of dominant class to shape societal values.
• Other Institutions & Public Authority: There are other institutions besides the state that claim to act on behalf of the entire community.
• Power's Scope: Power isn't limited to political settings.
• Canadian Political Participation (Age Groups): Younger Canadians are less politically engaged than other age groups.
• Marxist Core Characteristic of Capitalist States: Class conflict.
• Legitimacy & Fear: State legitimacy isn't based solely on fear.
• Pluralist Models and Competition: Pluralist models don't usually portray group competition as level.
• Legitimacy and Consent: Legitimacy doesn't solely rely on consent.
• Anti-terror Security Post-9/11: "Common security perimeter" creating a state of limitations on the state, in a way creating a new type of "Iron Curtain."
• Creator of "Tyranny of the Majority" Warning: Alexis de Tocqueville.
• Political Influence Distribution: Access to decision-makers and public opinion influence isn't equally distributed.
• Psychological/Emotional Role of Identities: Political identities fulfill important psychological and emotional needs.
• Nation's Key Political Role: The nation has played a crucial role in Canadian politics.
• Trudeau's Nation Definition: Pierre Trudeau defined nation as the entire population of a state.
• Nation Definition Warnings: Michael Ignatieff warned of issues related to defining national belonging.
• Class Inequality Awareness: Class inequality doesn't appear to be a pressing issue for most Canadians.
• Nationalism vs Patriotism (Orwell): Nationalism sees one's country as superior, while patriotism is admiration for its way of life.