Comparative Politics: Intro

Introduction to Comparative Politics

• Aims to capture similarities and differences between countries' political systems worldwide.
• The goal is to compare and contrast different societies' approaches to similar problems.
• Understanding diverse problem-solving methods provides a better framework for political analysis and decision-making.

Comparative Study of Politics: Nature and Scope

• The comparative method is used across various disciplines.
• Although the language, vocabulary, and perspectives may vary, the comparative approach is universally applied.
• Political science concerns include democracy, constitutions, and political parties.
• Comparative politics analyzes how political systems function.
• Compares countries systematically to understand political phenomena.

Comparative Politics vs. Comparative Government

• Comparative government is a limited study focused solely on government and its political activities.
• Comparative politics encompasses all forms of political activities, including governmental and non-governmental actions.
• Considers a broad range of aspects, like political socialization, political culture, and recruitment processes.
• Globalization has expanded the scope of comparative politics, incorporating non-state actors, economic linkages, and IT revolutions.

A Historical Overview of Comparative Politics

• Earliest origins trace back to Aristotle, who studied 150 state constitutions.
• Aristotle classified political regimes into democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy.
• He also evaluated governance as good, bad, or medium.
• Late 19th and early 20th-century comparative studies focused on institutions and power distribution.
• Studies were Eurocentric, confined to European countries, excluding a large number of countries.
• This exclusion contributed to European dominance in world politics.

Post-World War II Developments

• The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917) popularized socialism.
• The rise of socialism rivaled Western capitalism.
• After WWII, European hegemony declined, and the USA emerged as a major power.
• Ideological bifurcation between capitalism and socialism intensified.
• Many newly independent countries opted for non-alignment, like India.
• Up to the 1940s, comparative studies included legal and constitutional principles regulating institutions.
• The functioning of institutions was a key area of study.

Rise of Behaviouralism

• Behaviouralism emerged, focusing on differences in people's political behavior and their implications.
• Behaviouralism shifted from descriptive to analytical methods, including case studies. These are used to compare multiple political theories or systems
• This approach led to theories on political systems, classifying them as advanced, primitive, democratic, or non-democratic.
• Expanded the study to include non-formal agencies like NGOs.

The 1970s: Challenges to Developmentism

• Developmentism faced criticism for supporting abstract models often seen in the Third World.
• Focus was on solutions for backwardness in developing countries using abstract models of development .
• Challenges included dependence on Western models and corporatist tendencies.
• Critics argued that it ignored domestic class factors and allowed dominant models to oppress the poor.
• Western development often involved dominance over non-Western countries.
• Corporatism favored Western interests, leading to uneven profit distribution.

The 1980s: Return of the State

• New theories emerged, like bureaucratic authoritarianism.
• Focus transitioned to democratic transitions and structural adjustments (privatization).
• Some scholars saw unity in the field, while others valued diversity. All seemed it to have the effect of promoting alternative approaches.

Late 20th Century: Globalization

• Globalization involved interconnectedness in scientific, technological, economic, and political aspects worldwide.
• Events in one part of the world can affect the entire globe.
• Increased focus on Western capitalism.
• Development in information and communication technology (e.g., the Internet) accelerated connectivity.
• Collecting, analyzing, and distributing data became easier and faster.

Utility of the Comparative Study of Politics

• Utility is using comparative politics to enhance understanding of political reality.
• Focuses on comparing theoretical formulations to conclude which is correct.
• Theories are built and tested to determine their validity.

Comparison for Scientific Rigor

• Scientific rigor in the context of comparative politics, can be understood as taking the approach of using scientific experimentation with the basis of comparison.
• Focuses on offering scientific proof for political analysis.
• Seeks to identify a useful perspective on political realities.

Comparison Leading to Explanatory Relationships

• Early studies focused on similarities and differences.
• Later, studies classified and polarized political phenomena.
• Studies used the data to understand processes and provide system-level answers.
• Aims to answer questions about the political system to improve or justify arguments.