Questions and Answers
What are political values?
Beliefs about which goals, principles, and policies are important in a political community.
What is the connection of political values with political goals, principles, and policies?
Goals: political objectives deemed desirable (e.g., clean environment); Principles: methods deemed appropriate to achieve these goals (e.g., popular government or monarchy); Policies: plans of action using accepted principles to reach political goals.
Who are the main political actors, the values of whom are studied in Comparative Politics?
Political elites, individual citizens, social classes, and interest groups.
What is the 'level of analysis problem' and how does it relate to the study of political values?
Signup and view all the answers
What are political elites?
Signup and view all the answers
Which are the four main values political elites claim to uphold?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the differences and what are the similarities in the way elites interpret and pursue each of these four values in different countries?
Signup and view all the answers
What is national interest?
Signup and view all the answers
What is public interest?
Signup and view all the answers
What do we mean by popular values?
Signup and view all the answers
According to Ronald Inglehart, what is the biggest shift in popular values since World War II?
Signup and view all the answers
Why has this change occurred?
Signup and view all the answers
What are materialist values?
Signup and view all the answers
What are post-material values?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an interest group?
Signup and view all the answers
In which type of political communities is it meaningful to talk about class values and interest group values?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Political Values Overview
- Political values represent beliefs about essential goals, principles, and policies in a political community.
Connection of Political Values
- Goals: Desired outcomes of a political community, such as a clean environment.
- Principles: Methods deemed appropriate to achieve goals, e.g., popular government vs. monarchy.
- Policies: Action plans that use accepted principles to attain political goals, applicable in sectors like foreign and environmental policy.
Main Political Actors in Comparative Politics
- Key actors include political elites, individual citizens, social classes, and interest groups, which define the "level of analysis."
Level of Analysis Problem
- Refers to challenges in choosing the right scope of study for political values, affecting insights and comparisons across different political systems.
Understanding Political Elites
- Individuals or groups possessing political power, claiming to represent the national and public interest.
Core Values Upheld by Political Elites
- Peace and security
- Human rights, democracy, and liberty
- Justice and fairness
- Welfare and well-being
Interpretation of Values Among Elites
- Peace and Security: Varied definitions lead to conflicts and different approaches to just wars.
- Human Rights and Democracy: Diverse interpretations of democracy and human rights influence policies globally.
- Justice and Fairness: Definitions differ widely across countries; fairness is subject to local government actions.
- Welfare and Well-Being: Political elite capabilities in guaranteeing welfare differ, especially between affluent and less developed nations.
Concepts of National and Public Interest
- National Interest: Security, prosperity, independence of a nation in relation to other nations.
- Public Interest: Long-term goals of a political community that contrast with specific individual or group interests.
Popular Values and Their Impact
- Popular values indicate how political priorities evolve; traditional parties often focus on material interests.
- Value shifts among individuals in industrialized societies lead to political transformation.
Shift in Values Post-World War II
- Ronald Inglehart identifies a transition from material values to post-material values, emphasizing quality of life over immediate concerns.
Causes of Value Change
- Post-WWII developments such as economic growth, technological innovations, education expansion, and the rise of mass media fostered new value priorities among generations.
Definitions of Value Types
- Materialist Values: Focus on immediate needs, including employment, security, and patriotism.
- Post-Material Values: Emphasize quality of life aspects such as job satisfaction and environmental protection.
Interest Groups Defined
- Organized groups of citizens striving to influence public policy on specific issues, e.g., environmental organizations and labor unions.
Class and Interest Group Values
- Significant in societies with high class consciousness and active interest groups; not equally present across all political communities.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of political values through these flashcards. Delve into how these values connect with political goals, principles, and policies within a community. Each card provides a concise definition to enhance your understanding of this crucial political framework.