Political Values Flashcards

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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?

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What are political elites?

Individuals or groups who have political power and claim to represent national and public interest. Signup and view all the answers

Which are the four main values political elites claim to uphold?

Peace and security, human rights, democracy and liberty, justice and fairness, welfare and well-being. 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?

Differences include interpretations of justice, fairness, and security; similarities involve shared goals of welfare and well-being. Signup and view all the answers

What is national interest?

Interest of a nation to be free, prosperous, independent, and secure versus other nations. Signup and view all the answers

What is public interest?

Long-term interest of a political community versus the interest of particular individuals or groups. Signup and view all the answers

What do we mean by popular values?

Values that change in importance for politics and reflect societal shifts in priorities. Signup and view all the answers

According to Ronald Inglehart, what is the biggest shift in popular values since World War II?

Emphasis on material values shifting to post-material values. Signup and view all the answers

Why has this change occurred?

Post WWII economic growth, technological innovation, expansion of education, and mass media growth. Signup and view all the answers

What are materialist values?

Concerns for immediate needs and threats, such as employment, security, and patriotism. Signup and view all the answers

What are post-material values?

Concerns for quality of life, such as job satisfaction and environmental protection. Signup and view all the answers

What is an interest group?

A group of citizens who organize to shape public policy on issues of concern to them. Signup and view all the answers

In which type of political communities is it meaningful to talk about class values and interest group values?

Countries with higher class consciousness and societies where interest groups are important. 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.

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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.