Comparative Politics - Lesson 1: Intro to Politics PDF

COMPARATIVE POLITICS PS 204 2ND SEMESTER | ATTY. EDUARDO PEREZ | MWF 6:15-7:15 LESSON 1: INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS distribution of...

COMPARATIVE POLITICS PS 204 2ND SEMESTER | ATTY. EDUARDO PEREZ | MWF 6:15-7:15 LESSON 1: INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS distribution of resources TOPIC OVERVIEW Approaches to Behavioralism; Feminism; A.​ MAIN TOPIC: POLITICS the study of Marxism; a.​ Approaches to Defining Politics Politics Post-positivist b.​ Definitions of Politics approaches B. MAIN TOPIC: Key Concepts a.​ Power b.​ Order c.​ Justice A Politics KEY TERMS Rational-choic ★​ Politics- the activity through which people e theory; make, preserve, and amend the general rules Institutionalism under which they live. ★​ Politics is inextricably linked to the phenomenon of conflict and cooperation Approaches to Defining Politics Additional Information ★​ Any attempt to clarify the meaning of Politics as an Arena Focuses on the location politics must address two main problems: of political activity, often 1. Mass of association that the word has associated with the with everyday language. Politics is a state or government. 'loaded' term that most people think of, e.g. ★​ Public affairs economics, geography, history or biology. ▸​ This Few people come to politics without approac preconceptions. h 2. Even respected authorities cannot agree emphasi what the subject is about. zes the formal structur Approaches to Defining Politics es and institutio Politics as an Politics as a ns of Arena Process politics. Definitions of The art of Compromise & Politics as a Process Emphasizes the Politics government; Consensus; dynamic and ongoing Public affairs Power & nature of political PAGE 1 TRESIA MAE | BA POLSCI 2A/2ND YR  COMPARATIVE POLITICS PS 204 2ND SEMESTER | ATTY. EDUARDO PEREZ | MWF 6:15-7:15 activity, focusing on formal/established political processes, interactions, power reflected in non-participation, support for relations, and resource anti-system parties, or the use of direct allocation. action. ★​ Compromise ★​ Politics as the art of government. Niccolo and consensus; Machiavelli viewed politics this way, and is Power and considered Machiavellian, with cunning and distribution of duplicity as characteristic of the role. resources. ★​ Political life versus non-political life. The ▸​ This public sphere of life versus the private approac sphere. h is ★​ Politics is the activity by which differing intereste interests within a given unit of rule are d in the conciliated by giving them a share in power how and in proportion to their importance to the why of welfare and the survival of the whole political community. decision ★​ In essence, politics is power, the ability to s and achieve a desired outcome, through actions. whatever means. ★​ Struggle over scarce resources of power can be seen as the means through which struggle is conducted. Definitions of Politics ★​ Politics as a process, involves the exercise of power over others. Power is arranged such that one group of persons is controlled by ★​ Exercise of control within society through another. the making and enforcement of collective ★​ It is a real foundation of social life and part decisions. of the superstructure, which is distinct from ★​ Polis - a city-state. To study politics is to the "economic base". It is the most study government and the exercise of concentrated form of economics. authority. ★​ Political Power - merely the organized ★​ Politics is the authoritative allocation of power of one class for oppressing another. values. ★​ Class struggle is the very heart of politics. ★​ Politics is associated with "policy" and has a The struggle is mainly versus the working judicial role. class. ★​ Politics takes place within a political system ★​ Politics is also the process by which a of social organization centered on the community selects rulers who empower machinery of government. them to make decisions, take action to ★​ POLITY is a society organized through the attain common goals exercise of political authority. Aristotle ★​ Aristotle: viewed it as rule by the many in the -​ Politics exists only within a political interests of all. community, that human beings can ★​ Anti-Politics is a disillusionment with live a "good life" (eudaimonia). PAGE 2 TRESIA MAE | BA POLSCI 2A/2ND YR  COMPARATIVE POLITICS PS 204 2ND SEMESTER | ATTY. EDUARDO PEREZ | MWF 6:15-7:15 -​ Politics is an ethical act, concerned question to consider. with achieving a "just society" and is ★​ Guns are associated with political power called the "master science". It is a flowing from the "barrel of a gun". particular means of resolving ★​ Power flows from the army, military, and conflict through compromise, police. conciliation, and negotiation rather ★​ Power flows from wealth, charisma, than by for ideology, and religion. ★​ Power flows from moral standing. B Key Concepts Order ​ Words that carry a great deal of political freight: Power, Order, and Justice. ★​ Order is an existing or desired arrangement ​ These are considered to be universal of institutions based on certain principles. concepts. These principles include liberty and equality and are associated with the rule of law. The phrase "law and order" is associated with Power conservative values such as stability and obedience. ★​ Authority: Command of the obedience of society's members by a government. ★​ Power is the capacity to influence or control ★​ Legitimacy: The exercise of political power the behavior of persons and institutions, in a community in a way that is voluntarily whether by persuasion or coercion. accepted by the members of the ★​ It is the currency of all politics. Without community. It is a usually recognized claim power, no government can make and of governmental authority and the enforce laws, provide security, regulate the voluntary acceptance by the people. economy, conduct foreign policy, or wage ★​ Legitimate authority is the legal and moral war. right of a government to rule over a specific ★​ Power is defined in terms of national wealth population and control a specific territory. and military strength. ★​ Society is an aggregation of individuals ★​ Hard Power - means and instruments of who share a common identity. brute force or coercion, primarily military ★​ Social Contract: An implicit agreement and economic clout. among individuals to form a civil society ★​ Soft Power - is "attractive" rather than and accept certain moral and political coercive, because you are drawn to it. It is obligations essential to the preservation of the important ability to get others attracted social order. to what you want. ★​ Social contract theory - the right to rule is ★​ Power is never equally distributed. based on the consent of the governed. -​ "Who rules?" is a basic question. ★​ Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and -​ "In whose interest?" is another Jean-Jacques Rousseau are associated question to ask. with social contract theory. -​ "And in what ends?" is another ★​ Government is meant to make and enforce PAGE 3 TRESIA MAE | BA POLSCI 2A/2ND YR  COMPARATIVE POLITICS PS 204 2ND SEMESTER | ATTY. EDUARDO PEREZ | MWF 6:15-7:15 laws or rules. belonging to a political community ★​ A republic has a form of government where separate and distinct from all others. This sovereignty resides with the people. common identity is often based on a Republics can be democratic or common ethno-linguistic root. representative. ★​ Political literacy is the ability to think and ★​ In republics, elected representatives are speak intelligently about politics. responsible to the citizens. ★​ Aristotle is considered the father of political ★​ State: An independent political science. A political scientist is one who administrative unit that claims the sought through systematic inquiry to allegiance of a given population, exercises understand the truth about politics. a monopoly on the legitimate use of coercive force, and controls the territory. ★​ A state is also a major political administrative subdivision of a federal system. ★​ Sovereignty is the government's capacity to assert supreme power in a political state. ★​ Country refers to a sovereign state and is roughly equivalent to a nation or nation-state, often used as an endorsement. Justice ★​ Justice is fairness. ★​ It includes the distribution of rewards and burdens in society in accordance with what is deserved. ★​ Nation: People with distinct language and culture. Examples include the French, Dutch and Chinese. ★​ Nation-State: A geographically defined community administered by a government. ★​ Stateless nation: People or nations who are treated as stateless have no autonomy and have no independent or governing body. Examples of this are the Palestinians, Kurds, and Tibetans. ★​ Nation-building: The process of forming a common identity based on the notion of PAGE TRESIA MAE | BA POLSCI 2A/2ND YR 4