POS 2107 Comparative Politics Pre-Midterms Reviewer PDF

1 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2...

1 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Comparative Politics question and those that refer to general - Seek to understand the similarities and sources, either non-country specific or differences between political structures, that include countries not part of the institutions, and processes worldwide. study. The higher the ratio of the latter - It is also concerned with the non-formal over the former, the more likely the institutions and political activities such as author will be a genuine comparativist. If elections, electoral behavior, processions, the citations are only about the country or and non-governmental factors such as countries being analyzed, then, it is very caste groups, tribes, language, and unlikely that the author has applied the religious organizations, and their impact comparative method – regardless of what on politics. is claimed in the title or flyleaf! - e.g. Differences between a presidential system in the United States and a What differentiates Comparative Politics parliamentary system in the United from International relations? Which is Kingdom. inward looking or outward looking? What is the border of them? Comparative Government Political scientists should abolish the distinction - Includes the theoretical study of the between comparative politics and international subjects like the various forms of relations and re-insert an ontological one government, organs of government, their between political situations that are subject to organization and function. rules, embedded in competing institutions and not likely to be resolved by violence, and those Aristotle (384 BCE - 322 BCE) in which no reliable set of common norms exists, - Father of Comparative Politics and where monopolistic institutions (including but Political Science not limited to states) are in more or less - Made use of ‘Comparative Method’ to continuous conflict and likely only to resolve understand and comprehend the political these conflicts by force or the threat of force. problem of his time. - It used to be believed that this line ran - His book ‘Politics’ was the result of the between politics within states and politics comparative study of the constitutional between states. This being no longer the system of 158 city states. case—the probability of war has become greater within the former than between What is not Comparative Politics? the latter for some time—there is no Comparative Politics is not a mere description generic reason that these two of ‘other people’s politics’ ‘‘historical’’ sub-disciplines should be - If you have any doubt about whether a kept apart. given piece of research is comparative, I - “Get your local context right, but don’t suggest that you apply ‘‘Sartori’s Test.’’ confine yourself to the local context” Check its footnotes and compare the number of them that are devoted exclusively to the country or countries in Jaedy. 2 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 What is the present state of affairs of Group 2: Little, A. & Pepinsky, T. (2016). Comparative Politics? Simple and Formal Models in Comparative Present-day comparativists are sitting at different Politics. Chinese Political Science Review, tables, eating from different menus, and not pp.425 - 447. speaking to each other — not even to o There’s a call for greater collaboration acknowledge their common inheritance from the between formal theorists and empirical same distinguished ancestors (Almond, 1990). researchers to enhance the understanding of - As the years passed by, it becomes more political phenomena and to balance the need complex and complicated. for both simplicity and complexity in comparative politics. What is the future of Comparative Politics? Sees a crossroads in the future developments o Thick rationality is focused on human desires and very concrete and specific, e.g. in Metatheory = theories of theories, it is the quantitative they could be the variables. Thin fundamental theory of all theories rationality contain little to no substantive Method = specific techniques in collecting and content about human desires, very broad and analyzing data, e.g. survey, experiment, generalized, could be motivated by any interview number of factors including ideology, Methodology = how a study is conducted, e.g. normative values, or even religion. (McCarty qualitative or quantitative and Meirowitz). Group 1: Schmitter, P. C. Comparative o Theory of rational choice is a component of Politics: its Past, Present and Future. Chinese many models, this theory is that a decision- Political Science Review, pp. 397 - 411. maker chooses the best action according to other preferences, among all the actions Comparison available to her. Rationality lies in the - Is an analytical method for advancing consistency of the decisions when faced with valid and cumulative knowledge about different sets of available actions, not in the politics. nature of her likes and dislikes. - Always had a practical objective, to produce useful descriptive information o Game Theory is the study of the ways in about how politics is conducted in which interacting choices of economic agents countries other than one’s own produce outcomes with respect to the preferences of those agents, where the Comparativists tend to be addicted to: outcomes in question might have been 1. Classification System intended by none of the agents. 2. Latin expression, Ceteris Paribus, ‘all things being equal.’ o Formal theory pertains to traditional research, formalizing a theory just means using mathematical tools to determine how preferences, information, strategies, and rules of deduction lead to behavioral predictions. Jaedy. 3 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 § Political science has its beginning when an Elements of State observer notes that another people is not 1. People governed as we are and asks the question 2. Territory why? (Rose,1991) 3. Sovereign 4. Government § An awareness of diversity provides the 5. Degree of Civilizations starting point for comparative enquiry 6. Recognition by family of nations (Hague and Harrop, 2001) Aristotle (384 - 322 BCE) § Comparison is inherent in all science, Subject: STATE as the highest of all including the social sciences … (Lor, 2011) communities Approach: inductive, empirical, historical § Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know how to, proceed (Tocqueville, Machiavelli and the Renaissance 1830) Subject: STATE as ‘work of art’ o It depends on the things you are Approach: inductive, empirical, humanist comparing. Humanist = is referring to how people feel about o What is the standard? What is the something basis? o Is it complimentary? Montesquieu and the Enlightenment § Timeline of ComPol: traced back to Subject: right GOVERNMENT as a matter of experiences of Aristotle sociology and ecology (social laws = right § Know what exactly to compare, know if it gov’t) is comparable, have a tool or approach on Approach: inductive, logical, observational how to compare. § Important to compliment comparative Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century method with rigid mathematical tool. Subject: CONSTITUTION - ‘new world’ - POLITICS § Stages in the development of CP didn’t Approach: behavioral, interdisciplinary, unfold in an orderly and episodic manner, a democratic-developmental, structural- field acutely in dissent because it is in functionalist transition from one style of analysis to another (Apter & Eckstein, 1963) Baron de Montesquieu Emphasis on human political experience and § CP existed long before it became a pluralism of causation recognized subfield of the modern discipline Comparativism of political science (Daalder, 1993). Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) § Comparative method is not equal to Method of Comparison Comparative Politics, have much larger Without comparison, the mind does not concept, need a method to assist politics know how to proceed Jaedy. 4 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Devin Griffiths Comparative method: Post Behavioral Period (1967 - 1984) = o Crucial to the history of humanities Bringing back formal institutions o Comparison and analogy o 1967: publication of “Cleavage o Network of filiated practices, not a Structures, Party Systems, and Voter stable object Assignments” by Lipset and Stein o Internalization and reformulation by Rokkan social science o 1968: publication of “Political Order o Active network of research practices; in Changing Societies” by Samuel interdisciplinarity produces similarity Huntington o 1976: publication of “Parties and Gerardo Munck Party Systems” by Giovanni Sartori 19th: CP as a distinct field of Political § Behavioralists’ Science Reductionism: widely shared 20th: CP as an international enterprise criticism CP is punctuated by two revolutions: behavioral + scientific 2nd Scientific Revolutions (1984 - present) Standard for research in CP is based largely = Three-pronged agenda from US academia; APSA in 1903 o Scientific Theorizing and Methodology: rational choice theory Jean Blondel’s Comparative Government (logical rigor) + statistical method or Phase in Comparative Discipline empirical testing o Impact: rational choice + formal method + quantitative method THREE MAIN PHASES IN THE STUDY OF o 1991: reinvigoration of qualitative CP: methodology by David Collier § Constitutionalist (Aristotle - 1900s) o Trends: pluralism; cross-fertilization § Behavioralist (1940s - 1960s) of researches; mid-range theorizing. § Institutionalist (1970s - …) Comparativists have accomplished a lot and POLITICALLY DEFINING MOMENTS produced vast amount of knowledge about Behavioral Revolution (1921 - 1966) = politics around the world (Munck, 2006). POSC = Comparative Government 1921: publication of a manifesto for a Formal Theory: tool of formal theory; uses new science of politics by Prof. Charles abstract (game theory/math/more on stats); Merriam; predicting dominating preferences using o Manifesto - declaring a new statistics or mathematical equation; it also uses science of politics “thick rationality.” 1952: creation of SSRC’s Committee on - When you want to establish to what Comparative Politics chaired by Gabriel extent one variable influences other Almond variables. o Sociology: dominant meta theory Jaedy. 5 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Rational Choice: used in many game theory Plurality models, states that a decision-maker chooses the Tasks are so many and so difficult as to unlikely best action according to other preferences, achieve satisfying results. among all the actions available to her; there are no qualitative restriction placed on the decision- Phillip C. Schmitter maker’s preferences; her rationality lies in the The future of comparative politics should consistency of her choices when faced with diverge to some degree, #crossroads different sets of available actions, not in the - Florentine cypress to tropical banyan nature of her likes and dislikes. Has made a genealogical tree named, “The Family Tree of Comparative Politics,” Mixed Methods: start with quantitative and end covering the different authors that addressed CP with qualitative (sequential), vice versa or simultaneous. Considerations: ⁃ Survey: start with this quantitative method CP to continue for a foreseeable future to bear ⁃ FGD: focus group discussion major responsibility for the objective ⁃ Key Informant Interview: another qualitative description of processes and events in other method people’s countries Best research method comparison between Status Quo | Present real existing policies Present-day comparativists are sitting at different Most unlikely for CP to taper in a single peak/ tables, eating from different menus, and not amongst three distinctive paths. speaking to each other — not even to acknowledge their common inheritance from the o Complexification (towards the left of the same distinguished ancestors (Almond, 1990). Genealogical Tree) IMPORTANT!! Question the margin of error, Complexity refers to the intricate and what is the methodology used, confidence level, multifaceted nature of social and political and sample size. Factors and variables are phenomena that comparativists study. It important!! encompasses the various interactions, interdependencies, and variables that Realizations influence political behavior and outcomes. Apter, David, & Eckstein, Harry. (eds.)(1963). The authors argue that while the political world is complex, simplification is necessary Evolving for theory building, as it allows researchers to Today, CP is characterized by nothing so much isolate specific causes and understand the as variety, eclecticism, and disagreement. mechanisms at play. They suggest that formal theory, despite its simplifications, can Diversity provide valuable insights into complex issues Disagreement and divergences are great in by clarifying assumptions and generating regard to absolutely basic preconceptions and predictions about political behavior (Little orientations. and Pepinsky). Jaedy. 6 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 o Institutionalism (at the center of the GT) Little and Pepinsky acknowledge Schmitter's argument that national borders may not Institutionalism refers to a theoretical approach denote the most relevant units of analysis for that emphasizes the role of institutions—such comparative politics. They agree with as laws, regulations, organizations, and Schmitter's message that comparativists should norms—in shaping political behavior and appreciate the limits of the nation-state as a outcomes. Institutionalists study how these unit of analysis and embrace the complexity of structures influence the actions of individuals the political world. However, they do not and groups within a political system, as well as explicitly state a position on the complete how institutions evolve over time. abolishment of the distinction between comparative politics and international relations. Institutionalism seeks to understand the Instead, they emphasize the importance of interplay between institutions and political understanding local contexts while also actors, and how this relationship affects recognizing broader dynamics that transcend governance and policy outcomes. national boundaries. Their focus is more on the collaboration between different methodologies o Simplification (towards the right of the GT) and approaches within the subdiscipline rather than on merging the two fields entirely. Simplicity refers to the process of reducing complex phenomena to more manageable and Institutionalist understandable models or theories. It involves - Adding more ‘neo-neo-neo’ prefixes as it making assumptions and abstractions that allow permutes into more specialized researchers to focus on key elements and approaches. relationships within a political context. The - Neo-Liberalism, Neo-Conservatism, etc. authors argue that simplicity is a strength of - Permute = wanting to clarify a specific formal modeling, as it helps clarify the political phenomena, explaining underlying mechanisms and assumptions that unexplained concepts in a new variant drive political behavior. They contend that while some simplification is necessary for Complexification effective theorizing, it should not lead to overly ⁃ Accept far fewer and less restrictive simplistic conclusions that ignore important initial assumptions complexities. The goal is to strike a balance ⁃ Are convinced that adequate micro- where simple models can generate meaningful foundations in the present world insights while still being applicable to the context can not only be based on complexities of the political world. individual persons decision ⁃ Choose to rely upon ‘reasonableness’ What are the stances did Little and Pepinsky rather than rationality make regarding Schmitter's statement o e.g. Is it reasonable to eat regarding the abolishment of the distinction samgyup every day? Yes, it so as between comparative politics and international long as you can afford it. relations? o e.g. Storing water without being needed at the very moment. Jaedy. 7 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 ⁃ Consider that the usual fallacies of Coping Strategy composition can be converted into novel How to address noisy and messy world? That … ‘laws of composition’ Increased Complexity o Law of Composition = setting Increased Interdependence the standard Complex Interdependence o Uniformalizing everything that comes with the policy Recorded Lecture for Asynchronous Session o Not promoting fallacies, but rather standardized uniform set of Challenge rules Apter, David & Eckstein, Harry. (eds.) (1963) ⁃ Have a healthy respect for ‘real’ and Focus and Simplification existing data What are we to concentrate upon? ⁃ Insist upon endogenizing as many The State and the Political System potentially casual variables as possible even those notoriously difficult to measure such as ‘preferences.’ State o Endogenizing = localizing an § A group of people normally living in a external variable, innovate and definite territory, there is a government and it cater to local tastes and is free from external control. preferences, come up with a o People domestic version of a particular o Territory framework to a given socio- o Government political phenomenon. o Sovereignty § e.g. McDonalds = o Degree of Civilizations innovating food to fit into o Recognition by the Family of the taste of locals. Nations § Is not equal to state apparatus Simplification § Institutions — the government, o Limited initial assumptions + exclusive administration, military, police, judiciary, reliance on individualistic ‘micro- sub-central government, and parliamentary foundations’ assemblies § Deductive presumptions about how § State elite — those who occupy leading these actors behave with regard to positions in institutions each other + proof by ‘stylized facts’ § Only a sub-system of a broader political or ‘mathematical formulae’ that system characterize the path known as Poultanzas: rational or public choice. § Undecipherable mystery § Modern concept CHALLENGE: Institutionalized power ⁃ Lumping o Power: capacity of a social class to ⁃ Splitting realize its specific objective interests. ⁃ Rational Choice “formal modeling” Jaedy. 8 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 o How power is being used for the benefit Authority — legitimate exercise of power of the country o How power is being materialized or System Approach exercised Greek word “synistanai” = to bring together, o How power is being used as the capacity put together all the variables that are to create different classes interconnected or interdependent in order to ⁃ Material condensation (locus) of the produce a complex system, or combine. relationship of forces among different A set of assemblage of interconnected, classes’ interactions within the state interdependent things that form a complex (expressed within a state in a specific form) whole o How is power being exercised vis-a-vis o e.g. 1987 Constitution tells us that other certain actors who also have power, there’s a “co-equality” between the when that power was expressed within three branches of the government the state in a specific form, all the more stipulated in particular sets of document, Systems Theory of Politics (Heywood, legal rational document, then you’ll be 2002) able to figure out how power can be Political system as a self-regulating studied and how power, when studied, mechanism responding to ‘inputs’ [demands can give us a microscopic picture on the and supports] by issuing authoritative operational value of the state decisions or ‘outputs’ [policies] ⁃ Solution: o Implication: the political system will o Refer to its functions tend towards long-term stability as o How it operates vs how it’s not the outputs of government be brought supposed to operate into line with the inputs that are put into it [integration]. Political System ⁃ Concrete subject within the state which we David Easton’s Political System Model can focus to Input — dependent on what the people ⁃ Institution — parties and pressure groups, supply as information, wherein that which are of major importance in the political information is processed to know what is process, and which vitally affect the happening within the system, which includes operation of the state system. the demands of the people in the government or the support being provided by the ⁃ Easton’s Political System Properties government for the people. o Units = Political Actions Feedback — coming from the decisions and o Boundaries = Environment outputs produced so they become another set o Inputs = Demands, supports of inputs to enhance or improve the o Outputs = Authoritative decisions operations of the system. (policy) Environment — the contextual o Differentiation of roles and functions environment that can play a factor on the o Integration of functions within a quality and extent of operationalization of the political system system. Jaedy. 9 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Reflections Almond & Powell’s Political System Model Variety of influences from the environment Much intricate wherein you can see the interplay of the three functions: (a) Systems Existence of influences is a given no matter Functions, (b) Process Functions, and the (c) the condition of the environment Policy Functions (SPP). o If there’s a problem in the The external environment added to the international arena will have an effect internal domestic environment that also on internal domestic decisions or play a factor on the overall operation of the environment. system. Role in the political system: determined on Generalizing / systematic method is the nature of responsibility you have in the necessary system. o Sense of conducting more methodological method in analyzing Remigio Agpalo’s Political System Model and compiling data. Filipino counterpart of the Political System Model State and its Relevance in Contemporary There is the “Foundations” in the model Society: Does State Politics [still] Matter? where it takes into account the; (a) ⁃ Even in the face of the advent of geography [where your country is situated globalization? at, as it can also explain the dynamics that o There was a period of time where operates within your domestic environment], there’s a need to bring back the study (b) socio-demographic, (c) economic, (d) of the state. historical, (e) cultural, and even (f) constitutional foundations (GSDEHCC). State Nomenclature | The Modern State, 1926 Equal important role of the political elite (R.M. Maclver) and the counter elite, there’s emphasis. STATE… acts through law as promulgated More democratic in its representation by a government endowed to this end with because of the existence of counter elite and coercive power, and maintains within a counter programs, which means that not community territorially demarcated the everything is being done or being decided universal external condition of social order. upon by the government. Other important o State still matters today as it acts actors are given opportunities to articulate through law, government, uses power their counter programs or opposition to what to maintain social order. As long as was already decided. this elements exists, then it still The different arrows are much more matters. abundant in this model, which shows the dynamic interplay, interconnectedness in the items of the model Jaedy. 10 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Politics, Political System, and State | Political Public Sector: not just about public sector, as Sociology (T. Bottomore, 1979) there are also private actors that acts within Politics and Political Activity the state in order to help the state. o Struggles for power among Political Reform: not just a political system, individuals and groups in relation to as it is just one of the very visible and their own interests and to the general articulated institution of a state. regulation and orientation of State Apparatus: apparatus is an instrument, collective life — are found in all tool, or technology that aids in the operation societies (even the most primitive). of the state, per sé, it is not the same with Every society has some sort of political state. system o A body of rules and practices which On the Medieval Origins of Modern State constitutes the framework within | (J. Straver, 1975) such struggles normally take place, ‘Stateless societies’ but not all societies have a state — o Pre-state societies the which requires a separate and o Collapsed states — missing one of the distinct political apparatus. elements. § E.g. the Rohemians in WHAT ARE STATES? Myanmar where even their What kind of category/element is ‘state’ in own state doesn’t recognize the analysis of social structures? them. o Is it a social unit? A state exists chiefly in the hearts and o A relationship? Process? minds of its people; if they do not believe it Organization? An institution? Or is there, no logical exercise will bring it to something else? life. How can something that exists only in hearts It is easier to define what a state is not, than what and minds have such power over our lives it is. State is NOT the same as: (including the power of life and death)? What Government: just one of the six elements of is the basis of state power? a state o The basis of state power is on the Regime: it pertains to a single government legitimacy being provided to it by where the ruler is in power for a long time to the sovereign, people. establish a distinct way of governing the § e.g. in the Philippine context, territory. 1987 Constitution Article 2 Nation: IT IS ESSENTIALLY NOT THE Section 1, sovereignty resides SAME. A nation is a cultural construct where on the people and all people gather through common cultural government authority identity, language, religion, etc, while a state emanates from them. is a political construct, a legal representation § The people are not singled out that consists of legal and rational systems and but they play a crucial role in procedures. the function of the o e.g. Philippines is a nation/state. government and the state. Jaedy. 11 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Basis of State Power Functionalist Max Weber (1919): a state is an institution Focus on the role or purpose of the states’ which (successfully) claims to exercise a institutions monopoly of the legitimate use of physical Central function of a state is the force within a given territory. maintenance of social order o Why physical force? Helpful in Maximized by modern Marxists, the state implementation of policies ensures the survival of the capital system Limitations: it associates any institution Argues that it is a force which constitutes the that maintains order with state itself, if primary (not the only) attribute which makes something’s wrong, the accountability is in the state a state. the institutions. The more heater skelter your functions are, the more disorder your Implication when you anchor on force as the institutions will be. basis of power — administrative apparatus where administration means the extraction Organizational of resources, control and coercion, and Set of institutions that are recognizably maintenance of the political, legal, and “public” in that they are responsible for the normative order of society. collective organization of social existence and are funded at the public’s expense. We can define states by looking at what they Modern notion of state started in the Treaty are (a structural approach), but it may be of Westphalia, agreement amongst different more useful to think about what they do (a states to create a certain sense of order. You functional approach) cannot pursue war if there’s a diplomatic way Scholars who contributed illustrating the to solve an issue. structure of state: Features of state: o Talcott Parsons o Sovereignty o David Easton o Public o Gabriel Almond o Has legitimacy o Bingham Powell o Instrument of domination o Remigio Agpalo o Is a territorial association Perspectives of the State (Heywood, 2002) Limitations of State-Centered Analysis Idealist Excludes the analysis of pre-states Hegel’s 3 moments of social existence o The exclusive definition of the o Family (particular altruism) modern state o Civil society (universal egoism) State refers to the officials of government or o State (universal altruism) to the government itself and not to the Limitation: fosters uncritical reverence for political aspect of the whole community. the state, as the blame/accountability was on Inadequacy of the state concept (i.e. through the family if there’s something wrong with denotation instead of connotation). the state. o Unsatisfactory definition of the state Jaedy. 12 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 Implies that political science is interested in o The state ‘asserts a monopoly of studying a particular type of organization and legitimate force which does not (and NOT the activity that is expressed in variety cannot) have’ of institution. Focuses its activities within a given territory and upon members of a What do States do? particular nation because its boundaries are challenged and its national identity contested Allen T. and Thomas A. | Poverty and It claims a monopoly of legitimacy only Development (1992) because this legitimacy is contested On the one hand, it is autonomous and Conduct peaceful and warlike relations separate to the public rather than private; on with other states the other hand, the universality of its o Warlike = Ukraine and Russia, Hong compulsory jurisdiction means that it Kong and China permeates and structures the whole of Claim a monopoly over the use of force society. within their boundaries o Force = physical force or laws, etc Can provide identity and cohesion through processes of legitimation Comparative Politics o E.g. registration for Voter’s ID Act as agents within society and structure Refers to the subject matter, a field of the actions of other agents specialty within the academic study of o E.g. protocols to follow on how to Political Science interact with other states, independent Method or approach to the study of politics foreign policies, etc. The study of foreign countries or a plurality Sustain relationships with other spheres of of countries activity and groups and classes — of which It pertains to the family of strategies and the relationship with the economy is most techniques with the advance understanding important. within the field States are not unified organizations but rather It is a ‘master strategy’ for drawing inference ensembles of institutions and processes about the causation in any area of study by which are extremely various, conflictual, uncovering the relationship of cause and and complex. effect What a State CANNOT Do? A reawakened interest in large-scale comparisons, a relatively broad conception of the nature of politics, what is relevant to politics, One important aspect of the conflictual / and a growing emphasis upon solving middle- contradictory / complex/ dynamic nature of range theoretical problems concerning the states is that they never achieve completely determinants of certain kinds of political what they claim in Weber’s definition: behavior and the requisites for certain kinds of political institutions (Eckstein, 1963). Jaedy. 13 POS 2107: COMPARATIVE POLITICS | GRP 3 MW 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Mojica, Jaine Dylan B. BA POS 2 That in the earlier consensus, the comparative Comparative Politics potentially paralyzing or method was seen as an approach to the distracting divisions among comparativists, testing of theory. which hamper progress in the field, will only be That today, theory and its testing are now overcome in as much as comparativists seen as parts of an interactive process appreciate both the depth of the roots of within the comparative method (Latin, comparative politics in a humanistic tradition 2000). and the vital importance of its scientific Comparative politics falls into the category aspirations (Munck, 2006). of scientific research the most due to its reference to methodology. Conscious desire to move away from traditional Comparative Politics cannot make causal concern with political institutions towards explanations based on the comparative preoccupation with political and social method alone. Like all other methods, the developments generally and within democratic comparative method depends on pre-existent systems in particular (Daalder, 1993). relevance criteria, which are provided by analytical concepts, hypotheses and theories. (Jahn, n.d.) As a method of study, comparative politics is premised on comparison. As a subject of study, comparative politics focuses on understanding and explaining political phenomena that take place within a state, society, country, or political system. Comparative Politics is, appropriately enough, concerned with political phenomena. It is not only characterized but defined by a comparative method of analysis (Lim, 2010). Definitely a method, not just a convenient term symbolizing the focus of research interest One of the basic scientific methods, not the scientific method A method of discovering empirical relationships among variables, not a method of measurement. A broad-gauge, general method, not a narrow-specialized technique A basic research strategy, not a mere tactical research (Lijphart, 1971) Jaedy.