POLI 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Peer Pressure, United States Constitution, Open List
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Major Questions in Comparative Politics -
● why did modern states emerge and grow?
●Why are some countries democratic whereas others are not?
-Emphasis on questions of cause ( why) and effect
-Answers often include saying who, what, where, where, how
Comparison as everyday practice, make sense of a complex word
Example:
Some think the world is simple.. But they are probably wrong.
-Globalisation : loss of power of the state? Winners and losers? Rising nationalism? New
threats?
Categorizing
Example: Aristotle and the birth of democracy
-Demokratia: government by the people
-Around year 400 bc : the birth of democracy with Greek city-states
In referendum campaigns,people tend to make a decision on a complex matter. People will vote
without knowing what is best for the common good, therefore = dangerous.
Example: In biology, Darwin’s - On the Origins of Species. This is an example of a comparison
of all the living species on earth.
The birth of COMPARATIVE POLITICS as a subfield
-Emancipation of political science in North America
-Development of “ behaviourism” , belief in empirical science
1960’s, time of decolonization. New types of governments, etc.
●The belief in Empirical Science( facts,evidence)
Concepts and operationalization
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Concepts: ideas we use to think about what we study
-Concepts will help us : Neutralize interpretation problems
●Have a common understanding
●Central prerequisite for comparisons
●Need for clarity, coherence,exclusiveness
Conceptual stretching: the more you apply a concept to a lot of cases, the more it loses validity. (
Sartori's ladder of abstraction/generality)
Example of a tricky concept: “ FREEDOM”
Operationalization: measuring something measurable
Depending on the data you use, the conclusion might be very different. Operationalization is
choosing wisely in order to have correct analysis.
The State
-The presence of the State
●The state as political and juridical unit
Why the explanation of states: because of decolonization
EX: Former state of yugoslavia
●The state as government
Government spending, the role of the state as a government has also increased over
the past century. Reason for economic : provision of public goods. ( health care,
infrastructure,education) Reason for economic spending: WARFARE
What is the State?
Sociological definition :
A human community that successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical
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force with a given territory - max weber
1. Nationalism and nation-state:
Ex: The constitution ( We , the people) Given the same rights and rules.
Flags, symbols, culture and common history.
Bringing everyone under the same roof with the same rights and rules, that’s applied to all within
the state.
-Horizontal element= incorporate all citizens of a nation
-Vertical element= leaders as country nationals ( citizens)
-Feeling of common belonging= language, symbols( flags,myths,anthems)
Ex: French revolution, the women in the painting named mariane is used as a symbol because it
was a common name in the french country, therefore it became a french symbol.
2. Moral Foundations of The State
●Combinations of concepts:
-Authority: moral right to rule and obligation for the governed to accept it.
-Legitimacy: authority given by consent. ( through elections)
-Power: use of coercion to get someone to do what he would not otherwise do.
●Social Contract:
-To give up individual rights, certain rights to the states in exchange for protection by the
state.
3. Monopoly of the means of violence
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Document Summary
Emphasis on questions of cause ( why) and effect. Answers often include saying who, what, where, where, how. Comparison as everyday practice, make sense of a complex word. Around year 400 bc : the birth of democracy with greek city-states. In referendum campaigns,people tend to make a decision on a complex matter. People will vote without knowing what is best for the common good, therefore = dangerous. Example: in biology, darwin"s - on the origins of species. This is an example of a comparison of all the living species on earth. The birth of comparative politics as a subfield. Emancipation of political science in north america. Development of behaviourism , belief in empirical science. Concepts: ideas we use to think about what we study. Concepts will help us : neutralize interpretation problems. Conceptual stretching: the more you apply a concept to a lot of cases, the more it loses validity.
