POL 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Parliamentary System, Responsible Government, Judicial Independence
19 Mar 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
3 different parts of system can be supported: Cleavage - a deep and persistent division in society that has signi cant implications for the political system. (ex. between english, french, aboriginal) The 5 approaches in viewing canadian political system: the pluralist approach- suggests power is dispersed among many interests in society. Group action more effective than individual political activity. Canada is pluralistic in terms of ethnic and religious diversity. Various groups becoming more self-confident and are speaking out (women, Ways where canada not pluralist: only few groups speak for poor and working class while middle class has no collective voice at all: the public choice approach- assumes canada is a democracy. Suggests that rational, self- interested voters support parties that are most beneficial to themselves. Politicians go far in trying to keep themselves in power. It is a bargaining process between politicians and voters. Politicians respond to those interests that will give them the largest number of votes.
