POS-1041 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Comity, Collective Action, Theocracy
Document Summary
Pos1041: chapter 1- the logic of american politics. Compromise: a settlement in which each side concedes some preferences to secure others. Preferences: givens ; individuals and groups know what they want, preferences must be reconciled to reach compromise: may reflect an individual"s economic situation, religious values, ethnic identity, or some other valued interest. Unstructured negotiation rarely yields a collective decision all parties can accept: may expose each side to too great a risk; fear of reneging may foster mutual suspicions (war may become the preferred alternative) 1990s conflict: serbs, croats, and muslims in bosnia. Ethnic and religious rivals became trapped in a spiral of mutual suspicion, fear, and hostility b/c there was no system in place: people were joining militias and killing one another. Parties to a conflict will benefit from prior agreements on rules and procedures for negotiations: a stable community endures by establishing rules and procedures for promoting successful collective action.
