WEB PAGE QUIZ, CLICKER – 2PTS
Which of the following is frequently used by a
communist nation to describe their government ?
A. Communist Autocracy
B. Democracy
C. People’s Republic
D. Republic
E. Tyranny
Comparative politics: The systematic study
of politics and government in different
societies.
What do we gain by comparative study?
• Comparison:
•helps us describe political systems.
•gives us context.
•gives us points of reference.
•helps us draw up rules about
politics.
•helps us understand ourselves.
What do we gain by comparative study?
• Comparison
• helps us understand others
• allows us to be less ethnocentric
Ethnocentrism: Looking at others from the
perspective of the group or culture of the
observer, rather than looking at others on
their own terms.
What do we gain by comparative study?
• Comparison
• broadens our options.
• helps us make sense of a confusing global
system.
The Comparative Approach
Generally empirical rather than
normative.
Empirical: Drawing conclusions on the basis
of facts, experience, or observation.
Normative: Implying or prescribing norms
and values, in contrast to stating facts -Value judgments.
CLICKER
A democratic form of government is better than an aristocratic form
of government.
A. Empirical
B. Normative
C. Neither
CLICKER
Mexico is classified as a newly democratic nation because of its recent
reforms and its relatively short time practicing free and open elections.
A. Empirical
B. Normative
C. Neither
WHAT DO WE COMPARE?
Level of analysis: The unit we focus on for study
Individual
Primary Group
Local Community
Sub-national Polity (US States, Canadian Province,
etc.)
The State
The international system
The State:
A legal and political entity based on the
administration of a territory. Interchangeably known
as a country, although the latter usually refers only
to the territory of a state.
Characteristics of The State:
Territory: Fixed, marked territory with borders
controlled by “the state”
Sovereignty: Supreme control over the territory, its
resources and people, including sole authority to
impose laws and taxes
Independence: Operates without answering to a
higher authority
Legitimacy: Recognition by residents and other
states as having legal jurisdiction over their
territory
WHAT DO WE COMPARE?
 Government: The institutions and offices through which
societies are governed; the form of system of rule; the
nature and direction of the administration of a community.
 Politics: The process by which people compete for power,
influence, and resources.
 Power: The ability to act, or to exert authority and control
over others.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF GOVERNMENT?
WHAT DO WE COMPARE?
• National and personal security
• Political freedom
• Political participation
• Economic freedom
• Infrastructure
Material-physical infrastructure
Social infrastructure
Economic systems
FOUR APPROACHES TO POLITICAL RESEARCH:
1. The experimental method: Uses experimental
and control groups to isolate the effects of different
stimuli.
2. The statistical method: Uses empirically
observed data to tease out relationships among
variables.
3. The case study method: Focuses on individual
cases rather than large samples.
FOUR APPROACHES TO POLITICAL RESEARCH:
4. The comparative method: Focuses on
drawing conclusions from the study of a
small number of samples.
Different cases are compared to better
understand their qualities, and to develop
hypotheses, theories, and concepts
CLICKER
Which method is simply impractical for studying politics
A. Experimental Method
B. Statistical Method
C. Case Study Method
D. Comparative Method
E. Any of them is practical and effective in studying
politics
CLICKER
Which method is involves a limited number of sample
studies from which we draw hypotheses?
A. Experimental Method
B. Statistical Method
C. Case Study Method
D. Comparative Method
E. Any of them is practical and effective in studying
politics
GROUPINGS, CATEGORIES AND TYPOLOGIES
Aristotle: in Ancient Greece
• Monarchy – ruled by one
• Oligarchy – ruled by a few
• Democracy – ruled by many
GROUPINGS, CATEGORIES AND TYPOLOGIES
Montesquieu: in Enlightenment France
• Republic
• Monarchy
• Despotism
GROUPINGS, CATEGORIES AND TYPOLOGIES
Max Weber: late 19th and early 20th
century German
• Traditional Authority
• Rational Legal Authority
• Charismatic Authority
GROUPINGS, CATEGORIES AND TYPOLOGIES
Three Worlds: 1945--- 2000 +???
• First World: Capitalist Democracies
• Second World: Communist States
• Third World: Poor, less developed, les
democratic and non-aligned countries
GROUPINGS, CATEGORIES AND TYPOLOGIES
McCormick Text: Six Arenas
1. Liberal Democracies
2. Communist & Post Communist States
3. New Democracies
4. Islamic States
5. Less Developed States
6. Marginal States
Table 1.3 Summary Features of the Six Arenas
CLICKER
The McCormick text identifies one “Typology” of modern
states as the dominant, if somewhat outdated model
most commonly used still. Which is it?
A. Aristotle’s Monarchy, Oligarchy, Democracy
B. Max Weber’s: Traditional, Rational Legal, and
Charismatic
C. Montesquieu’s: Monarchy, Republic, Despotism
D. Three Worlds: First World, Second World, Third World
E. None of these
CLICKER
In McCormick’s Six Arena’s typology, he identifies a
special category for Islamic states. Does that seem
useful to you?
A. Yes, it seems meaningful and useful to me
B. No, I don’t understand the distinction
C. No, while I believe I understand the distinction it
doesn’t seem useful
D. It’s too soon to tell
CLICKER
In McCormick’s Six Arena’s typology, is the distinction
between Less Developed States and Marginal States a
useful distinction?
A. Yes, it seems meaningful and useful to me
B. No, I don’t understand the distinction
C. No, while I believe I understand the distinction it
doesn’t seem useful
D. It’s too soon to tell
MEASURES OF POLITICAL VARIABLES
Overtly Political Measures
Freedom in the World Index: Freedom House
Governance Indicators: World Bank
Democracy Index: The Economist
Corruption Perception Index: Transparency
International
MEASURES OF POLITICAL VARIABLES
Economic Measures:
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
GDP per Capita
Purchasing Power Parity
Gini coefficient
Economic Freedom Index: Fraser Institute
MEASURES OF POLITICAL VARIABLES
Social Measures:
Life expectancy
Infant mortality
Adult literacy
Human development Index: United Nations