Chapter 2: Comparing Political Systems

By: Alyssa WrightAshley Smith

Matthew Jacob

“Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know how to proceed.” – Alexis de Tocqueville

Tocqueville was telling us that comparison is fundamental to all human thought. We add that it is the methodological core of the humanistic and scientific methods as well. It is the only way we can fully understand our own political system. Comparing the past and present of our nation and comparing our experience with that of other nations deepen our understanding of our own institutions.

How We Compare

3 Different Ways to Study Politics:- describe it- explain it- predict it (theories)

First stage: DescriptionIf we can't describe a political process or event, we can't understand or explain it, much less predict what will happen next.

Second stage: ExplainingTo explain politics you need to identify the relationships between them.

Third stage: TheoriesTheories are statement about casual relationships between general classes of events. That way we can predict what would happen in the same situation.

Systems: Environment and Interdependence

3 General Concepts:1. System

2. Structure3. Function

A system is an object having moving parts, interacting with a setting or an environment. The

political system is a set of institutions and agencies

concerned with formulating and implementing the collective goals of a society or of groups within it. Governments or states are the policymaking parts of political

systems.

Structures and Functions

Structures- specialized agencies such as parliaments, bureaucracies, administrative agencies and courts.

Functions- enable the government to formulate, implement, and enforce its policies.

6 types of political structures: Political parties Interest groups Legislatures Executives Bureaucracies Courts

- These structures are found in almost all modern political systems.

For example, Britain and China have all six types of political institutions, however these institutions are organized differently in the two countries, and they function in completely different ways.

Process Functions: activities necessary for policy to be made and implemented in any kind of political system. These include: interest articulation, interest aggregation, policymaking, and policy implementation and adjudication.

System Functions:- Socialization- Recruitment

- Communication

These determine whether or not the system will be

maintained or changed.

For example, whether policymaking will continue to

be dominated by a single authoritarian party or military

council.

Policy Functions- the substantive impacts on the society, the economy, and the culture.These functions include:- regulation of behavior- extractions of resources- distribution of benefits and services

Political socialization- involves families, schools, communications media, churches, and all the various political structures that develop, reinforce, and transform attitudes of political significance in the society.

Political recruitment- refers to the selection of people for political activity and government offices.

Political communication- refers to the flow of information through the society and through the various structures that make up the political system.

Political regime- used to describe the structural-functional policy configuration governments take on at different times.

Key Vocabulary

An Illustrative Comparison: Russia in 1985 and 2002

Two revolutionary changes:1. end of one-party politics dominated by Communist party of the Soviet Union2. dissolution of Soviet Union as a state into its 15 member republics

-In 1991, Boris Yeltsin was elected president of Russia, and Gorbachev gave up his office

-in 1993, they needed to make a new constitution, and democratic tendencies competed with authoritarian rule

-new parties were formed and the old party regrouped with the name of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation

-Parliament now called the Federal Assembly, and plays a much larger role now

- The communist party and state bureaucracy dominated process-level functions, while the people had influence over socialization, recruitment, and communication

-by 2002 they had some major changes1. more structures played a role 2. Parliament gained more powers in policymaking3. citizens freedom of expression expanded4. Communist party declined in power5.state bureaucracies moved toward a market economy6. presidency was dominating institution w/ decision-making7. parliament didn't like influence from anyone else