8/12/2019 Comparative Politics Handouts
1/3
Comparative Politics
Comparative Politics is one of the major branches of political
science. It involves the systematicstudy of the differences and
similarities between and among political systems, with the goal
of
understanding those systems and of making generalizations and
drawing up rules about politics.
According to cCormick !"##$%, countries are the laboratories of
political scientist inclined in
comparative politics& and comparative method serves as one
of the oldest tools used in political
science.
Importance of Comparative Politics:
1. Comparison helps fully understand confusing global
system.
2. Comparison serves as a tool to comprehend our own political,
economic and social
structures.
3. Comparison can broaden our options.
4. It broadens our horizons.5. It helps us draw up rules about
politics.
Past Systems of Classifications used in Comparative
Politics:
'. (tructural)*unctional model + which sees government as a
system made up of structures!institutions% that perform certain
functions, and compares how they perform.
overnment systems are considered the focal point of comparative
politics, hence it is
important to study the functions of government institutions in a
given country.
". (ources of authority + including traditional !or hereditary%
authority, charismaticauthority, and legal authority. Aristotle
classified states based on the number of rulers
and sources of authority and power to govern.-. A system based
around democraticparliamentary systems !such as the /nited (tates
or0ritain%, fascistauthoritarian systems !such as 1azi ermany%, and
communist systems
!such as the old (oviet /nion%.
Three orld System of Classification:
2he three world system of classification was taken into
consideration during the Cold
3ar !'4$5)'44'%. 2he Cold 3ar was an ideological rivalry that
influenced most of the states inthe world and almost brought it
into a nuclear holocaust ', as two superpowers opposed the
ideology of each other. 2he /nited (tates led the countries that
adhere to the democratic system
of government and free enterprise market)based economy
!capitalist%, while the (oviet /nionheaded the (ocialist states
having a centrally planned economic system.
'. *irst 3orld considered as industrialized states, and by
implication included most of thosecountries in the 3estern alliance
against communism.
'6specially during the Cuban issile crisis of '47", wherein the
(oviet /nion tried to established a missile base
near mainland /nited (tates.
8/12/2019 Comparative Politics Handouts
2/3
". (econd 3orld of communist regimes, which + also by
implication + included most of
those countries ranged against 3estern alliance
-. 2hird 3orld of poorer, less democratic, and less developed
countries, some of which tooksides in the cold war, and some of
which did not.
cCormick recognizes the need to approach the study of
comparative politics from a perspectivethat more accurately
reflects the realities of a world that is very different from the
way it was
during the Cold 3ar.
'. Political 8ariables
a. 2he structures of their system of governance
b. 2heir records on human rights and democracy
c. 9elationship between citizens and governmentd. Popular ideas
about the role of the state.
e. 9elative levels of political legitimacy
". 6conomic 8ariablesa. ross :omestic Product
b. 6conomic structure
-. (ocial 8ariables
a. ;ife e
