Introducing Introducing Comparative Comparative

PoliticsPolitics

THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF COMPARATIVE POLITICSCOMPARATIVE POLITICS

IntroductionIntroductionOver the last twenty years, we have experienced the following critical junctures:

19891989: The Fall of the Berlin WallEnd of Cold War Cold War and beginning of current era. Cold warCold war—hostile relations between the United States and the Soviet Union fromlate 1940s to 1991.

20012001: The attack of the World Trade CenterThe attack of the World Trade Center

New era of global insecurity

20082008: The Great Recession of 2008The Great Recession of 2008

Global economic tailspin Heightened political conflict Anxiety over the future

20112011: Three remarkable events:

1. Protests in TunisiaTunisia and EgyptEgypt toppled decades-old dictatorships.2. Protests in other countries in Middle East and North Africa, including AlgeriaAlgeria, Bahrain, Libya, Bahrain, Libya, SyriaSyria, and YemenYemen had very different outcomes and massive violence.3. March, 2011March, 2011: Japan suffered first an earthquake and then a tsunami that culminated in the crippling of six nuclear reactors and the loss of thousands of human lives.

Comparative Politics studies how countries shape and are shaped by the world order created by watershed events, such as those that occurred in 1989, 2001, 2008, and 2011.

Each of the above dates, 1989, 2001, 1989, 2001, 20082008, and 20112011 describe a critical critical juncture: juncture: an important historical moment when political actors make choices that shape institutions and future outcomes.

What would be a critical juncture for the years 2012-2015?

WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE POLITICS WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE POLITICS COMPARESCOMPARES

Making Sense of Turbulent TimesMaking Sense of Turbulent Times

Comparative Politics is a Cross-national comparisons and explanations on four themes:

1.1.The World of StatesThe World of States:: Historical formation, internal organization, and interaction of states within international order.

2.2.Governing the EconomyGoverning the Economy: Role of the state in economic management.

3.3.The Democratic IdeaThe Democratic Idea: : Spread and challenges of democracy.

4. 4. The Politics of Collective Identities:The Politics of Collective Identities: Sources and political impact of diverse collective collective identities: identities: groups with which people identify, including gender, class, race, region, and religion, and which are the “building blocks” for social and political action.

Comparison dates back to Aristotle

Categorized Greek city-states according to their form of political rule ; Single individual, few, all citizens.

Distinguished good from corrupt; Whether those with power ruled in their own interest or for the common welfare.

Making Sense of Turbulent TimesMaking Sense of Turbulent Times Distinction between comparative politics comparative politics and international relationsinternational relations

Comparative politics studies domestic political institutions, processes, policies, conflicts, attitudes in different countries.International relations studies foreign policies of and interactions among countries, role of international organizations, influence of global actors.Studies overlap; distinction important because political activity occurs within state borders.Despite increased international economic competition and integration (key aspect of globalization)globalization), countries are fundamental building blocks in structuring political activity.

• Comparative approach focuses on selected institutions and processes when analyzing similarities and differences among countries.

– As students of comparative politics (comparativistscomparativists), we must look at more than one case to make reliable statement.

– Look at two or more cases selected to isolate common and contrasting features

– May analyze broad issues or institution, policy, process through time, e.g., shift in orientation of economic policy from KeynesianismKeynesianism to neoliberalism.neoliberalism.

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GlobalizationGlobalization—intensification of worldwide interconnectivity associated with speed and magnitude of cross-border flows of trade, investment and finance, processes of migration, cultural diffusion, and communication.

KeynesianismKeynesianism—an approach that gives priority to government regulation of economy.

neoliberalismneoliberalism—approach that emphasizes the importance of market-friendly policies.

The Internet and the Study of Comparative PoliticsThe Internet and the Study of Comparative Politics

Information found on the web:

– Current events– Elections– Statistics; e.g., Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), United Nations

Development Program (UNDP), and World BankWorld Bank– Rankings and ratingso For example: UNDP Human Development Index (HDI)Human Development Index (HDI); the Global Global

Gender GapGender Gap; the Environmental Performance IndexEnvironmental Performance Index; the Corruption Perceptions IndexCorruption Perceptions Index; and the Freedom in the World Freedom in the World RatingRating.

– Official information and documents– The United States Department of State– Maps – General comparative politics

WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE POLITICS COMPARESPOLITICS COMPARES

Level of AnalysisLevel of Analysis•Comparisons are useful for political analysis at several different levels.

– Specific institutions in different countries.countries.

CountriesCountries—distinct, politically defined territories that encompass governments, composed of political institutions, cultures, economies and collective identities.

Countries are historically the most important source of collective political identity and a major arena for organized political action.

– StateState—key political institutions responsible for making, implementing, enforcing, and adjudicating policies .

o National executiveexecutive (president or prime minister) and the cabinet cabinet are most important state institutions.

ExecutiveExecutive—the agencies of government that implement or execute policy

CabinetCabinet—the body of officials (e.g., ministers, secretaries) who direct executive departments presided over by the chief executive (e.g, prime minister, president).

o Other key institutions: military, policy, and bureaucracybureaucracy Bureaucracy Bureaucracy —an organization structured

hierarchically, in which lower-level officials are charged with administering regulations codified in rules that specify impersonal objective guidelines for making decisions.

Alongside executiveexecutive is the legislaturelegislature and judiciary.judiciary.

LegislatureLegislature—one of the primary political institutions in a country, in which elected members are charged with responsibility for making laws and usually providing for the financial resources for the state to carry out its functions.JudiciaryJudiciary—one of the primary political institutions in a country; responsible for the administration of justice and in some countries for determining the constitutionality of state decisions.

Political legitimacylegitimacy required for long-term stability. LegitimacyLegitimacy—support of significant segment of the

citizenry.– Affected by economic performance and distribution of

economic resources.– May require some level of democracy.

Not all states are the same.

Variance in organization of institutions o Differences impact political, economic, social institutions.o Process of state formation state formation influences political

differences. State formationState formation—historical evolution of the state.

• Variance in extent to which citizens share a common sense of nationhood.

– Nation-stateNation-state—when state boundaries and national identity coincide.

– Source of political instability when they do not coincide.

– Nationalist movements challenge existing boundaries.

WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE WHAT AND HOW COMPARATIVE POLITICS COMPARESPOLITICS COMPARES

Causal TheoriesCausal TheoriesCountries and states are the two critical units for comparative analysis. One approach is to develop causal theoriescausal theories.Causal theoriesCausal theories—Hypotheses expressed as:

“If X happens then Y will be the result.”Include factors (independent variablesindependent variables) that are believed to influence the outcome (dependent variables(dependent variables)Inverse correlation – X and Y vary in the opposite direction

• Even without hypotheses, comparativists try to identify similarities and differences to discover patterns.

Limits on “scientific” political scienceTwo differences between “hard” and social sciences:

Social sciences study people who have free will. Experimental techniques cannot isolate factors.

Debate over whether or not social sciences should seek scientific explanations.

Rational choice theory Rational choice theory borrowed from economics.

Rational choice theory Rational choice theory - approach to analyzing political decision making and behavior that assumes that individual actors rationally pursue aims in effort to achieve most positive net result.

Most comparativists agree on middle-level theory.middle-level theory. Middle-level theory Middle-level theory seeks to explain phenomena in a limited range of cases.

Study of democratic transitions democratic transitions identifies influence of variables on political stability.

Democratic transitionsDemocratic transitions - the process of a state moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system.

Process in which authoritarian governments such as military dictatorshipsdictatorships develop more democratic regimes.

DictatorshipsDictatorships —a government in which one or a few rulers has absolute power.

Identify common patterns that make sense of political events and link experiences.

THEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Theme 1: A World of StatesTheme 1: A World of States•States have been primary actors for about five hundred years.

– Individuals, international organizations, transnational corporations may play crucial role.

– States still send armies to conquer other states.– Legal codes of states allow businesses to operate

within borders and beyond.– States provide and enforce laws, and some social

welfare.– States regulate movement of people across borders

through immigration.– Protect citizens from aggressive actions by other

states

• Country chapters emphasize the importance of understanding similarities and contrasts in state formation and institutional design institutional design across countries.

Institutional designInstitutional design— institutional arrangements that define relationships between executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and between the central government and sub-central units.

• States may collapse when rivals challenge rulers or when leaders violate the rule of law.

– Failed states Failed states - states in which the government no longer functions

– AnarchyAnarchy - lawlessness due to absence of government

All states experiencing increased pressure from external influences

- Do not have same impact on all states

- Some states can shape structure and policy of international

organizations.

States with greater level of economy, military, and resources have a greater global influence and benefit more from globalization.Countries with fewer advantages are more dependent on states and international organizations and benefit less from globalization.International organizations and treaties challenge national sovereignty, including United Nations, the European Union (EU), European Union (EU), the World Trade World Trade Organization (WTO)Organization (WTO), the World Bank, the International Monetary International Monetary Fund (IMF), Fund (IMF), and the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).(NAFTA).Political borders do not protect people from global influences.

• Technology, immigration, and cultural diffusion impact domestic policies and challenge state supremacy.• Global media have increased knowledge

about international developments.– May increase demands on local governments to

intervene to stop atrocities.– May cause local governments to be held to

international standards of human rights and democracy.

Puzzle: Puzzle: To what extent can even the most powerful states (especially the United States) preserve their autonomy and impose their will on others in a globalized world? And, in what ways are the poorer and less powerful countries particularly vulnerable to the pressures of globalization and disgruntled citizens?

Politics and policies of states increasingly influenced by international factors

ConstituenciesConstituencies also challenge power and legitimacy of central governments .

THEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Theme 2: Governing the EconomyTheme 2: Governing the Economy•Ability to ensure adequate volume of goods and services affects state’s ability to maintain sovereign authority and control.

– Inadequate economic performance important reason for rejection of communism.

– Success in promoting economic development major factor in survival of Communist Party in China.

•How state ““governs the economygoverns the economy”” is key element in overall pattern of governance.

– Difference in balance between agriculture and industrial production.

– Strategies to improve economic performance.– Competition in international markets.– Importance of private market forces versus government

direction of the economy.

• Political economyPolitical economy—how governments affect economic performance and how economic performance affects politics.

– Belief that domestic and international economy affects politics

• There is no one right way to manage the economy.

• No clear measure of economic success– More countries emphasizing sustainable sustainable

development development —an approach to promoting economic growth that seeks to minimize environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources.

Puzzle: Puzzle: What is relationship between democracy and successful national economic performance?

– Both democratic and authoritarian regimes have been successful.

– For example: China, an authoritarian communist party-statecommunist party-state has enjoyed highest growth rate among major economies since 1990.

o Communist party-stateCommunist party-state—type of nation state in which communist party attempts to exercise complete monopoly on political power and controls all important state institutions.

Global Connection: How Is Development Global Connection: How Is Development Measured?Measured?

Two commonly used measures of size or power of country’s economy:

o Gross domestic product (GDP)Gross domestic product (GDP)—value of total goods and services produced during a given year.

o Gross national product (GNP)Gross national product (GNP)—GDP plus income earned abroad by country’s residents.

Textbook calculates GDP using purchasing power purchasing power parity (PPP) parity (PPP) method.

PPPPPP takes into account the real cost of living in a particular country by calculating how much it would cost in the local currency to buy the “same basket of goods” in different countries.Since PPP does not take population size into account, it does not reveal prosperity.oOne of the important measures is Human Human Development Index (HDI)Development Index (HDI), a composite number used by the United Nations to measure and compare levels of achievement in health, knowledge, and standard of living.Based on life expectancy, adult literacy rate and school enrollment statistics, and GDP per capita at PPP.

THEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Theme 3: The Democratic IdeaTheme 3: The Democratic IdeaDemocracyDemocracy—from the Greek demos (the people) and kratos (rule). A regime in which citizens exercise substantial control over choice of political leaders and the decisions made by their governments.

- Strong appeal and rapidly spreading.

- Hard for authoritarian governments to survive persistent and widespread

pressure for democratic participation. Democracy’s stability, affluence, freedom may appeal to citizens in

authoritarian regimes. Most consistent with human aspirations for freedom, prosperity,

and security Some observers claim that democracy is dangerous. Democratic policymaking tends to be dominated by “short-term

political and electoral considerations” whereas wise policy requires long-range perspective.

• Conditions that are necessary for democratic idea to take root:– Secure national borders, stable state, minimum level of

economic development, acceptance of democratic values, agreement on rules, and institutional design.

• Gulf between transition to and consolidation of democracy– Transition occurs when authoritarian regime is toppled and

democratic foundations are established.– Consolidation requires adherence to democratic procedures

and making the government more sturdy and durable.– Reversal of democratic regimes to authoritarian rule have

occurred in the past.

• Comparative politics does not support a philosophy of history or theory of political development that identifies a single (democratic) end point toward which all countries will converge.

Theme 3, the Democratic Idea Theme 3, the Democratic Idea must examine incompleteness of democracy even in countries with long experience of democratic government:

Democratic idea invoked to make government more responsive and accountable.

Social movements Social movements target actions, inaction. Social movementsSocial movements—large-scale grassroots action that demands

reforms of existing social practices and government policies.

Puzzle: Puzzle: Is there a relationship between democracy and political stability?

Democracy permits opposition making political life turbulent and unpredictable.

Legitimacy of political opposition deepens state support and promotes state stability.

Once adopted, odds are democratic regime will endure.

THEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Theme 4: The Politics of Collective IdentitiesTheme 4: The Politics of Collective Identities•At one time comparativists believed that social class social class was the most important source of collective identity.

– Social classSocial class—group whose members share common economic status determined largely by occupation, income, and wealth.

•Formation of group attachments and interplay of collective identities more complex

– In many long-established democracies identity based on class declining but still important politically and economically.

– Economically-based sources of collective identity growing in significance.

• Politics of collective identities involves struggle to mobilize groups to be politically influential

– Constant struggle among groups over relative power and influence.

– Issues of inclusion, political recognition, representation, resource allocation, and ability to shape public policies.

• Issues about collective identities never fully settled– Identity-based conflicts appear in every multiethnic society.

o Particularly intense in post-colonial countries. Colonial powers forced ethnic groups together and

drew borders with little regard to existing identities.– Political conflicts between and within religious groups.

o May cross national boundaries and involve globalization.o Political orientation of religious community not

predetermined.

Puzzle: How do collective identities affect country’s distributional politicsdistributional politics?

Distributional politicsDistributional politics - use of power, particularly by the state, to allocate some kind of valued resource among competing groups.

– Most groups desire material benefits and political influence.

– Analytical difference between material and nonmaterial useful

– Compromise may be difficult in situation of extreme scarcity.

– Nonmaterial demands may be harder to satisfy through distributional politics.

CLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMSCLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMS

IntroductionIntroduction

•Over two hundred states with distinctive political regimes today

– Create typologytypology to facilitate comparison within and between types of states

TypologyTypology - analytic construct that helps us engage in comparisons that yield useful knowledge.

– Most different case analysis to compare across types.

From World War II until 1980’s consensus on “Three Worlds”

- First World First World was Western industrial

democracies Countries somewhat democratic, not industrialized

- Second World - Second World was communist states Nearly disappeared today; remaining have developed market-based policies.

- Third World - Third World was economically less developed Third World are countries with low or moderately low economic development as measured by GNI or GDP

• TypologyTypology classifies states into three groups:

– Consolidated democraciesConsolidated democracies—democratic political systems solidly and stably established for ample period of time with consistent adherence to core democratic principles.

– Transitional democraciesTransitional democracies—countries that have moved from authoritarian government to a democratic one.

– AuthoritarianismAuthoritarianism—system of rule in which power depends not on popular legitimacy, but on the coercive force of political authorities.

CLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMSCLASSIFYING POLITICAL SYSTEMS

The Meaning or Meanings of DemocracyThe Meaning or Meanings of Democracy•Contentious debate over procedural definition versus provision of substantive equalities•Rough consensus over minimum features

– Free and fair elections to select highest public offices

– Political parties free to compete

– Government policies developed according to rules that include transparency and accountability

– Political rights and civil liberties for all citizens

– Legal system based on “rule of law” and principle of legal equality; independent judiciary

– Elected government exercises supreme power

– Political, social, economic and identify-based conflicts to be resolved peacefully , without violence, according to prescribed procedures.

A Typology of Political Systems:A Typology of Political Systems:

Criteria to distinguish between consolidated and transitional democracies:

TimeTime - Whether or not democratic institutions have been solidly and stably established for a period of time Length of time open to interpretation

ExtentExtent - extent of democratic practice Consistent adherence to seven democratic principles

Violation of democratic norms sometimes occur

Authoritarian regimesAuthoritarian regimes::

oLack effective procedures for selecting political leaders through competitive electionsoHave few institutionalized procedures for holding those with political power accountable to its citizensoSeverely restrict oppositional politics and dissent oDo not permit people of different genders, racial groups, religions, and ethnicities to enjoy equal rightsoOperate with a legal system that is highly politicized; moreover judiciary is not an independent branch of governmentoCoercion and violence are part of the political process.

Variety of authoritarian regime types:Variety of authoritarian regime types:

Communist party-states (e.g., China and Cuba)

Theocracies (e.g., Iran)

Military governments (e.g., Myanmar, formerly Burma)

Absolute monarchies (e.g., Saudi Arabia)

Personalistic dictatorships (e.g., Venezuela)

Categories are not air-tight and many straddle between two (e.g., Brazil and India).

ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXTORGANIZATION OF THE TEXT

IntroductionIntroduction

• Country case studies selected:

– Significance in terms of comparative themes

– Provide interesting samples of political regimes, economic development, geographic regions

• Main issues and questions covered:– The Making of the Modern State– Political Economy and Development– Governance and Policy-Making– Representation and Participation– Politics in Transition

1. 1. The Making of the Modern StateThe Making of the Modern State• Section 1 in each chapter provides overview.

–Politics in Action —uses specific event to illustrate recent history and highlight critical issues being faced.

–Geographic Setting—locates country in regional setting and discusses related political implications.

–Critical Junctures—looks at major stages and turning points in state’s development.

–Themes and Implications—shows how past patterns continue to shape the current political agenda

–Historical Junctures and Political Themes—applies the core themes.

–Implications for Comparative Politics—discusses significance of country for the study of comparative politics.

2. 2. Political Economy and DevelopmentPolitical Economy and Development•Section 2 looks at issues raised by theme of governing the economy and how economic development has affected political change.•Within this section are the following subsections:

–State and EconomyState and Economy - discusses organization of country’s economy.o Emphasizes role of state, relationship between government

and other actors, and analyzes the state’s welfare policies–Society and EconomySociety and Economy - examines social and political implications of the economic situation.

o Who benefits from economic change?o How economic development creates or reinforces

cleavages.–The Global EconomyThe Global Economy - considers the country’s global role.

3. Governance and Policy-making3. Governance and Policy-making•Section 3 describes state’s policy-making institutions and procedures.•Within this section are the following subsections:

–Organization of the State—describes principles on which political system and distribution of power are based.–The Executive—describes key offices at the top of the political system.

o How they are selected and use their power to make policy

o Analyzes bureaucracy, its relationship to the executive, its role in policymaking

–Other State Institutions—looks at military, judiciary, semipublic agencies, and subnational government .–The Policy-Making Process—summarizes how policy is made and implemented.

4. 4. Representation and ParticipationRepresentation and Participation•Section 4 describes the relationship between state and society.•Within this section are the following subsections:

–The LegislatureThe Legislature - describes representation of interests and its role in policymaking.–Political Parties and the Party SystemPolitical Parties and the Party System - describes the organization of the party system and major parties.–Elections - describes the election process, recent trends in electoral behavior, significance of elections for participation and change.–Political Culture, Citizenship, and IdentityPolitical Culture, Citizenship, and Identity - examines how people perceive themselves as members of the political community, nature and source of political values and attitudes, and how different groups understand their relationship to the state.–Interests, Social Movements, and ProtestsInterests, Social Movements, and Protests - describes pursuit of political interests outside the party system.

5. Politics in Transition5. Politics in Transition•Within this section are the following subsections:

–Political Challenges and Changing Agendas—identifies the major unresolved issues facing the country and assess which will likely dominate in the near future.oChallenges involve: globalization, economic distribution, collective identities, human rights and civil liberties, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and consequences of America’s exercise of global hegemonyhegemony.oHegemonyHegemony—capacity to dominate the world of states, control terms of trade and alliance patterns in global order.–Politics in Comparative Perspective—highlights implications of the country for the study of comparative politics.

Adapted and simplified from Kesselman, Krieger and Joseph, Introduction to Comparative Politics

Cengage Learning, 2014.