Comparative Politics Final

Front 1

Define: Ideology

Back 1

Set of political values regarding the fundamental goals of politics. Concerned with the relationship between equality and freedom and the role of political institutions in maintaining this relationship

Front 2

Define: Liberalism (ideology)

Back 2

An Ideology and political system that favors a limited state role in society and the economy and places a high priority on individual, political and economic freedom

Front 3

Define: Communism

Back 3

A political economic system in which all wealth and property are shared so as to eliminate exploitation, oppression and ultimately the need for political institution such as the state, High equality, high state involvement, little freedom.

Front 4

Define: Social Democracy (aka Social Democracy)

Back 4

Places a much higher emphasis on collective welfare over individual rights, tempering individual freedoms in favor of greater equality. Still respect basic liberal democratic tenets such as liberty, participation, and competition.

Front 5

Define: Fascism

Back 5

A political ideology that asserts the superiority and inferiority of different groups of people and stresses a low degree of both freedom and equality in order to achieve a powerful state.

Front 6

Define: Anarchism

Back 6

A political ideology that stresses teh elimination of the state private property as a way to achieve both freedom and equality for all.

Front 7

Define: Authoritarianism (non democratic)

Back 7

a political system in which a small group of individuals exercises power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to hte public

Front 8

Define: Totalitarianism (non democratic)

Back 8

A regime that is highly centralized, seeks to transform and absorb fundamental aspects of state, society and the economy using a wide array of institutions. Main objective is to use power to transform a country. Very radical ( like North Korea)

Front 9

Define: Military Rule

Back 9

Rule by one or more military officials, often brought to power through a coup d etat

Front 10

Define: Bureaucratic authoritarianism

Back 10

state bureaucracy and the military share a belief that a technocratic leadership can solve the problems of the country without public participation.

Front 11

Define: Theocracy

Back 11

a non democratic from of rule where religion is the foundation for the regime.

Front 12

Define: Illiberal Regimes

Back 12

Rule by an elected leadership through procedures of questionable democratic legitimacy.

Front 13

Define: the three essential components of Democracy

Back 13

Participation, competition and liberty

Front 14

Define: Direct Democracy

Back 14

Public participation in direct governance, in the modern era direct democracy include referendum, initiatives and recall.

Front 15

Define: Liberal Democracy

Back 15

Is a specific political system that is rooted in the ideology of liberalism, which emphasized individual rights and freedoms.

Front 16

Define: Social Democracy

Back 16

Places a much higher emphasis on collective welfare over individual rights.

Front 17

Define: Modernization

Back 17

Weakening of older traditional institutions, more gender equality and rise of the middle class. Set the stage for new political activity, and awareness, which may be expressed through civil society.

Front 18

Define: Advanced Democracy

Back 18

Differ how they reconcile freedom and equality, particularly in the realm of political economy. Share liberal democratic, capitalist and economic system.

Front 19

Define: Devolution

Back 19

The process by which power is devolved or given to lower levels of government.

Front 20

Define: Integration

Back 20

Process where states pool their sovereignty, surrendering some individual powers in order to gain economic, political or social benefits

Front 21

Role of Political Parties:

Back 21

Serve two functions
 First is to organize and articulate interests.
 Political parties are loose organizations with differences and factions within them, thus, preventing them from dominating one political arena.

Front 22

Why are Political Parties Important

Back 22

Political parties are important to liberal democracies, they bring together diverse groups of people and ideas. Political systems would be fragmented without parties, they are structured so that no party will continue to dominate.

Front 23

What States use the multiparty system, and what are the characteristics of the system.

Back 23

Brazil, France, India, Nigeria. It is more than two parties competing.

Front 24

What countries use the Two party system. What are the characteristics.

Back 24

Only two parties run. (UK and France)

Front 25

Define: Dominant Party system

Back 25

One party dominates at the national level, but more than one party competes

Front 26

What countries use the one party system. What are the characteristics of the system

Back 26

Only one party is allowed to compete. All others are banned. (China w/CCP)

Front 27

Should government encourage political participation

Back 27

Yes because the more voters you have the more likely you will be able to satisfy the overall opinion of the state.

Front 28

Define: Civil Society

Back 28

Organizations outside the state that help people design and advance their own interests.

Front 29

Define: NGO's

Back 29

Non governmental Organizations, separate from the state: catholic church, green peace, etc.

Front 30

Define: Aggregate aims of economic management.

Back 30

Market regulation, where the state oversees the market in order to preserve the market. Tries to prevent things that would limit market competition.

Front 31

Define: Distributive aims of economic management.

Back 31

The state regulates private actors for distributive ends. Regulation against child labor, minimum wage laws which work for equality.

Front 32

Define: Free Market

Back 32

Open to competition, free trade, little or no state involvement.

Front 33

Define: Collective decision making

Back 33

Decisions are made by groups for other actors. It is centralized and conscious. Decisions may interfere with what individuals want, no private property, states usually make decisions

Front 34

Define: Laissez-faire

Back 34

the state creates the market, then private market forces takeover. No state involvement.

Front 35

Define: Command economy

Back 35

the state is the one commanding the economy. Extreme and complete control of the economy. No real private firms

Front 36

Define: Regulatory model

Back 36

Economic actors are private individuals making choices. Can sometimes involve other decision makers: like the state

Front 37

Define: Welfare state

Back 37

The market is the main actor, but the state has a role as well. The state works to promote distributive ends. Some tools that the welfare state uses are regulatory but also tax and spend.

Front 38

Define: Keynesian

Back 38

Government spending is used to curb some of the ups and downs. Spend more when the economy is bad, spend less when it is good and collect more tax.

Front 39

Define: Industrial Policy Model

Back 39

State plays a very active role in the economy, in a strategic sense; systematically private actors become more competitive. There are incentives for firms to follow the states ideas for the future.

Front 40

Define: Producer State Model

Back 40

Involves the state thinking strategically for the economy, but it is set up with the aim of industrialization/economic growth. Protects infant industries.