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63 Cards in this Set
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What comprises the executive, legislature, and judiciary in the U.S.? |
Branches of Government The Executive (The White House) 1. The Presidency: Power has grown dramatically since founding of U.S., depends on congress in order to operate. Office has structural weaknesses. Indirectly elected office— our votes are not binding, electoral college makes ultimate decision. The Cabinet and Bureaucracy: Senior administrators in the Executive, Organized by President/Heads appointed by president, every department has many undersecretaries and bureaucracy that follows. Cabinet: senior administrators of executive branch-- Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense2. Legislative (Congress): Two Jobs: Legislate new laws and the various committees developed inside congress review the laws that get made. Oversight powers. Foremost branch of government/center of policy-making. Integral to policy-making mechanism 3. Judiciary (Supreme Court): Independent branch of government. Has the right to review the constitutionality of laws (which are made by legislature). Has the right to review presidential decrees (Unusual for other parts of the world. President still does a high level of appointing for judiciary) |
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What comprise the executive, legislature, and judiciary in the U.K.? |
Parliament is the supreme legislative, judiciary, executive, and judicial authority and includes the monarch as well as the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Executive: Cabinet-- responsible for policymaking, PM is the head, Cabinet Ministers must be elected, parliament fusion of powers
Bureaucracy and Civil Service: Prime minister rules through civil service and bureaucracy, cabinet works in coordination with civil service. Civil Servants serve the crown, not a part of the government-- civil service is professional (like foreign office & trade office workers). Public & Semi-Public Institutions (Non-Departmental Public Bodies). No reserved powers.
Legislature: Two Houses:
1) House of Commons-- main legislative body with the most power, queen sits on top, very little legislative function happen (they can pass and change laws, but they do not create them), Provides finances to State through authorizing taxation, Reviews and scrutinizes public administration and government policy 2) House of Lords-- Based on title and inheritance, currently 1200 members (no fixed numbers, power to amend and delay legislation, but cannot pass or reject it, mostly honorific
Judiciary: Courts have no power to judge the constitutionality of legislative acts (judiciary review). They can only determine whether policy directives or administrative acts violate the common law or an act of Parliament. |
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What comprise the executive, legislature, and judiciary in Japan? |
Executive-- Cabinet: Headed by PM, elected by Diet. Prime Minister: Can dismiss cabinet members, Has the constitutional right to submit bills, Supervises the national civil service. When the PM resigns, Cabinet is dissolved.
Parliament Responsibilities: 1. Enact laws 2. Approve budget 3. Ratify international treaties 4. Audit the state
Cabinet initiates most legislation and makes the laws (Parliament does not make laws, it reviews them, just like Britain. Cabinet initiates it and the the Civil Service actually writes it up. Civil service does not have to talk to Parliament)
Prime Minister and Cabinet serve at the confidence of the Diet. Diet chooses PM, PM creates cabinet. PM usually head of party that wins the election. Cabinet initiates most of the legislation.
Bureaucracy: Very small bureaucracy/Civil Service. Each ministry is headed by a Minister. Ministries tend to overlap responsibility. Vertically divided administration (autonomy of sub-division, as opposed to horizontal coordination). Civil Servants: Highly professionalized, well trained.
Judiciary: Chief Justice and 14 other justices. Supreme court upholds the lower court’s verdicts in all but five cases in history . Reluctance of Japanese court to use its power of judicial review. Judiciary does not believe it should interfere with executive or legislative branches of government. Legislature and executive are very tied to the population, so the population will correct their mistakes. There is a cultural norm to avoid litigation and disputes. 1. Legal culture 2. Weaker case law tradition than in the US (follow precedent) 3. Not a litigious society 4. Lack the tradition of judicial review |
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What does comparative politics study? |
The field within political science that focuses on domestic politics and analyzes patterns of similarity and difference. |
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5 Criteria of Democracy |
1) Selection of the highest public offices on basis of fair and free election 2) Political parties are free to organize 3) Transparency and accountability 4) Citizens enjoy civil and political rights 5) Independent judiciary |
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Federalism |
a system of governance in which political authority is shared between the national government and regional or state governments |
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Unitary State |
In contrast to a federal system, a system of government in which no powers are reserved for subnational units of government (such as states) |
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What are the 6 major government institutions in the U.S.? |
The Presidency The Congress The Military National Security Agencies The Judiciary State and Local Governments (Subnational governments) |
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What are the major government institutions in the U.K.? |
Parliament Bureaucracy and Civil Service Public and Semipublic Institutions (Nationalized Industries and Nondepartmental Public Bodies) The Military and the Police The Judiciary
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What are the 4 major government institutions in Japan?
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The Diet (The Prime Minister and the Cabinet)
The National Bureaucracy The Judiciary The Police |
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True or False: The House of Commons in Britain initiates laws? |
False. It passes laws, provides finances for the state by authorizing taxation, and reviews and scrutinizes public administration and government policy. |
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True or False: When the president and the majority of both houses of Congress are of the same party, the president enjoys a greater constitutional power than at times of divided government. |
False. The powers in the constitution do not change-- however, this often works in the favor of the president. |
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True or False: Britain's constitution is comprised of a written combination of statutory law, common law, convention, and authoritative interpretation. |
False. Britain has no constitution. It relies on acts of parliament, convention and authoritative interpretations. |
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What political challenges does Japan face today with regards to economic growth and identity politics? |
Last 7 or so years in Japan. Japan is very dependent on world economy and was very hurt in 2008. Japanese economy shrank. Has remained stagnant. |
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What government institutions are responsible for policy-making in the U.S.? |
The federal policy-making process has no clear starting or ending point. Instead, citizens and organized interests have multiple points of entry and can fight outcomes through multiple point of attack. Without centralization, policies often conflict with each other. It is a contentious process. Policy advocates have many venues in which to propose new policies or to change existing policies: congressional committees, individual members of Congress, executive branch regulatory agencies, state governments, and, in some states, direct ballot initiatives.
The people: 1. Social Movements: grassroots associations demanding change of existing social practices and government policies // Address the inequalities that elections do not // groups of like-minded people taking action to be heard (the Tea Party is a social movement)2. Interest Groups: representing specific cause (usually economic) in dealing with the government (occupation, business, etc.) Also PACs (i.e. Ohio Dairy Producers Association) // very unique to the American experience // very focused groups that usually have an economic dynamic. // Social movements to not fund elections, whereas interest groups do. // Represent AN interest— not society’s interests |
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What government institutions are responsible for policy-making in the U.K.? |
The policy-making process is on Whitehall. Parliament has little direct participation in policy-making. It emerges primarily from within the executive. Decision-making is strongly influenced by policy communities-- informal networks with extensive knowledge, access, and personal connections to those responsible for policy. Civil servants, ministers, and policy communities have large influence through informal ties. It's an insider-only process challenged by the EU's authority. |
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What government institutions are responsible for policy-making in Japan? |
Central government is small but strong, has many entrenched interests. Not very revolutionary government— marked by “status quo” thinking. Extremely difficult to change policies, practices, producers, etc. in a timely way. Overlapping bureaucracy prevents clear lines of action. Japanese politics characterized by gridlock in terms of changing old policies, practices, and procedures.
Majority of bills passed in Diet originate in national civil service .
Iron Triangle: Informal policy-making networks * interest groups penetrate bureaucracy* makes it very difficult for newer interests to gain support of garner sympathy (i.e. women’s issues)
Pork Barrel Politics— when people jam “goodies” into bills to benefit a constituency |
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6 Critical Junctures of Japan |
1) Tokugawa Shogunate-- a Feudal Autocracy (1603–1867) Governing from Tokyo 2) The Meiji Restoration) (1868-1912) 3) Taisho Era (1912-1926) 4) Military Turn (1927–1945) 5) Allied Occupation (1945–1952) 6) Contemporary Period (1952--Present) |
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Tokugawa Shogunate |
The first critical juncture in Japanese history. In the seventeenth century, a warlord general, or shogun, named Tokugawaw Ieyasu established a military government, or Shogunate, in the new capital of Edo, today's Tokyo. The country was divided into 270 administrative centers which designated local landlord figure in each center to control population on the bottom— still dependent on the center. Top-down (vertical) interaction among government and populace. Strictly segregated social classes (six, comprised of Warriors/Samurai, Farmers, Artisans, Merchants, Filthy Hordes, and Non-Humans) |
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Meiji Restoration |
1868-1912. A revolution which toppled the Tokugawa Regime installed a new "enlightened" government. Young Samurai became the new ruling oligarchs. The launched a mass modernization project to work with foreign powers to develop the country. Wanted to industrialize to get rich. They consolidated the social classes into three-- Samurai, Commoners, and New Commoners (outcasts). The Restoration produces a bigger middle classes and increases educational opportunities. Jobs, quality of life, and the economy improve. In 1889 their Constitution and Parliament (Imperial Diet) are created. |
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Taisho Era |
1912-1926. Their "15-year experiment with democracy." During the reign of the Meiji emperors successor, the Taisho Emperor, Japan made significant progress toward political liberalization in what is known as Taisho Democracy. The period was characterized by the rise of a popular movement for democratization of government by the introduction of universal manhood suffrage and the reduction of the power and influence of authoritarian institutions of the state. After generations of educations and increasing expectation, people began to make demands. Parties formed, elections began being held, and Universal Suffrage was granted in 1925. |
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Four Primary Critical Junctures of the United States |
1) The Revolutionary Era (1773-1789) 2) The Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1876) 3) The New Deal Era (1933-1940) 4) Divided Government, Frequently Shifting Partisan Dominance, and Political Contestation on the Scope of Government (1968-Present) |
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Allied Occupation |
1945-1952. Japan's 5th Critical Juncture. U.S. takes control of Japan after atomic bombs force them into submission. This transformed an authoritarian militarized state into a pacifist democracy. America demilitarized the country and placed their own bases in Okinawa, killed leaders, removed all anti-democratic aspects of the constitution and designed a new one. |
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Military Turn |
Japan's 4th Critical Juncture, 1927-1945. The right-wing groups and the military began to gain favor. Economic downturn of the depression increased military involvement. Became an Officer's Republic where the military was "off the books." General Tanaka invades the defense industry. Domestic and foreign policy begin to dominate-- Tanaka invades China to steal economic resources. |
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Contemporary Period of Japan |
Japan's 6th and current critical juncture, beginning in 1952. America pulls out and parties begin to dominate. The Predominant Party Regime was the Liberal Democratic Party, which focuses on economic growth and problems, but when Japan fell into long economic downturn in the 1990s it was forced into a coalition with the Democratic Socialist Party. |
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6 Critical Junctures of U.K. political history |
1. Glorious Revolution (1640-1688) 2. Industrial Revolution (1750-1800) 3. WWI, Depression, WWII (1914-1945) 4. Collective Consensus (1945-1979) 5. Thatcherism (1979-1990) 6. New Labour (1997-Present) |
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Pork Barrel Politics |
When people jam “goodies” into bills to benefit a constituency. A term originally used by students of American politics to refer to legislation that that benefits particular legislators by funding public works and projects in their districts. More broadly, the term refers to preferential allocation of public benefits or resources to particular districts or regions so as to give electoral advantage to particular politicians or political parties. |
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Patron-Client Relations |
An informal aspect of policy making in which a powerful patron (for example, a traditional example, government agency, or dominant party) offers resources such as land, contracts, protection, or jobs in return for the support and services (such as labor or votes) of lower-status and less powerful clients; corruption, preferential treatment, and inequality are characteristic of clientelistic politics. |
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Predominant Party Regime |
A multiparty political system in which one party maintains a predominant position in parliament and control of government for a long period of time. |
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Vertically Divided Administration |
Autonomy of sub-division, as opposed to horizontal coordination. Japan has a vertically-divided bureaucracy. Only communicate with those directly above you in the chain of governance. |
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Authoritarianism |
A system of rule in which power depends not on popular legitimacy but on the coercive force of political authorities |
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Bicameral |
A legislative body with two houses, such as the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of representatives. Just as the U.S. constitution divides responsibilities between the branches of the federal government and between the federal and state governments, it divides the legislative responsibilities between the Senate ant the House. |
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Check and Balances |
A governmental system of divided authority in which coequal branches can restrain each other's actions. For example, the U.S. president must sign legislation passed by Congress for it to become law. If the president vetoes a bill, Congress can override that veto by two-thirds vote of the Senate and the House of Representatives. |
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Constitutional Monarchy |
System of government in which the head of state ascends by heredity but is limited in powers and constrained by the provisions of a constitution |
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Transitional Democracy |
Countries that have moved from an authoritarian government to a democratic one-- facade of democratic institutions, but informal practices and how institutions interact do not hit the "five criteria" of democracy |
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Consolidated Democracy |
Democratic political systems that have been solidly and stably established for an ample period of time in which there is relatively consistent adherence to the core principles of democracy |
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Democratic Transition |
The process of a state moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system |
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Developmental State |
A nation-state in which the government carries out policies that effectively promote national economic growth. Extensive but selective state intervention when managing the economy (Japan was the first of this model— copied by SK, Taiwan, Germany) |
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Divided Government |
1968-- present. 1) The national government has been routinely divided between the two political parties with dominance of each branch of government shifting regularly.2) there has been apparent inefficiency caused by the divided government |
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Executive |
The agencies of government that implement or execute policy |
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Free Market |
A system in which government regulation of the economy is absent or limited. Relative to other advanced democracies, the United States has traditionally had a freer market economically. |
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Fusion of Powers |
An organization of political institutions within the state in which the executive, legislature, and judiciary have autonomous powers and no one branch dominates the others. This is the common pattern in presidential systems, as opposed to parliamentary systems, in which there is a fusion of powers. |
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Globalization |
The intensification of worldwide interconnectedness associated with increased speed and magnitude of cross-border flows of trade, investment and finance, and processes of migration, cultural diffusion, and communication. |
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Interventionist State |
A state that acts vigorously to shape the performance of major sectors of the economy |
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Iron Triangles |
Informal policy-making networks . Interest groups penetrate beureaucracy and make it very difficult for newer interests to gain support of garner sympathy (i.e. women’s issues). This term was term coined by students of American politics to refer to the relationships of mutual support formed by particular government agencies, members of congressional committees or subcommittees, and interest groups in various policy areas. Also applies well to Japan. Leads to |
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Laissez-Faire |
A term taken from the French, which means, "to let do," in other words, to allow to act freely. In political economy, it refers to the pattern in which state management is limited to such matters as enforcing contracts and protecting property rights, while private market forces are free to operate with only minimal state regulation. |
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Monetarism |
An approach to economic policy that assumes a natural rate of unemployment, determined by the labor market, and rejects the instruments of government spending to run budgetary deficits for stimulating the economy and creating jobs. |
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Nontariff Barriers |
Policies-- such as quotas, health and safety standards, packaging, and labeling rules, and unique or unusual business practices-- designed to prevent foreign imports in order to protect domestic industries. A form of protectionism that does not use formal tariffs. NTBs arise from different measures taken by governments and authorities in the form of government laws, regulations, policies, conditions, restrictions or specific requirements, and private sector business practices, or prohibitions that protect the domestic industries from foreign competition. |
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Parliamentary Sovereignty |
The doctrine that grants the legislature the power to make or overturn any law and permits no veto or judicial review |
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Political Economy |
The study of the interaction between the state and the economy, that is, how the state and political processes affect the economy and how the organization of the economy and strategic choices made by the government and state actors affect political processes. |
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Separation of Powers |
An organization of political institutions within the state in which the executive, legislature, and judiciary have autonomous powers and no one branch dominates the others. This is the common pattern in presidential systems, as opposed to parliamentary systems, in which there is a fusion of powers. |
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Social Security |
National systems of contributory and non-contributory benefits to provide assistance for the elderly, sick, disabled, unemployed, and others similarly in need of assistance. The specific coverage of social security, a key component of the welfare state, varies by country. |
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Typology |
A method of classifying by using criteria that divide a group of cases into smaller cases with common characteristics. |
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Unitary State |
In contrast to a federal system, a system of government in which no powers are reserved for subnational units of government (such as states) |
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Welfare State |
A set of public policies designed to provide for citizens' needs through direct or indirect provision of pensions, health care, unemployment insurance, and assistance to the poor. |
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Westminster Model |
A form of democracy based on the supreme authority of Parliament and the accountability of its elected representatives; named after the Parliament building in London. |
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What are the characteristics of the U.S. economy? |
1. Public & Private Sectors— Smaller public sector than most democracies // Private sector: engine of Growth, better left alone by state // The size of various sectors of the economy is almost entirely the result of the free market
2. Free Market— Absence of Government Regulation. You want the state as far away from economy as possible. Entrepreneurs drive the Economy. Market dictates shape of the economy. state and local governments are not in a position to drive economy. But— US Subsidizes large firms and protects/regulates certain “pockets” of the economy. Economic success is tied to the free market and the opportunity for entrepreneurs to build the nation’s economy.
3. Taxes— Tax system creates a gap between rich and poor that doesn’t get corrected by progressive income tax and creates class politics. U.S. works on a distributive model as opposed to a redistributive model 1. Federal Income Tax (Progressive tax, % depends on income). 2. SS/Medicare (also includes disability. While working, you’re paying for whoever is retiring at that time. Regressive tax). 3. State and Local (regressive tax). 4. Property Tax (taxes for where you live. pay higher taxes for better school district, parks, etc. incentivizes home ownership over renting)
4. US & Global Economy— Internationally: US plays an active role in opening other country’s markets— connected to World Economy. IMF & World Bank have a very limited refrain: privatization, end subsidies, cut public sector. After WWII U.S. worked under the idea that states do not go to war with countries they are trading with |
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Examples of Models of Government |
Westminster Model, Developmental State |
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What are the characteristics of the U.K. economy? |
The British state intervenes in economic life, sometimes with considerable force. However, the state has generally limited its role to broad policy instruments that influence the economy generally (macroeconomic policy). This has evolved over the following process:
WELFARE STATE VS NEOLIBERALISM: 1) Statist (Lots of regulation, obstacles to growth, developed social services and safety net, Keynesianism) 2) Free market (No regulation, efficient and high growth, lack of concern for people // Labour Party government and Collective Consensus)
USING THE STATE TO DRIVE ECONOMY: 1. Economy generates a surplus 2. Use surplus to increase and finance public education and national health services (Social security (retirement) housing, education, health)
SUSTAIN ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL POLICY: Late 1970s, due to Labour discontent and slow growth. Thatcherism monetarism (Markets drive economy): Reduce social expenditures, downsize the public sector, privatize nationalized industry
NEW LABOR AND THE BIG SOCIETY: New labor's third way pragmatic, eclectic flexible economic growth with security rebranded as “the big society”. Continuation of introducing Neoliberal reforms. Using Pragmatism to balance social policy and Economic growth (not dogmatic)
BALANCING ACT: UK economy is great for GDI (lax labor laws), but growth of non-standard and insecure jobs higher than anywhere else in Europe |
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Keynesianism |
Named after British economist John Maynard Keynes, an approach to economic policy in which state economic policies are used to regulate to economy to achieve stable economic growth |
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What are the characteristics of Japan's economy? |
Japan’s politics and economics are closely, and sometimes causally, related. When the economy is very strong there, it’s usually a result of Japan having control over trade routes. When the economy is strong, their democracy tends to be more robust.
Because they had such strong domestic factors contributing to growth, these things were enhanced during WWI because they were not fighting, and they were on the other end of the planet from the fighting. International patterns of trade shifted because the western European economies were involved in the war. Japan was one of the few developed industrialized economies, so it benefited from the disruption of the trade routes. During WWI, they had a trade surplus. This all came crashing down during the Great Depression— when their economy began to retract, the military stepped in and tried to forcibly open markets in places like China.
An informal system of government influence known as administrative guidance has ed the nation's major banks and securities firms to form tight networks of mutual cooperation and assistance, backed by an implicit government commitment to bail out their members in trouble. |
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Administrative Guidance |
Informal guidance, usually not based on statute or formal regulation, that is given by a government agency, such as a ministry and its subdivisions, to a private organization, such as a firm or a lower-level government. The lack of transparency of the practice makes it subject to criticisms as a disguised form of collusion between a government agency and a firm. |
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4 Responsibilities of Japanese Parliament
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Parliament Responsibilities: 1. Enact laws 2. Approve budget 3. Ratify international treaties 4. Audit the state
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