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59 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Public policy
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A plan drawn up by govt to solve a problem. The process is highly complex and contested process. Govt authorities must select from many competing priorities.
results in the allocation of something that is valued. The making of policy is |
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What are six stages in the public policy process?
(I Did Sarah Sideways In England) |
1. Identify the issue
2. Define the problem 3. Specify alternatives (analysts) 4. Select Policy (Policy Selection politicians) 5. Implement 6. Evaluate |
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Parliamentary Govt
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A system in which the executive and legislative functions and structures are fused. People elect parliament, who selects cabinet that chooses chief president of prime minister.
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Presidential government
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A system in which there is a separation of executive and legislative power and structures. Citizens elect members of the legislature and a president separately. This is meant to ensure a system of checks and balances in the policy process with the legislature taking primary responsibility for policy making and the president (the executive) taking primary responsibility for policy implementation.
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Liberal Democracy
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Citizens enjoy electoral democracy and substantial political rights and civil liberties eg: protecting the rights of minorities. It is characterized by fair, free, competitive elections (eg: capitalism) and a system where elected representatives in power are limited by a constitution. The US is a liberal democracy.
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Illiberal democracy
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Elections take place but citizens are cut off from the knowledge and activities of those who exercise power so they lack true civil liberties. Society is not truly open. Also called a partial democracy.
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Capitalism
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Explicitly links politics to the political economy. In this system, private economic actors are generally free from state constraints and the state engages in only limited efforts to shift resources among private actors. It is founded on the philosophy of laissez-faire economics.
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Communism
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Based on the theories of Marx, It emphasizes an ideological commitment to economic and social equality for all. The state maintains control of society's land, labour and capital and all resources are socialized.
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Assembly system
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Collective leadership is exercised by a large group, usually a legislature). Most federations like the UN are assembly systems that delegate administative powers to an appointed executive.
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Council system
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A political system in which a small group shares collective leadership & is responsible for both executive and legislative functions. All members of the council have relatively equal power so decisions are based on the will of the council majority. Eg: City Council
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Dictatorship
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A political system in which political leaders have absolute power and authority and are not limited by a specific mandate. Citizens have no realistic opportunity to replace each political leadership in a nonviolent way.
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Balance of power
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The idea that national security is enhanced when military capabilities are distributed between competing states so that no one state is strong enough to dominate all others.
States will intervene to prevent a serious imbalance that might lead to domination. |
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Dependency Theory/Approach
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The idea that resources flow from a "periphery" of poor and underdeveloped states to a "core" of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former. It is a central contention of dependency theory that poor states are impoverished and rich ones enriched by the way poor states are integrated into the "world system." Believes later bloomers face difficult challenges
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Party System
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The idea that political parties have basic similarities and are classified according to the number of parties and the interactions among the parties. Each party has a stable base of support, has mechanisms to control funding etc, and is capable of being elected,
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Political decay
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Occurs when there is a decline in the capacity of the political system and its ability to maintain order. It often occurs when the system loses support of citizens. It can manifest itself through demonstrations, protests, rebellions etc.
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Political realism
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A theory that assumes people (and states) are naturally inclined to behave selfishly. Believes the fundamental goal of each state is to ensure its own security and survival by maximizing its power.
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Political Idealism
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A theory that humans (and states) are basically good and have a natural tendency to be cooperative and even altruistic. Believes political institutions can be shaped to facilitate cooperative and nonviolent relations among states.
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Elite approach
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An explanation of politics in which the political world is separated into those with great power and those with less power -- and where resources are split accordingly.
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Class approach
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An explanation of politics based on the idea that inequality is engrained in society through class domination and the dynamics of class struggles.
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Pluralist approach
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The idea that multiple groups compete actively in the pursuit of their political interests and that any person can belong to any group or groups and do not have to be pigeonholed eg: into “the elite” or “working class.”
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Colonialism
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The establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory.
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International Relations
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The study of interactions between states (countries) and transnational actors including inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations.
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Civil society
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A society that has a shared identify and is tolerant of differences in opinions and behaviours, has social trust, and is willing to negotiate and avoid violence when resolving differences.
Key factors: Tolerance, Trust, Negotiation and Identity |
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What are the four key factors of a civil society? (TINT)
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Tolerance, Trust, Negotiation and Identity
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NGOS
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Non government organizations: non-govt, independent organization committed to the promotion of an issue with national or international policy dimensions.
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PPP
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Purchasing Power Parity: An estimate of the exchange rate between countries in order for the exchange to be equivalent to each currency's purchasing power.
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MNC
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A multinational corporation is a company that sells its goods in various countries worldwide and has with production facilities and assets in one or several countries. EG: Walmart and Nike
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GPI
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The Genuine Progress Indicator is a measure of economic growth that adds the value of things that enhance our quality of life and increases environmental sustainability and subtracts the costs of activities that reduce the quality of life.
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GDP
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Gross Domestic Product: The total value of all goods produced by all people in a state, regardless of whether those people are citizens.
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GNI
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Gross National Income: The production of all citizens of the state, whether they are inside the state or not.
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IGO
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Intergovernmental organizations are forums where groups of sovereign states enact multinational laws and treaties and intervene in disputes between states. EG NATO
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Mixed economy
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A political economy that attempts to combine the strengths of market and command economies while minimizing their shortcomings. Control of the means of production is share between the state and private actors.
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Command Economy
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The state assumes total control of almost all significant factors of production and eliminates private ownership of labour, land, and capital. Competition is eliminated and the state determines what goods will be produce, how much they will be sold for, and who gets them.
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Name three benefits of a command economy.
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1. People work for the common good and wealth is generally distributed equally.
2. Production and distribution is based on social and individual need rather than on what a company wants to produce. 3. Societal resources are used rationally so it is like likely environmental damage will occur |
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Name three problems with a command economy.
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1. No incentives for firms to be efficient , for managers to be innovative, for workers to work hard, or for companies to produce high quality goods.
2. Production decisions are not directly related to consumer demand so the state’s idea of what people want isn't always accurate. 3. It is over centralized and inflexible so the state doesn't track process or make many improvements. |
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Name three benefits of a a market economy.
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1. Each business has direct control over the use of all factors of production and decides who she will sell to and at what price and can maximize profits in various means.
2. The system is demand-oriented so the market sets the value based on supply and demand. 3. The state is plays a minimal role and allows companies to operate unconstrained. |
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Name three problems with a market economy.
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1. competitive and ruthless system where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer
2. profitability is key so players often produce goods that are unnecessary or extravagant rather than those that best meet human needs or use ethical methods 3. the market is vulnerable to a boom and bust cycle and subject to large swings that can cause inflation, scarcity or a serious economic slowdown. |
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Q. What are the five principal organs of the United Nations? (GISSE acronym)
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- General Assembly: has reps from all member states and serves as forum for discussion
-International Court of Justice: primary judicial body responsible for interpreting international law. - Secretariat: central bureaucracy responsible for daily operations -Security council: authority to directly manage international conflicts -Economic & Social Council: promotes economic and social cooperation and development |
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What are four necessary conditions for a democracy? (TEET)
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-Tolerance and cooperation between the different factions
- Effective structure of authority and governance - Economic prosperity (reasonable level ) - Trust of the people need to trust the government |
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What are four types of nondemocratic political systems/regimes?
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Autocracy: a single ruler exercises absolute power and authority
Dictatorship: a single ruler or group has absolute power but no mandate, so people have no realistic way to replace the government. eg: Cuba Authoritarian: the actions and decisions of the ruler are not constrained but the rights and freedoms of citizens are significantly limited (and the flow of info is restricted). Most people are not allowed to participate in the political process. Totalitarian: the political system's decisions and controls penetrate almost every aspect of people's lives and complete obedience to extensive rules is demanded |
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What is the distinction between natural and positivist law?
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Natural law is universal principles of behaviour that are recognizable through human reason and human nature and that direct us to act with goodness (just the right thing to do).
Positivist law is explicit written agreements that define both appropriate and unacceptable behaviours between states in the form of international treaties or conventions. |
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What are 3 patterns of non-conflictual behaviour that a state might adopt?
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- Altruism: (eg: human aid)
- Neutrality: state claims right to be impartial so as not to be drawn into disputes. - Accommodation: (makes concessions about values of importance to them) |
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What are three forms of leverage that one state can use to alter the actions of another state?
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Economic: advantageous trade relations or financial interactions
Military: negative or positive actions Political: using political resources like negotiating skills to affect another state |
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What are three key dimensions (the key drivers) of development as a general process.
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Technical: the use of increasingly complex and sophisticated tools to product useful goods and services and to control the environment.
Attitudinal: cognitive, affective, and evaluative orientations dominated by scientific knowledge, rationality, secular values, and individualism. eg: extensive social networks, improved efficiency. Organizational: behaviours and actions of groups, institutes and societies are based on specialization, interdependence, and differentiation of roles and function. |
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What are four dimensions or stages of political development?
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1. Concentration of power in the state: power and authority centralized in a single state-level government system.
2. Specialized political structures: most political functions fulfilled by complex, organized political institutions like legislatures. 3. Political institutionalization: Citizens value political structures and process and they become more stable. 4. Extensive capabilities of the state: political system becomes better able to generate support and respond to demands from population. |
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What are five forms of executive-legislative relations?
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1. Presidential Government (citizens elect members of the legislature and the president separately)
2. Parliamentary Govt (functions are fused. People elect parliament, who selects cabinet that chooses chief president of prime minister). 3. Hybrid Systems (have prime minister and legislature combo AND independent president) 4. Assembly Systems (leadership by large group) 5. Council Systems (leadership by small group) |
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What six roles can the state play in an economy?
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- Be a consumer purchasing goods from a firm
- replacing a household - Replace/be a firm and produce goods - Regulate the way households or firms operate by enacting policies that encourage certain behaviour - Tax the payments of any actor in the system - Transfer payments or goods to any actor |
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What are 7 attitudinal traits of a modern person in a developing society?
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1. Openness to new experiences regarding people and behaviors
2. A shift in allegiance from traditional authority figures to govt. (from individuals in traditional authority structures (eg parents) to those representing modern institutions 3. Confidence in modern technology and a less fatalistic attitude about life 4. Desire for social mobility for oneself and their children 5. Belief in the value of planning and punctuality 6. Interest in local politics and community affairs 7. Interest in news, especially around national and international affairs |
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What are six roles the state can play in the economy?
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Maintaining Legal and Social Framework
Maintaining Competition Providing Public Goods and Services Redistributing Income Correcting for Externalities (eg: extra costs related to environmental standards etc) Stabilizing the Economy |
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What are five fundamental questions that distinguish a market economy from a command economy?
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1. Who controls the factors of production?
2. Who determines what goods are produced? 3. Who establishes the value attached to different factors and goods? 4. Who decides how productive factors and goods will be distributed? 5. What is the role of the state? |
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What two classes in society does Marx identify?
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Capitalist and proletariat (working class)
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What is a confederation?
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An organization consisting of members who govern themselves but work together for common causes. eg: The United Nations and its 190 member states is an example of a confederation.
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Federation
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A constitutional division of power and functions between a central govt and a set of regional govt.
Each level has primary control over certain functions and neither has legal power to dominate the other. They require a complex balancing of power between the central and regional govts and there are prone to disagreements, power struggles, and stalemates. |
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What are three public policy strategies that states adopt to facilitate economic development?
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Statism. Neoconservatism and Developmental State Approach.
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Statism
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An economic strategy that emphasizes strong actions by the state as a way to manage the production and distribution of goods. The state extensively regulates the market and the actions of firms and households and it protects firms from external competition. (communist countries use an extreme form a statism)
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Neo-conservatism
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An economic policy that attempts to maximize the economic freedoms of firms, households and individuals while limiting state intervention in the economy .
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Developmental State Approach
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A hybrid of statism and neoliberalism that emphasizes a private, market-based system of firms with a state that actively intervenes to promote and protect firms in the global economy. (used by many developing countries like China). It is grounded in three broad strategies:
- State-supported, export-oriented capitalism - Targeting market niches - Providing agriculture support |
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What is the distinction between a constitutional and non constitutional regime?
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In a constitutional regime, the state attempts to the adher to the constitution, which in turn ensures power holders are effectively restrained. In a nonconstitutional regime the constitution is not generally upheld and there are few restraints on those with political power. It is said to be non-C where they the constitution is persistently not enforced.
operates in terms of the rule of law and ensures effective restraints on power holdsers as defined by the constitution. De |
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Difference between participatory and representative democracy?
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Participatory democracy is govt of and by the people and all citizens are active, direct participants in making policy decisions. (no such system exists). In representative democracy, citizens periodically elect people who represent them in the political process and who make policy decisions on their behalf.
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