Poli 227 Study Notes

Chapter 1

Nation: A group of people who have the same culture, language, etc. Not
necessarily occupying same land.

Politics: Who gets what, when, and how

Government: 1. Power of Coercion 2. Collect Revenue

State: Governmental institutes and laws, usually precede nations. Allows for
membership in international community. Four fundamental characteristics:

1. Land
2. People
3. Sovereign
4. Diplomatic Recognition

Power: Sum total of national capabilities. Two components:

1. The ability to coerce others to do things they would not want to do.
2. Sanctioning power. Consequences for not doing what the one exercising
power wants, reward for doing it.

Sovereignty: The ability to govern ones self. Nobody is higher within sphere.
Recognized.

Regime: The institutions and practices that typically endure from one government
or administration to the next. I.e. Regardless of whether Obama or McCain wins, the
Presidency is a regime.

First World: Industrialized Democracies

Second World: Current and Former Communist/Marxist Regimes.
Third World: Less Developed Countries. LDCs and some developing countries. (A
lot of African countries)

Strong and Weak States: Strong take on more responsibilities and carry them
out, provide social order and meet basic needs of people. Weak do not.

Empirical Vs. Anecdotal Evidence: Empirical = proven, measurable, more than

likely so. Anecdotal = maybe verifiable, less certainty.

Systems Theory: The most complex type of analysis. (The whole picture)

A. Inputs (What they start with)

B. Decision making processes (Decisions they made)
C. Outputs (How that worked out)
 D. Feedback (Outcry of people)
E. The environment: conditions, domestic, etc (i.e. economic meltdown is US
’09)

Rational Choice Theory: The belief that human beings and people in position of
power are rational beings. (Operate in their best interest). Truth is sometimes they
are, sometimes they aren’t. Some leaders are crazy, but rational.

A. Assumption is made that decision makers are rational actors.

B. Therefore, decision makers are thought to make rational decisions on
evidence they have.
C. Theory tries to predict how they will act on a policy when they have the
evidence.

Arend Lijphart’s Case Study Categorizations: (First 2 are not for theory
building, last 4 are)

Atheoretical case studies: Move in a theory-vacuum. Not using any

theories, not trying to make any. (Probably has never been done, because
almost any analysis of a single case is guided by at least some vague
theoretical notions, and results in some vague hypotheses that have a wider
applicability)
Interpretative case studies: Like atheoretical, selected for analysis due to
interest in the case, not for theory building. They do, however, make use of
existing theoretical propositions. I.e. A generalization is applied to a case with
the aim of shedding light on that case, not improving the theory.

Hypotheses-generating case studies: Start out with a vague notion of a

possible hypothesis and attempt to formulate definite hypotheses to be
tested among a larger sample group.
Theory-confirming/infirming: Analyses of single cases within the
framework of generalizations. Confirming to strengthen, infirming to weaken
(both ways by small amounts if done properly).

Deviant case analyses: Studies of a single case that is known to deviate

from established generalizations. So, essentially, “why did this one turn out
so differently”. Find variables not considered previously. Great theoretical
value.

Political Culture: Values and attitudes of citizens on politics and society. Three
types:

1. Participant. People know a lot about politics and feel they should
participate in it.
2. Subject. Aware of politics, cautious about participating. More apt to obey.
3. Parochial. Narrow or focused only on immediate concerns. Not even
much aware of politics and do not participate.
 Common Traits of Industrialized Democracies

Civil Society: People and government being closely intertwined in a legitimate

sense. People accept rules.

Ideology: Believers in an ideology say “if we move in this direction, things will be
much better. People will be happier, catastrophe will be avoided, society will
become perfected.” *ALWAYS DEFECTIVE* I.e. Marxism/Leninism. Usually contains
four elements:

1. The perception that things are going wrong, that society is headed down
the wrong path.
2. An evaluation or analysis of why things are going wrong. (Criticism of the
system)
3. A prescription or cure for the problem.
4. An effort to form a movement to carry out the cure.

*Remember: USA Lib = UK Conserv. US Conserv = UK Lib.

Pluralism: Madison’s theory that people will form groups to get what they want in
the political arena. Influence of these groups varies widely. Competes with elitism.

Not only does society have the right to cast votes and determine the results
of elections but they also have the right ot form associations (groups) to
protest, advance, econ agendas. Poli agendas, etc.

Elitism: The belief that democratic countries are not government by the masses
(pluralism) but by a select segment of society (the elites).

So elites attend the most prestigious colleges, own the most wealth, etc.
USA is very suspicious of elites. Reality is elites run the show regardless.

Representative Democracy: Limited democracy, small number of people elected

entrusted to represent the people. Lawmaking controlled by these elected reps.

Parliamentary System (British model) is largest-reproduced worldwide.

Chapter Three (Britain: The Key Institutions)

The Monarch: Figurehead. Holds together the country psychologically. Dignified

meaning much symbolic no real political power. Reigns but does not rule. Like an
official greeter. “The British do not need to love their prime minister, they love their
queen”. Above-it-all.

Power has been severely diminished.

Magna Carta: Established that the king was not an absolute monarch. He was to
rule in Parliament and need the consent of the people for raising taxes and
spending money. Was feudal and reactionary. Was used to stop the monarch from
encroaching on feudal customs. (Stubborn English Barons)
Feudalism: Contractual agreement between kings and vassals. Vassals need land.
Kings need knights/army from vassals.

The Cabinet: It goes MP (Member of Parliament)  Junior Minister  Cabinet

Minister. They are higher-ups (most in Commons, few in Lords) in their parties and
are important politically. Has been declining since WWI. Now PM meets with small
personal staff, informs cabinet of his decisions.

Originally consisted of ministers to the king. Then became more responsible to

Parliament, less to King.

Prime Ministers usually take care to see that parties/interests are represented here.

Straddles the gap between legislative and executive.

Recent years, about 20. (Chancellor of Exchequer (Treasury), Lord Chancellor

(member of lords, heads judiciary), Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Home
Development, Environment Food and Rural Affairs, International Development, Work
and Pensions, Transport Local Gov and the Regions, Health, Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister: Highest position in the land. Member of MP, head member of
party, party which is currently in majority.

Theoretically powers could be dictatorial. Never do, because elections are never
more than 5 years away. So piecemeal changes are made to not offend.

Can be ousted by a vote of no-confidence (parliamentary vote to oust cabinet),

but that is rare, because that means the MPs of a party are so split they don’t even
care if they lose power. Usually they leave when their own party votes against a
policy change they try to make, like Blair, in 2005. Indicates “time to go, Tony”.

Can call for elections whenever he/she wants. Waits until party is in best position to
win.

He/she asks Queen to Dissolve Parliament and ask for new elections. Usually to gain
more seats for party.

Whip: Parliamentary Party Leader who makes sure members obey the party in
voting
Division: Vote in the House of Commons.

By-election: Special election held to fill void in seat of parliament.

House of Commons: Something like an electoral college that stays in office even
after it appoints its executive (the cabinet). Lower house. Like our Congress.

Two parties Conservative and Labour. Largest party = Her Majesty’s

Government. Smaller = Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.

Opposition: Party in parliament not in cabinet.

 Backbenchers: MP rank and file. No executive responsibility.

Remember: “Government” in England = PM and Cabinet

Select Committee: Specialized committee focusing on one ministry

(Commons)

House of Lords: Upper house. In 1999 most of hereditary peers were kicked out in
favor of life peers, meaning their status as Lord does not pass on to their children.
Mostly anachronistic institution but Britains can’t agree on what to do with it.

Biggest power probably power to stall.

Law Lords: Britains top judges.

Coalition Government: When one party does not control a majority of seats in
parliament, two or more parties must combine to form. The combined seats of the
coalition will then hold majority.

When a PM rules by coalition, parliament has much more say over what goes
on. Because he/she must keep them happy and coalesced.

Proportional Representation: Electoral system of multimember districts with

seats awarded by percentage parties win. So they “top off” open seats to more
accurately reflect parties popularity.

Parties: Three main parties. Labor, Conservative, Liberal dems.

Labor: Held power since 1997 to the present. (Like USA Dems)
Conservative Power (Tories): Held power through most of the 1980s and
1990s (Like Repubs)
Liberal Democrats: Never held power, but do have control of 10-15 percent
of seats. Offshot, left of labor. A LOT more government intervention.

Tony Blair: 1997-Recently, pre Gordon Brown. A lot like Bill Clinton. Put a smiling
face on right’s economic policies.

France

Homogenous Society: France is. Means listens to power, cohesive.

High Commission for the French Language: Pretty unique, protects French
language.

Semi-presidential system of government: A hybrid with both an executive

president and a premier (PM) (Fillon).

Fifth Republic and Charles de Gaulle: Fifth Republic. One that worked. Fifth
attempt at democracy. De Gaulle was like Washington, but had demands if he was
going to be involved. Established a government combining both presidential and
parliamentary governments to not hamper his style. Allows faster changing.

Cohabitation: French president forced to name premier of opposing party. Power of

parliament grows during times when PM is one party and President is another.
President must be more open to negotiating and bargaining.

Jacques Chirac: Warm, Brainy, Corrupt. Won on third try. Was PM. President much
better gig. Won in 2002 despite people being angry at him so that Le Pin didn’t win
(racist).

The National Assembly: French version of Congress. Lower house. Meets in Palais
Bourbon.

• No longer makes cabinets, premier now does that.

• President can dissolve for new elections. Once a year.
• President and premier hold reigns, not National Assembly.
• Directly elected.
• Prime Minister is chosen by.

The Senate

Not much, they look out for farmers.

Cannot be dissolved by government.

National Front Party: France’s anti-immigrant party.

The Constitutional Council: Shakily compared to the US Supreme Court.

• Members serve for 9 years. 9 members, 3 from Senate, 3 from Assembly, 3

from President.
• Rarely lawyers, mostly political.
• Scope is much more limited than Supreme Court.
• Does not set precedents, instead acts as a break on hastily-decided
legislature.
• 1999 siphoning of funds controversy did the court no good as far as
credibility.

French President: Serves for 5 years. (Sarkozy)

• Can rule by decree (marshall law)

• Call national referendums (put vote directly to people)
• Dissolve the parliament
• Call for new elections

Referendum: I don’t like what you say, parliament, I’ll put the vote to the people.
In 2000 a referendum shortened the French president’s term from 7 years to 5.