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Discover the essence of politics, from the exercise of power to deliberate decision-making, shaping societies globally. Learn about diverse political systems, behaviors, and institutions, and explore the concept of the modern state and its historical development.
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POWER & CHOICEAn Introduction to Political Science12th EditionW. Phillips Shively, University of Minnesota PowerPoint Supplement Richard P. Farkas, DePaul University
The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Malcolm Forbes
Comparative Politics = Comparing the internalstructure & behavior of political systems
Student Requirements • Diligent reading of ALL assignments read before class lecture ... • Regular attendance absences are costly and reflect poorly ... • Participation in classroom dialogue think, connect, articulate, question • Always bring “clicker” • Office visits recommended …
Chapter 1 The Idea of Politics
POLITICS • Use of power • Production of public choice “… the world has proved to be a strange and wonderful place.” “… one thing that has remained constant is a faith in people’s capacity to shape their futures through politics.”
Avenues for Analysis • “best conducted eclectically” • behaviors • institutions • policies • “state” as organizer of politics
More Guidelines … • see both sides of any question • keep our emotions in low key • be precise about the meaning of the words we use • be open to borrowing from other academic disciplines • recognize need for broad principles
“POLITICS” • social process • rivalry & cooperation • making of a decision • binding on a group POLITICS is a social process involving rivalry and cooperation culminating in the making of a decision binding on a group.
… or the use of power to make a common decision for a group of people
POWER • Politics ALWAYS involves the exercise of power • Power = ability of one person to cause another to do what the first wishes
“POWER” • … means by which power is exercised coercion persuasion construction of incentives • authority can be the basis of one’s power if those governed accept the relationship … other sources possible
Think about your “feeling” about the following terms … • administer, manage • manipulate, force • direct, lead • order, control
POWER & CHOICE 1. Making common decisions (choice) A way to work out rationally the best common solution to a common problem 2. Exercise of power Ability to get someone to do what you want Contrast: Implicit vs. Manifest power
Approaching “politics” … • As public choice … emphasizes the options and decisions located throughout the system & the attempt to meet needs • As power … emphasizes the management of persons in the system Example: the university classroom
“state”“sovereign state” • The political entity whose government has ultimate authority to make decisions binding upon all those within the boundaries of that entity • … country • not what Americans call “states”
Kinds of Approaches … • “Interpretive political scientists” historical, philosophical aspects built from detailed, non-numerical cases • “Behavioralists” look for broad patterns across many cases using statistical analysis of numerical data
“Theory” • Thinking about politics invites broad generalization and abstraction • We pursue generalization through theory • A theory is a statement linking specific instances to broader principles
Normative & Empirical Analysis • normative: systematic thoughts about what OUGHT TO BE • empirical: systematic examination of what IS
ACADEMIC LABELS highest form of knowing … • explanation THEORY • prediction HYPOTHESIS / MODEL • classification TYPOLOGY • description DESCRIPTION most basic form of knowing …
HOW We Know ... When the METHODOLOGY is sound … • when the process is carefully planned • when the terms are clear • when the observations and measurements are precise
“Falsifiability”“Testability” • Possible that the statement is FALSE? Can the statement be tested? • “causation” vs. “correlation”
Political Science as a Discipline • American political behavior • American political institutions • American public policy • Comparative politics • International politics • Political theory many other schemes for dividing Political Science exist
Chapter 3 The Modern State
“unit of analysis”“level of analysis” • group / family / friends • organizations • neighborhoods • towns / cities • regions / sections / districts • “sovereign” states • multi-state organizations • global
Development of the State • History, Napoleon & the “modern” state • Colonialism brought elsewhere • Hand & glove evolution: *complex industry & commerce needed the state & the state was invented; *commerce & industry made controlling and taxing people easier enhancing the evolution of the state
Review … • Need to generate “public goods” • Government decisions on WHAT? • Government need for revenue to PAY • Creation of identity that could mobilize masses • Result: CONTROL by state
Public Goods • emphasizes needs & choice … • something that benefits all members of the community but that no one can be prevented from using • test: whether it is impossible to deny it to any member of the group; if a public good is available to any, it is available to all
“state”“sovereign state” • The political entity whose government has ultimate authority to make decisions binding upon all those within the boundaries of that entity • … country • not what Americans call “states”
“nation” • Ethno-cultural identity of a group • Common culture, language, history, religion, physical and/or behavioral characteristics, race, images, myths • … a people • Commonness found “in the blood” • Essentially: emotional attachment
nation vs. state • key: boundaries … • “nation-state” “multi-state nation” “multi-national state” • allegiance / identity to state: PATRIOTISM • allegiance / identity to nation: NATIONALISM
More State – NationDistinctions • “State” as level of analysis vs. local • “State” as political identity • “State” as government authority • “Nation” as identity, based upon culture Congruence? tension? (state vs. nation) inclusive vs. exclusive rational vs. emotional integrating vs. disintegrating
GOVERNMENT and the State • The state’s principle actor is the government • government = a group of people who have the ultimate authority to act on behalf of the state • theory of the autonomous state = state acts without prodding from people in conflict or decision-making • civil society = organized and active part of society that is not controlled by government and whose objectives are self-identified • “the natural counterweight to government” in affairs of the state
Challenges to the STATE“State-building” Problems that transcend boundaries … “globalization” environment trade, economics, finance security communication
More challenges … • Civil society: issues below the state radar • Pressures from “parts” seeking authority (autonomy) • Questions about “original” boundaries; “our land” • “Failed States” • “Transitional States”
Alternatives … to the state • Regional integration: European Union, NAFTA -- “macro-states” • United Nations Organization • Communications world culture • “Emerging” (?) International Law
Examples: State-building • common 21st century phenomenon! • Nigeria (text) state vs. nation • European Union (text) institution-building • Iraq, Slovakia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Palestine, Palau, Ukraine, Puerto Rico, other …
Chapter 2 Modern Ideologies & Political Philosophy
“Ideology” • philosophy: coherent set of ideas about what ought to be(normative) • 19th century idea: people should determine their political fate • ideology = philosophy + instructions what people should do to make it happen • “isms”
Uses of Ideology • Simplify processing of ideas: filter • Connect people to other people • Umbrella for mobilization • Shorthand for packaging pol. ideas • Glue that ties ideas together • Guide decisions ideology NOT static !
AMERICAN confusion! American ideologies: “loosely organized, inconsistent, untidy” … no internal coherence … constantly migrating shaped by squeezing into coalitions rather than by any intellectual reasoning
AMERICAN liberalism = • government needs to be active in the assistance it provides to those in need; in course, providing services • aggressively defends freedom of expression • classically suspect of “elites” exercising power
AMERICAN conservatism = • government should shrink from activities and permit authority to devolve ... • maintain an efficient, minimally regulated economy; fiscal prudence • advocate common morality & common spirituality
“Classic” IdeologiesWho Should Make Decisions? • LIBERALISM develop individual capacities to the fullest American liberalism & conservatism = variants • CONSERVATISM tradition, maintain ordered community, press forcommon values • SOCIALISM liberalism but … • FASCISM conservatism but … • COMMUNISM depends on normative vs. empirical
Origins of Classic Liberalism • invented by intellectuals • result of general artistic & scientific restlessness • practical pressures from large scale commerce & industry
Principles … classic liberalism • People must be maximally responsible for their own actions and circumstances • Liberals see politics as choice • As many choices as possible should be kept private • The sphere of politics should be limited Champion: John Stuart Mill
Origins of Modern Conservatism • reaction to the advent of Liberalism • rationale for maintaining traditional European political structures • rationale for maintaining centralization of power and military establishments • caution about transfer of political responsibility to the common man
Principles of Modern Conservatism • People must be maximally responsible for their own actions and circumstances • belief that society is MORE than the sum of the individuals in it • greatest good possible in community • order, structure, community and all things that reinforce and maintain it • web of social responsibilities Champion: Edmund Burke
21st Century Ideologies • tendency to “blend” commitments • “post-material issues” & objectives (the environment) • neo-liberalism & globalization (economics) • historical & religious sources of ideas … (fundamentalism) • relevance of class • comfort with welfare state
The CLASSICIdeological Continuum LEFT________________________RIGHT Liberal _________________Conservative Anarchist _________________Monarchist Locus of Power Individual_____________ State Choice ______________ Power