Comparative Politics: Understanding World Politics Through Study and Analysis

1. Introduction PS 210 Stevens

2. Edward A Freeman

3. WWI & WWII

4. The Transformation of Comparative Politics Recent events that have shaken world politics: • Collapse of communism • Globalization • September 11 • Challenges to sovereignty

5. Effect of These Changes? • Optimistic: new international order, democratization, decline of conflict • Pessimistic: greater chaos and conflict • Are both possible at the same time?

6. How to Make Sense of These Changes? • Through study of comparative politics

7. How does O’Neil Define Politics?

8. Politics • Struggle in any group for power that will give a person or people the ability to make decisions for the larger group • Politics refers to the struggle for authority to make decisions that will affect the public as a whole

9. What do we mean when we say Comparative Politics?

10. Comparative Politics • The study of this struggle for political power across countries • By studying many countries, the hope is to shed light on politics, here and abroad

11. Questions Comparative Politics Seeks to Answer • Why are some countries democratic while others are not. • Why did Communism fail in most cases? • Is Democracy superior to other governing ideologies? • What factors encourage economic or democratic development? Do they encourage each other?

12. 3 Scientific Methods • Experimental • Statistical • Comparative • 1. The establishment of general empirical relationships among 2 or more variables • 2. All other variables must be held constant

13. Experimental Method • Two equivalent groups, where one group (the experimental group) is exposed to a stimulus; while the other group (the control group) is not. • The two groups are compared and the difference can be attributed to the stimulus

14. Statistical Method • Substitute for the Experimental Method • Uses Data and mathematical manipulation

15. Comparative Method • The comparative method: means of drawing comparisons across countries. • Look for correlations (associations), between variables (factors) across countries. • Example: is there an correlation between democracy and wealth?

16. Limits of the Comparative Method • Difficult to control variables • Limited number of cases • Barriers to conducting research Result? We have a hard time comparing, and findings are tentative at best!

17. Correlation Versus Causation • Correlation does not mean causation • Just because there is an apparent relationship between two doesn’t mean one is cause and the other effect • For example, might two variables in fact be both influenced by a third?

18. Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research • Quantitative method: gather numerical data that can be analyzed statistically. Look for patterns, test ideas • Qualitative method: carry out intensive study of cases through archival research, interviews

19. Quantitative Method: Benefits • Can look at a number of cases • Can control variables more easily • More scientific

20. Quantitative Method: Drawbacks • Data may be skewed or incomplete • Restricts Questions that can be asked • Research driven by what data is available rather than vice versa?

21. Qualitative Method: Benefits • Intensive study of cases, including language acquisition, historical, economic and social research • Deeper grasp of political context

22. Qualitative Method: Drawbacks • Very difficult to make comparisons—intensive study often leads to mastery of only one case • Result is often only description rather than comparative analysis

23. Who Is Right? • Comparativists still argue over benefits of either approach • Compromise view: both approaches necessary and complementary! • Statistics, languages both necessary tools for analysis • Broad and deep studies of politics

24. A little History • First comparative studies begin with Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E), studied different constitutions of Greek city-states • Actual Comparative Politics

25. Emergence of Modern Comparative Politics Some leading thinkers: • Machiavelli (1469-1527). Sought to compare and evaluate merits of different political systems • Thomas Hobbes (1632-1704). Developed idea of a “social contract” • Karl Marx (1818-1883). Developed theory of economic and political development and revolutionary change

26. Modern Comparative Politics • WWI & WWII • Cold War • De-colonialization • Ensure Peace / Win the Cold War / Spread Democracy • Enthusiasm for scientific progress—computers, technological innovation

27. Behaviorialism • New approach to the study of comparative politics • Rejected qualitative approaches • Focused on behavior of individuals, not political structures • Favored greater use of statistics and statistical data gathering

28. Modernization Theory • Dominant view post World War II • Articulate how countries modernize or fail to • Hope to apply to American foreign policy • Spread capitalism and democracy • Check Soviet Union

29. Challenges to Behavioralism and Modernization Theory By 1960s growing skepticism: • No real breakthroughs in comparative politics—no “grand theory” • Expectations of political modernization confounded by real events in the world • Critics charge behaviorialism with emphasizing jargon over knowledge • Critics charge modernnization theory with being biased, expecting that capitalism and democracy would easily fit in other countries

30. World Events Challenge Comparative Politics Amidst all these debates, momentous changes: • Rapid development in Asia as Latin America and Africa stagnate • Collapse of communism • “Third Wave” of democracy Why did these happen? Not well understood

31. Political Institutions One approach is centered on understanding institutions • Defined as organizations or patterns of activity that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake • Embedded in people’s lives as a norm or value • Not easily dislodged or gotten rid of • Rules, norms, values that give meaning to our actions

32. Baseball As an American Institution • What do we mean by this? Why is it an institution? • Would we say that soccer is an American institution? Why not? • Institution is legitimate: commands authority, influence behavior • Hard to imagine doing without it

33. Democracy as an Institution • Is democracy an institution in America or Canada? How so? • How might this be different from, for example, much of Africa?

34. WTC as an Institution • Why did the September 11 hijackers go after the World Trade Center? • What message were they trying to send?

35. Politics and Institutions Politics is full of institutions, such as: • Army • Police • Legislature • Taxation—need not be a physical entity • Others?

36. Why Study Institutions? Set the stage for political behavior • Generate norms and values • Allow for certain kinds of political activity and not others • How they are constructed will shape how politics unfolds • Brings us back to early studies in political science, but also tries to emphasize explanation, not just description

37. Freedom and Equality Institutions as our approach to studying politics—how structured Freedom and equality as the basic content of politics—to what end

38. Freedom • Ability of an individual to act independently • No fear of restriction or punishment by state or other actors Examples: • Free speech • Free assembly • Other examples?

39. Equality • Shared economic standard within community, society or country Examples: • Wages • Healthcare • Housing • Others?

40. Reconciling Freedom and Equality • Can you have both high freedom and equality? • Why or why not? • How might one impinge on the other? • Which is more important? Why?

41. Politics, Institutions, Freedom and Equality • Politics must balance freedom and equality • Politics the struggle over these two values • Institutions reflect our preferences for the balance between the two • Use this knowledge to make your own decisions about politics • Which political values do you believe are the best to pursue?