“The Big Picture”

1. “The Big Picture” Can you see it?

2. Think… “It’s all about being old”

3. United Kingdom: The Big Picture • System of Government: Parliamentary System • Distribution of Power: Unitary • Electoral System: Single Member District Plurality • Constitution: Unwritten constitution • Legislature: Bicameral—House of Commons & House of Lords • Current Prime Minister: David Cameron • Current Ruling Party: Conservative • Major Political Parties: Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats

4. UK: things to know… • “It’s all about being old!” • Represents advanced democracies in AP6 • Represents example of well functioning parliamentary system • Political Institutions and Electoral Systems (KNOW THEM!) • Rational-Legal Authority • Noblesse Oblige • Insularity • Gradualism • Tony Blair’s “third way” • Thatcherism • Oxbridge • Labour, Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats

5. Think… “It’s all about Putin”

6. Russia: The Big Picture • System of Government: Mixed Presidential/Parliamentary • Distribution of Power: Federal System (Asymmetric) • Electoral System: Proportional Representation (2007) • Constitution: 1993 Constitution • Legislature: Bicameral—Duma and Federation Council • Current President: Dmitry Medvedev • Current Prime Minister: Vladimir Putin • Current Ruling Party: United Russia Party • Major Political Parties: Communist, Liberal Democrats, Fair Russia

7. Russia: things to know… • “It’s all about Putin” • Represents former communist countries in AP6 • Represents example of mixed parliamentary-presidential system • Political Institutions and Electoral Systems (KNOW THEM!) • Dual Transition (disaster) • Chechnya • United Russia (party of power) • How Putin has consolidated central control • Boris Yeltsin • Glasnost and perestroika • Shock Therapy • “Loans for Shares”

8. Think… “It’s all about the Party”

9. China: The Big Picture • System of Government: Authoritarian Single Party Rule • Distribution of Power: Unitary System • Electoral System: Is there one? Authoritarian One Party • Constitution: 1982 • Legislature: Unicameral • Current Head of Party and State: President Hu Hintao • Head of Government: Prime Minister Wen Jiabao • Current Ruling Party: Communist Party • Major Political Parties: …..

10. China: things to know… • “It’s all about the Party!” • Represents Communist Countries in AP6 • Single Transition (as opposed to Russia Dual Transition) • Parallel Structures of Party and Government (KNOW THEM!) • Be able to explain relationships to each other • Legitimacy = Economic Growth • Rural vs. Urban Cleavages • Guanxi (Patron-Client Relationships) • Fang-Shou (cycle of letting go and tightening up) • Confucianism (Impact on Chinese Mind) • Mao’s Rule • Changes/Differences from Mao to Deng

11. Think… “It’s all about the PRI (and what they weren’t)”

12. Mexico: The Big Picture • System of Government: Presidential • Distribution of Power: Federal System • Electoral System: Mixed System: SMDP and PR • Constitution: Constitution of 1917 • Legislature: Bicameral—Chamber of Deputies & Senate • Current Head of State: Felipe Calderon • Head of Government: Felipe Calderon • Current Ruling Party: PAN • Major Political Parties: PRI, PAN, PRD

13. Mexico: things to know… • “It’s all about the PRI (what they are and weren’t) • Represents Newly Industrializing Countries in AP6 • Example of One Party Rule • Political Institutions and Electoral Systems (KNOW THEM!) • Mexican Revolution (impact: Mexican mind & Politics) • Pendulum Theory • State Corporatism • Technicos • Caudillos &Camarillas (patron-client relationships) • Sexeno • “Mexican Miracle” • NAFTA • Ejidos • Dependency Theory

14. Think… “It’s all about the circles”

15. Iran: The Big Picture • System of Government: Mixed Theocratic-Presidential • Distribution of Power: Unitary System • Electoral System: SMDP, but double ballot • Constitution: Constitution of 1979 • Legislature: Unicameral—Majles • Current Head of State: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Supreme Leader • Head of Government: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Current Ruling Party: “conservatives” • Major Political Parties: “conservatives”, “pragmatists”, and “radicals” • “Everyday I’m Circling” – how are these inter-related?

16. Iran: things to know… • “It’s all about circles” • Represents theocracy in countries in AP6 • Political Institutions and Electoral Systems: KNOW THEM! • Iranian (Islamic) Revolution of 1979 (impact: Iranian Politics) • Impact of history = Theocracy and Democracy • Jurist Guardianship • Rentier State • Shia Islam • Parastatals • Sharia Law vs. Canon Law • Factions of Political/Theocratic Elite • Elections of 2004, 2005

17. Think… “It’s all about the cleavages (picture)”

18. Nigeria: The Big Picture • System of Government: Presidential System • Distribution of Power: Federal System • Electoral System: Single Member District Plurality • Constitution: Constitution of 1999 • Legislature: Bicameral—Senate and House of Rep. • Current Head of State: Goodluck Jonathan • Head of Government: Goodluck Jonathan • Current Ruling Party: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) • Major Political Parties: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Action Congress (AC)

19. Nigeria: things to know… • “It’s all about the cleavages” • Represents less industrialized and former colonies in AP6 • Political Institutions and Electoral Systems: KNOW THEM! • Biafran War (impact: Iranian Politics) • Rentier State • National Question • Federal Character: Impact on Nigerian Politics • Impact of British Colonialism • Impact of World Bank and IMF on internal politics • Prebendalism (Patron-Client Relationships) • Recent Elections