Comparative Politics

Comparative Politics An Introduction

Comparative Politics • What is it? • A subset of political science that uses empirical methods to compare two or more countries and attempts to draw conclusions based on those comparisons

Overview • Freedom House • Democratization • Government Types-a brief review, hopefully • Democratic Systems

Freedom House Index • An international non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. • It publishes an annual report assessing the degree of perceived democratic freedoms in each country, which is used in political science research

Freedom House Index • Free Countries- a broad scope for open political competition, a climate for respect for civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and independent media. Examples: United States, Australia, South Korea • Partly Free Countries- limited respect for political and civil liberties. Examples: Philippines, Turkey, Jordan • Not Free Countries- basic political rights are absent and basic civil liberties are widely and systematically denied. Examples: North Korea, China, Cuba, Russia

Democratization • Democratization- the transition to a more democratic political regime • Could consist of the following: • A transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy • A transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy • A transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a fully democratic political system

Waves of Democratization “A wave of democratization is a group of transitions from nondemocratic to democratic regimes that occur within a specified period of time and that significantly outnumber transitions in the opposite direction during that period of time. A wave also usually involves liberalization or partial democratization of political systems that do not become fully democratic. Three waves of democratization have occurred in the modern world” (15). Sam Huntington, Third Wave of Democratization

Waves • First Wave- 1810-1922- increased voter participation, decreased restrictions to the ballot box and a general trend against monarchic rule. Halted during the rise of the second World War due to a general rise in fascism and communism • Second Wave- 1945-1962- marked rise in democracies that were previously fascist during the war; Eastern European countries remained clearly authoritarian; were signs of democratic growth in Latin America • Third Wave- 1974-present- Involved anti-colonial democratic and anti-authoritarian democratic movements throughout the world; Fall of the USSR and the increased democratization of many of the former Eastern Bloc states

Factors Contributing to Democratization • There is a significant debate regarding which factors consistently contribute to democratization of a country • These are some that are most agreed upon: • Country’s Wealth- higher GDP leads to higher likelihood of democratizing • Education- higher education= more liberal perspectives, pro-democratic ideals • Population Demographic- more homogenous tend to have a smoother transition to democracy • Social Equality- less equality leads to more reason for population to revolt and demand democratization

Resource Curse Theory • Refers to the paradox that countries and regions with an abundance of natural resources, specifically point-source non-renewable resources like minerals and fuels, tend to have less economic growth and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources

Resource Curse Theory • Many theorists suggest that states whose sole source of wealth derives from abundant natural resources, such as oil, often fail to democratize because the well-being of the elite depends more on the direct control of the resource than on the popular support

Government Types • Direct Democracy • Democratic Republic • Oligarchy • Authoritarian

Overview • Democratic Systems • Strengths and weaknesses of Democratic Systems • Electoral Systems • Exec.-Legislative Relationships • Party Systems • Major theories behind it all

Democratic Systems • Presidential System- a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the name) separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it. Example: United States, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey

Democratic Systems • Parliamentary System- the officials of the executive branch are elected by the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined. In such a system, the head of government is both de facto chief executive and chief legislator. • Examples: Canada, Spain, Sweden, Japan

Democratic Systems • Semi-Presidential System- a president and a prime minister are both active participants in the day-to-day administration of the state. • Has a popularly elected head of state who is more than a purely ceremonial figurehead • The president, is responsible to the legislature, which may force the cabinet to resign through a motion of no confidence • Examples: Russia, Egypt (formerly), Mongolia

Electoral Systems • Electoral System- a method by which voters make a choice between options, often in an election or on a policy referendum • Types of Electoral Systems: • Majoritarian • Proportional Representation • Semi-Proportional

Electoral Systems • Majoritarian Electoral System • Plurality, “First-Past-the-Post,” “Winner-Take-All” • Each voter votes for one choice • The choice that receives the most votes wins, even if it receives less than a majority of votes • Potentially less representative of voting population • Gives voters a clear choice

Electoral Systems • Proportional Representation Electoral System • Makes some guarantee of proportionality by making each winning option represent approximately the same number of voters • Number of votes per party directly translates into the number of seats they receive • Voters are sometimes given option to vote for more than one candidate • Tends to promote a more consensus, but highly relies upon coalition-building among political entities

Electoral Systems • Semi-Proportional System • A portion of the elected officials are selected through plurality • The remainder is elected based upon proportional representation methods • Each country determines a formula for this approach based upon electorate demographics • Intended to try to solve some of the problems of plurality-majority voting, particularly the misrepresentation of parties and the lack of representation for political and ethnic minorities

Executive-Legislative Relationship • Presidential Executive • Parliamentary Executive • Semi-Presidential Executive

Presidential Executive • Constitutionally fixed terms • Popularly Elected, directly or indirectly (electoral college) • One-Person (non-collegial executive) • Members of cabinet are advisers and subordinates to the executive; appointed by executive • Same person cannot simultaneously serve in both executive and legislative branches • Ex. Hillary Clinton resigns Senate seat to serve as Sec. of State • President does not have the right to dissolve the legislature • Single executive • President is simultaneously the head of state and head of government

Parliamentary Executive • Prime Minister and Cabinet Members depend on legislative confidence • Prime Minister is selected by legislatures • Collective or Collegial Executives: • Most important decisions made by the cabinet as a whole • Dual Executives • Ceremonial Head of State-a monarch or president • Head of Government- Prime Minister • Prime ministers and cabinets can dissolve the legislature and call for a new election

Semi-Presidential (Hybrid) Executive • “Premier-Presidential” System • Popular election of the President • President appoints and dismisses cabinet members • Cabinet ministers are subject to Parliamentary confidence • President has power to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections

Perils of Presidentialism • Three Perils of Presidentialism: • Temporal Rigidity: Fixed terms; terms of presidents are more stringent than parliamentary systems • Not able to be removed under lack of confidence; just under illegalities; cannot be removed for political reasons • Majoritarian Tendencies: less likely to have a coalition cabinet; also, winner-take-all despite a lack of majority of votes; pluralitypartisanship (majority run-off rule) • Causes electoral disproportionality; not representative of a minority of voters. • Dual Democratic Legitimacy: Both executive and legislative branches are popularly elected: • President has less incentive to seek coalitions in congress than do Prime Ministers • No incentive for members of congress to seek approachment with the executive • Can create immobility

Party Systems • Determined by the electoral system and government type of the country • Party Institutionalization- the degree to which a political party secures a consistent and competitive position in regular elections • The number of institutionalized parties in a government is influenced by a number of factors, but predominately the electoral system

Duverger’s Law and Hypothesis • Law- asserts that a plurality rule (Majoritarian) electoral system tends to favor a two-party system • Hypothesis- suggests that, conversely to the Law, a Proportional Representation System will create a strong multiparty system • Valid? Why or why not?

Tomorrow • A look at the theories surrounding comparative and international politics • Come ready to discuss and debate! (not like I need to tell you all that)

Unit Project • 5 minute presentation on your group’s country • Use the rubric and assignment to create a presentation that covers the main topics listed on the assignment sheet • Be sure to include some sort of visual representation (PowerPoint, Handout, Poster, etc.) to assist your presentation

Comparative Politics