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POL 221: Introduction to Comparative Politics

POL 221: Introduction to Comparative Politics. Instructor: Dr. Gang Guo E-mail: gg@olemiss.edu. A Shrinking World. Events around the world affect us all Globalization how international economic, social, cultural, and technological forces are affecting events inside individual countries.

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POL 221: Introduction to Comparative Politics

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  1. POL 221: Introduction to Comparative Politics Instructor: Dr. Gang Guo E-mail: gg@olemiss.edu

  2. A Shrinking World • Events around the world affect us all • Globalization • how international economic, social, cultural, and technological forces are affecting events inside individual countries. • We live in a time of crisis • The world is changing significantly and quickly

  3. Why we compare? • Alexis de Tocqueville • Democracy in America • “Although I very rarely spoke of France in my book, I did not write one page of it without having her, so to speak, before my eyes” • “Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know how to proceed”

  4. Why we compare? • Comparison is fundamental to all human thought • Comparison is the methodological core of scientific study of politics • compare the past and present • compare experiences of various nations • develop explanation • test theories

  5. How we compare? • Description of political phenomena • conceptual framework • Explanation of political phenomena • causal relationship • test theories: • large numbers (large “n”): statistical studies • small numbers (small “n”): case studies • Prediction of political phenomena

  6. Politics • public decisions • within a community • political system • authoritative • Power: ability to get people or groups to do what they otherwise would not do • coercive means • force and monetary resources

  7. Political system • System • interdependent parts and boundaries • Political system • set of institutions and agencies • government • political organizations (parties, interest groups) • formulate and implement collective goals of a society or of groups within it

  8. State • State • a particular type of political system • has sovereignty (independent legal authority) • “night watchman state” • police state • welfare state • types and strength of states

  9. Government • Government • organizations of individuals • authorized by formal documents • make binding decisions on behalf of a particular community • philosophical debates • why government exist? • state of nature

  10. Government serve functions • community-building • nation • large-scale communities • common perceived identity • political culture • public attitudes toward politics and their role within the political system • political socialization

  11. Government serve functions • providing security, law, and order • external security • national defense forces • internal security • police forces • government monopoly • protecting economic, social, and political rights

  12. Government serve functions • promoting economic efficiency and growth • market failures in capitalist economies • property rights, competition, and information • undersupply of public goods • parks, roads, national defense, environment • negative externalities • environmental degradation • natural monopolies

  13. social justice • redistribute resources • equal opportunities

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