Topics in Comparative Government

1. Political Institutions Topics in Comparative Government

2. So you know… • One of the most important parts of Comparative politics is studying the political institutions of a country. • Some are more elaborate, but all have some similarities… but remember, just because they have the same type of institutions, don’t assume they serve the same functions. • Common structures that exist in most countries include levels of government executives, bureaucracies, legislatures, judicial systems, linkage institutions, and armies.

3. Levels of Government • Every states has multiple levels of authority—it is the distribution of power that varies. • Unitary—concentrates all policymaking powers in one place—central government • Confederacy—spreads power among many sub-units. • Federal system divides power between central government and the sub unites. Unitary Systems Federal System Confederate System More Centralization Less Centralization

4. Supranational Organizations and Globalization • NOTE: All political systems are affected by other governments—but more and more they are affected by supranational organizations (NATO, United Nations, NAFTA, OPEC, EU) • These organizations reflect the trend towards integration—states pooling their sovereignty to gain political, economic, and social power. • This is globalization. • Changed the nature of comparative politics because it breaks down the distinction between international and domestic politics.

5. Modern Challenges to the Nation-State • Globalization • think EU. Is it really possible for a large supranational organization to replace smaller political states? • Centripetal v. Centrifugal Forces • Centripetal—bind people together (think nationalism). Encourages allegiance to a single country. Hard to have globalization in this situation. • Centrifugal—oppose centripetal. Usually a destabilizing force. Example: the Russian Orthodox Church in U.S.S.R. • Separatist movements are also a type of centrifugal force. • One Reaction to stop this force is devolution.

6. Devolution (Ethnic/Economic/ Spatial) • What is it? • The tendency to decentralize decision making to regional government as a way to keep power. • 3 types • Ethnic Forces • Remember an ethnic group shares a well-developed sense of belonging to the same culture. If a group has an identity that differs from the majority—ethnonationalism can occur. (When a ethnic group sees itself as a distinct nation with a right to autonomy or independence. • Economic Forces • Economic inequalities can split countries in two… ex. Italy. • Spatial Forces • Distance, remoteness, peripheral location can be devolutionary—especially if physical features separate the area from the central power.

7. Executives/Cabinet • Carries out the laws and policies of the state. • Can be split into two distinct roles—Head of state and head of government (a.k.a. chief executive). • Chief executive is most important person in policy making process in a presidental system • Cabinet is most important in a parlimentarysystem because it’s ministers head all the major departments.

8. Bureaucracies • Made up of agencies that generally implement government policy. • According to Max Weber (father of the bureaucracy), bureacracies are well organized complex machine that helps the organization of a business. • Has 4 characteristics: • Hierarchical authority structure • Task specialization • Extensive rules • Clear Goals • Merit principle • Impersonality

9. Common Characteristics of a Bureaucracy • All bureaucracies whether they are democratic or authoritarian, tend to have these features in common: • Non-elected positions • Impersonal, efficient structures • Formal qualifications for jobs • Red tape/inefficiency • Hierarchical organizations

10. Legislatures • Branch of the government that makes laws • 80% of all U.N. countries have a legislature • Can be bicameral or unicameral • 93% of those countries with a legislature are bicameral. • Function is to formulate, debate and vote on political policies. • Often control the countries budget (fund raising and spending) • Can have varying degrees of power within a nation state. • Ex. U.S. vs. China

11. Judiciaries • Role in political system varies considerably from one country to another. • All have some form of legal structure.

12. Linkage Institutions • What are they? • Groups that connect the people to the government. • Political parties, elections, interest groups, and media. • Size and function depends on the population and the scope of government. • The larger the population and complex the government’s policy making activities, the more developed are their linkage institutions.

13. Political Parties • Party System—the array of parties operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationship amount them. • NOTE: Political parties perform many functions in a democracy. • Bring ideas/people together and establish majority rule. • Provide labels for candidates that help citizens decide how to vote • Hold politicians accountable to the electorate

14. The Party System • One-party system • Most communist countries have this system • Some theocracies and totalitarian states use this system as well. • Two-party system • Is a rarity. • About 15 countries world wide (including the United States) use this system. • Multi-party system • Most European countries use a multi-party system. • Are found in countries with a strong parliamentary system and use proportional representation for elections.

15. Electoral Systems • Electoral systems are the rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislatures. • All divide populations by electoral boundaries, but use different arrangements. • Ex. US/GB use single member districts (a.k.a. the plurality system) where voters vote for individual. • South Africa uses a multi-member district (a.k.a. proportional representation) where people vote for party not individual. • Mixed system uses some form of both for the system. • Ex. Lower house is elected plurality system, where upper house is multi-member.

16. Types of Elections • Elections of Public Officials • Number of elected officials varies… even in a unitary state, state and local officials are elected. • Referendum • A vote on particular policy issues. It allows the public to make direct decision about policy itself. • In US—it is at local or state level only. • Other countries use it a national level. • Initiative • Vote on a particular policy issue that is initiated by the people.

17. Interest Groups • Like minded people whose goal is to influence and shape public policy. • Similarities and differences vs. political parties.. • Both represent political points of view of people wanting to influence policy. • Political parties represent the electoral process where interest groups support the electoral process. • The strength of interest groups lies in they degree of autonomy they have from the government. • In authoritarian states groups have almost no independence… for example in China only state supported interest groups exist. • Other extreme is in western industrial systems where they guard their independence by selecting their own leaders and raising their own funds.