Politics and Government Fundamentals for Understanding Society

1. Vocabulary- the key to understanding this stuff Comparative Government and Politics

2. Correlation • An apparent association between certain factors or variables • For example, there is a positive correlation between medical care and life expectancy

3. Causation • When a change in one variable causes a change in another variable • For example, when the temperature drops below 32 degrees, water freezes

4. Politics • A struggle for power • That gives the winners the ability to make decisions affecting others • Who gets what, when, and how

5. Nation • A group of people • Psychological sense of identity • Based on cultural, geographic, or linguistic ties

6. The State • Institutions, people, and groups • Have the power to effect change • Has monopoly of force Over territory

7. Regime • Fundamental norms and rules • Established by administrations over time

8. Sovereignty • A state’s ability to carry out actions independently

9. Legitimacy • Generally accepted view that the government has the right to rule • Traditional--the right to rule, because “it has always been that way.” • Charismatic--rule based on personality • Rational-legal--based on a widely accepted system of laws and procedures

10. Democracy • A system of government where people choose policymakers in free, regular, competitive elections • Illiberal--procedural (holds elections) but without civil rights and liberties • Liberal--political competition, accountability, civil rights and liberties

11. Institutions • Structures, how they are set up and how they shape the political decision making process • Executive • Legislative • Judicial • Bureaucracy

12. FPTP/SMD • First past the post, single member district • Winner-take-all • The winner gets the one seat available in an election (one person is elected to represent each district) • Plurality –the highest number of votes among competing candidates • House of Commons, US Congress

13. Proportional Representation • Votes for parties, rather than candidates • Parties are represented in legislature according to percentage of votes received • Parties select office holders based on candidate lists

14. Corporatism • A system of formal interest-group participation in the states’ decision-making processes • Key groups in society-especially business and labor- should negotiate directly with government officials to work out the country’s principal economic and social welfare policies • When business, labor, and the government work closely in policymaking • This limits the influence of smaller groups

15. Cooptation • Granting favors in exchange for a benefit • “Buying off” critics

16. Cleavages • Factors that separate groups • Cross-cutting--a division that includes people with differences, strengthening society • Coinciding--a division that strengthens feelings of difference and discrepancy, weakening society

17. Political Culture • History • Values • Beliefs • Traditions • Influencing political behavior

18. Political Socialization • The means by which citizens learn about government and the political process • How people get their ideas about government and acquire their values about the political process

19. Neo liberal Economics • Classical liberal economics- Focus on the free market-state should strictly be limited • Few restrictions on business … property rights strictly guaranteed • Neo liberal economics • Mixed economy that combines private enterprise and a large economic role for the state