The reasons why we study Comparative Politics

To understand political phenomena that take place within a state or region and learn about differences

Nation

A common space/ territory with a common language, identity, culture and history; relates more to the people than geographical position.

State

A superstructure designed to govern the nation, it produces the government and keeps order but should materialize through social contracts

Westphalia Treaty

signed in 1649 after a stalemate between reformists and counter reformists, established principles of sovereignty, legitimacy, religious tolerance, non-aggression etc, was the building blocks for the nation state

Sovereignty

legal recognition by other states as the sole legitimate governing authority within its territory and as the legal equal of other states

Legitimacy

The recognized right to rule

Know what purpose ideologies serve

Political ideologies attract individuals, groups (political parties), and nations, they persuade and bring people together

Be able to state the premise of a few ideologies

Capitalism, socialism, conservatism

Capitalism

a economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit

Socialism

a political and economic theory which advocates for the means of production, distribution, and exchange to be regulated by the people

Conservatism

a commitment to traditional values and ideas with opposition to change or innovation:

Links the following terms: The Enlightenment movement, liberalism, reason, the US constitution

The Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, individual rights, and social contract directly shaped classical liberalism, which in turn provided the philosophical foundation for the U.S. Constitution through its focus on natural rights, separation of powers, and limited government.

Ascription

the process of assigning political systems, government structures, and political ideologies to different countries based on their characteristics

Socialization

the process by which individuals are inducted into the political system and gain political attitudes and behaviors

Primordialism

inheritance of our identity by way of biology and culture, including family, culture, ethnicity, religion, value system, etc. They influence our sensitivities and explain our habits, reactions, and voting preference.

Constructivism

moral and political principles aren't passively discovered but actively constructed

Understand the notion of identity politics

the tendency for people of a shared belief, identity, etc to form non traditional exclusive political alliances

how do you classify various political cultures differently

by analyzing the dominant attitudes of a population toward their political system through the use of data to identify patterns and relationships

Be able to identify the legacy of the Greeks and the Romans

they sought to improve the quality of government through democratic rule, they gave us many structures of government like oligarchy, aristocracy, bureaucracy , and they introduced the concepts of democracy and republics

What is the notion of Madison’s dilemma

the debate regarding how to design institutions in a way that balances the tension between limited and effective government

Judiciary and judicial review

Judicial systems while understudied are very important, deem if a law contradicts the constitution, and gives judges vetoing power to keep government in check

How non-democratic rulers justify their claim to power

divine rights (monarchy), birth rights, tradition, charisma, and de facto (force)

What is authoritarianism and totalitarianism; how are they similar; and how do they differ

similar: suppress political opposition centralized power, restrict individual freedom, different: totalitarianism is more extreme wants total control over people lives rather than passive