1793355
Description
Flashcards by Emily Fenton, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Emily Fenton
over 9 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Democracy as Global Norm | All countries have democratic aspects, or keep up a "democratic facade" because it is the global expectation; helps states maintain some amount of political legitimacy |
| Democracy in North Korea (Case Study) | 100% voter turnout (without compulsory voting) Existence of political pluralism, but all candidates are approved by existing ruling party (which is of course always that which is ruled by Kim Jung Un) |
| Requirements for Free and Fair Elections (10) | 1. Transparent election day polling 2. Elections following clearly laid-out laws 3. Australian/secret ballot 4. Ballot monitoring 5. Election observations 6. Encouragement of citizen participation 7. Political parties which are free and fair 8. Independent media 9. Independent/impartial judicial system 10. Possibility of defeat of incumbent party |
| Athenian Democracy | All political decisions made through votes, and to be part of the decision you had to show up (and had to be a land-owning male) *They would not recognize what we consider democracy today |
| Consociationalism model | Also called Consensus Model Idea that society alone cannot reconcile the differences between groups, and therefore we elect an elite (or group of elites) to manage this |
| Majority Model | Parties elected as a majority should have the ability to govern as they see fit Problem with this model: majorities are constructed; having a majority does not mean everyone agrees with what the government does |
| Median Mandate Model | Policy entirely targeted at a "median vote"; average bloke who represents most people Problem with this model: there is no such thing as a median vote, but it is sometimes projected by politicians |
| Working Mandate Model | Plurality governs (no party captures the "median"); parties which try to cover the most of the voting area so that they have the most say in government |
| Plurality System (USA) | Nation has seat districts, and the candidate with the most votes wins the seat. The party with the most seats won, wins the parliament |
| Duverger's Law | Single seat plurality will always lead to an essentially 2-party system (everyone knows a vote to the third party is "wasted") *Not actually a law |
| First Past the Post voting (FPP) | Election is won by one candidate receiving more votes than any other |
| Problems with FPP | Disproportionality Less than a majority votes for the winner (usually) |
| District Manipulation (4) | 1. Urban and rural districts have disproportional representation, because rural votes tend to be worth more (less people in electoral district) 2. Marginal districts (focus on certain districts, ignoring others) 3. Fixed districts (not really a problem anymore; happened when districts did not adjust according to population change) 4. Gerrymandering (own flashcard) |
| Gerrymandering | When districts are drawn according to certain voting trends, intended to give an advantage to some parties (capture certain votes) Lines are often drawn by political appointee, so not impartial |
| Russell Brand on Democracy in UK | Brand thinks democracy does not represent the people, and so thinks there is no point in voting. He highlights the inequities of the British parliamentary system, and how the parliament does not represent the average person (ex. all from private schools) |
| Majority System | When 50%+1 is required for a win Often this is done in rounds of voting; when neither of the leading two candidates have 50%+1, they have a second round of voting until one meets the requirement |
| Alternative Voting | Method of voting where candidates are ranked (1 through 6, for example) in order of preference First they look at amount of first choices, but if there is no majority, they go to second choices, and so on until they reach 50%+1 |
| Donkey Voting | Happens when there is compulsory voting (as in Australia) Means voter purposely leaves ballot blank, or numbers arbitrarily |
| Proportional Representation | For example, a party gets 30% of the vote, so they get 30% of seats in government Thought to be fairer because it is more representational |
| Disadvantages of Proportional Representation (5) | 1. Party-laden system (party has a lot of power in deciding who is in power) 2. No barrier to size of party (which can result in extremist groups) 3. Less effective government 4. Uncertainty after elections 5. No geographical representation (who is your MP?) |
| Mixed Systems | Usually based on 2-vote systems, where population votes once for a district candidate and once for a party |
| Mixed Member Majoritarian | Both proportional representation vote as well as first past the post voting Usually leads to an unproportional result |
| Mixed Member Proportional | Vote for district candidate, and to combat disproportional results, top up votes for candidates with number of party votes, until it is proportional |
| Problems with MMM and MMP (4) | 1. Confusing/complicated 2. Creates zombie politicians 3. Leads to strategic voting 4. Still party-laden system |
| 3 Types of Political Culture | 1. Parochial culture: passive acceptance of state decisions due to ignorance 2. Subject culture: aware of state decisions, possibly unhappy with them, but don't feel they can do anything about them 3. Participant culture: civil engagement is present and there is active participation in state decisions |
| Social Capital (Putnam) | Features of social organization such as networks, norms and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit Leads to effective government and fosters trust in society |
| Bowling Alone | Documentry from Putnam, 2000 Illustrates how there has been a heavy decline in small, organized formal groups (church groups, PTAs, etc) |
| Reasons for Declining Group Participation (6) | 1. Women in workplace (less involved in community?) 2. Outsourcing civic responsibility through charities and NGOs 3. Technological transformation of leisure 4. More travel for work/less time to be involved in community 5. Family transformation (less human connection?) 6. Multiculturalism/fragmentation? |
| Criticism of Bowling Alone (4) | 1. Formal groups does not always indicate political participation 2. Ignores the fact that workplace is often also a community 3. Absolves government of responsibility to get voters out there 4. Technological transformation does not necessarily decrease social contact |
| Culture and Rational Choice | Desire (rational) + Belief (cultural) = Action Ex. I want food (rational) + I can get food from my fridge (cultural) = I go to the fridge and get food |
| Demands of Identity Politics (3) | 1. Restitution for historical wrongs 2. Alternate governance (sometimes this involves self-governance) 3. Demand for recognition on the grounds that it was previously ignored |
| Microaggression in Identity Politics | Questioning whether or not the "oppressed" is being too sensitive; is it worth the fight? |
| Criticism of Identity Politics (5) | 1. Microaggression 2. Essentialism (labels used by activists can't always be universally applied) 3. Dissention (identity politics can fracture civil society for the worse) 4. Identity issues less important than "real" issues? 5. Identity politics = petty nationalism? |
| Ultranationalist Identity Politics | The belief that certain groups are a danger to a political community; can be effective unifying tool in times of uncertainty; creation of an other Idea that you must hold on to what is beign lost? |
| Identity Politics (basics) | The way politics is shaped by aspects of identity; based on the idea that certain identities are oppressed and must struggle for representation in politics (desire for restitution and recognition) |
| Commodification of Labour | People depend on free markets for survival, which puts a price on labour (we become products when we enter the workforce) Result of capitalism; the commodification of everything! |
| Welfare | Support for those who can't make it in a capitalist system (elderly, unemployed, ill, etc) Forms and attitudes towards welfare is different in different places |
| Welfare State | State which assumes responsibility of providing basic minimum of welfare for citizens (What is basic minimum? What and who is included?) |
| History of British Welfare | Workhouses: places where people who could find no other work could go; terrible conditions Child Labour Laws: Ten Hours Act meant that children 8-13 could only work maximum of 10 hours a day |
| Conservative Origins of Welfare | Opposed by the left, because it was said to "soften the edge of capitalism" and "false consciousness"; it delayed the inevitable revolution (which of course is another reason the conservatives would be pro-Welfare) |
| Retrenchment of the Welfare States | Oil crisis of the 1970's saw a global recession; welfare was seen as a luxury Rise of neoliberalist policies: return to privatization, reducing government spending |
| The Third Way | Reconciliation of the Left and Right; manipulation of the market to fix social problems (ex. Student loans, finding people jobs rather than getting government handouts) |
| Measuring Social Spending | Take dependent variable (urbanization, demographics) and add social spending as % of GDP (as independent variable) in order to come to conclusions about the welfare state |
| Residual Welfare State | State assumes responsibility for welfare when all other options are exhausted (like family savings, charity) |
| Institutional Welfare State | State provides universal welfare no matter what |
| Stratification | How welfare orders social relations; different welfare for different groups institutionalizes differences between these groups Question of stigma surrounding being on welfare |
| Liberal World of Welfare Capitalism | Model adopted by USA, Australia, Canada Working class dependent on government spending; stigma around being on welfare; low decommodification; high stratification |
| Conservative World of Welfare Capitalism | Model adopted by France, Austria, Germany State ready to replace market when necessary (but welfare is often insurance-based); class differences and traditional structures maintained |
| Social-Democratic World of Welfare Capitalism | Model adopted by Scandinavian countries Everybody is eligible for generous benefits, but difference according to income; state proactively assumes role of welfare provider; motivation for the government to encourage full employment |
| What is Legitimacy Not? (3 things) | 1. Popularity: a legitimate ruler can be unpopular 2. Consent: fear of government means state is legitimate even without consent 3. Democracy: it is not inevitable that a state needs democracy to be legitimate (though some think it is) |
| Max Weber on Legitimacy | "Voluntary submission to power systems in whose validity the subject believes" (Weber, 1864-1920) |
| Bruce Gilley on Legitimacy | Political support grounded in common good of moral evaluation; "right to rule" is defined by different forms of legitimacy |
| Public Choices Requiring Legitimacy (2) | 1. Redistribution of wealth 2. War and peace |
| Objectivist Approach to Legitimacy | Assessment of legitimacy from the outside; deciding the relation between values and effectiveness |
| Subjectivist Approach to Legitimacy | Measured from within/from point of view of the people; nothing to do with the system and value patterns "the less exciting the better" |
| Thick Legitimacy | Normative legitimacy Based on "input": common values and norms, shared ideology More stable legitimacy |
| Thin Legitimacy | Performance or Rational legitimacy Based on "output": performance, actions or policies of the government |
| 3 Types of Legitimacy (Weber) | 1. Rational-Legal legitimacy: how this leader got to power, and how they conduct their policy 2. Traditional legitimacy: monarchy (for example) 3. Charismatic leader legitimacy: legitimate because their leader is popular |
| Gilley's 3 Bases of Legitimacy | 1. Legality 2. Justification 3. Consent |
| Legitimacy of Stalinism | Stalin was very popular (mostly due to propaganda and censorship), but it meant that despite his atrocities committed, people believed in him; this means he had performance-based legitimacy |
| 4 Driving Forces of European Integration | 1. European Union 2. Council of Europe: watchdog for democratic performance in Europe 3. OSCE: deals with conflict prevention/management 4. NATO: European and American trade |
| European Integration Process (5) | 1. Ever larger (6 to 28) 2. Ever deeper (increasing scope of policies) 3. Ever more formal 4. Ever more complex (rules governing decision making) 5. Ever more/less democratic (attempts to strengthen democratic legitimacy) |
| Supranationalism/Federalism | Political/normative/scientific interpretation of EU intergration EU integration based on the ambition of politicians; especially prevalent approach after WWII: Europe must integrate in order to avoid repeat of Holocaust |
| Neofunctionalism | EU integration by "spill-over" effect Forced integration based on a few shared values; the idea that European integration happens among the elites |
| Intergovernmentalism | Primacy of national state as the driver of integration process; nations must individually push for integration Integration does not weaken, but strengthens the nation-state |
| Multi-level Governance | No distinction made between the EU integration and member states No neat division between where the state ends and EU begins; decision-making becomes intertwined |
| European Council | Comprised of all the heads of state/government of member states; meets four times a year President: Donald Tusk Created on a French initiative in 1974 to take some power back from the European Commission |
| Council of Ministers | Councils (made up of ministers) which represent member states as well as national agendas; 10 council of ministers on sectors like education, health care, economy, etc. Major decision-making institution Decision making either unanimous or based on Qualified Majority Voting |
| Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) | Based on majority voting rather than unanimity Requirements: 55% of vote, vote made up of min. 15 member states, 65% EU population An actual vote is rare |
| European Parliament | Has terrible reputation as being illegitimate (possibly the reason people tend not to vote); intended to represent the population of members 751 members elected from national lists |
| Tasks of European Parliament (4) | 1. Political supervision/scrutiny of Commissioners 2. Appointment of Commission (and president) 3. Legislation 4. Budget right |
| European Commission | One member, appointed by Parliament, from each member state, which makes it difficult to be effect (but no one will give up their right to a Commissioner) Decisions made in the interest of Europe, not the nation Deals with budget and expenditure |
| Institutions of the EU (8) | 1. Council of the European Union 2. European Council* 3. Council of Ministers* 4. Presidency of the Council 5. European Parliament* 6. European Commission* 7. Court of Justice 8. European Central Bank *flashcards on starred ones |
| Institution Triangle of Brussels | European Commission European Parliament Council of Member States |
| Hard Euroskepticism | Euroskeptics who are against European integration entirely; criticize everything about EU Euroskeptic parties are generally hard: ex. PVV in the Netherlands |
| Soft Euroskepticism | Not against European integration, but against the way it is being done now; questioning existing policies of the EU Even most pro-Europe parties are usually have a bit of soft Euroskepticism |
| Left-Wing Euroskepticism | Contesting the capitalist nature of the European Union; EU is a neoliberal institution Ironic because EU thinks they are pretty social |
| Right-Wing Euroskepticism | Nationalist thinking; national identity is directly threatened by European integration Often anti-immigration (especially towards Muslims) |
| Permissive Consensus vs. Constraining Dissensus | Permissive consensus is the outdated idea that the public doesn't care, so rulers can do what they like Constraining dissensus is current dominant view that only elected officials have authority |
| "Hacktivism" | The (ab)use of computers and technology (including social media) to achieve political goals; usually concerning openness of information. Ex. Wikileaks Possibly pro-democracy, but also contributes to loss of credibility to government |
| Cyber Utopianism | The naive belief in social media as a democratizing force; based on the belief that authoritarianism cannot be combined with openness, and therefore will be inevitably liberating This has, so far, had moderate/disappointing outcomes |
| Arab Spring & Social Media | Series of demonstrations in a few Arab countries which were completely organized online Made people realize/think about the impact of social media as a means to mobilize populations |
| Social Media Effected Regime Change (3 reasons) | 1. Access to information (via Twitter, Facebook, etc) 2. Conversation and debate; online communities outside state control 3. Effect on public opinion |
| Negative Effects of Social Media on Democratization (3) | 1. Promotes "slacktivism" 2. Lack of strategic leadership, necessary for effecting real change 3. Distraction from "real" activism? (internet is an "opium for the masses") |
| "Slacktivism" | Low-risk activism; "feel good" measures that actually does not affect any change at all; makes people feel they've done their bit |
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