AP Comparative Government Review Saturday

What are you going to have to do on May 14? 55 Multiple Choice Questions in 45 minutes The free response= 8 questions in 100 minutes -3 types of questions: 5 short answer questions, 1 conceptual question and 2 country specific questions

Task Verbs!!!! Identify: provide a specific answer that does not require causal explanation Define: provide a specific meaning for a word or concept in order to distinguish it from similar words or concepts Describe: provide the essential details or characteristics of a particular concept or political phenomenon Explain: provide a logical connection or causal pattern that exists between or among various political phenomena Compare: provide an explicit statement that connects two or more concepts, occurrences, or countries Evaluate/Assess: provide an explicit connection between a certain standard and the supporting evidence

Fundamental Concepts

Regime The system and the rules and laws in place in a particular territory at a particular time.

Legitimacy … Authority Generally held belief, within a society, that a government ahs the right to rule or exercise power= Charisma, Ideologies, Tradition, Revolutions, Constitutions, rule of law/legal authority, competitive elections, aspects of political culture, etc. Russia China Iran Great Britain Mexico Nigeria

Answers to Legitimacy Russia- Elections, Charisma from Putin China- CCP, Constitution – Sustained by economy $$ Iran- Religion/Sharia, Revolution Great Britain- Elections, traditions – long standing democracy Mexico- legacy of their Revolution, Elections Nigeria- elections

Sovereignty Legitimate power to rule and make laws for the territory

Cleavages Division in a society Coinciding cleavages --- deepen the division Cross-cutting cleavages ---- stability Russia-national and religious (especially south) China- urban v. rural (reinforced by geography and national) Iran- dominance of Shia Islam – some social class Great Britain-Social Class, nationalities Mexico Nigeria

Civil Society Voluntary organizations that form the basis of a functioning society. Social and religious organizations, charities, civic groups, voluntary organizations, etc. (Does not include government or economic structures) Social movements- collective political action (often co-opted by power elites) Interest groups – organization that wants to influence government Major element of a liberal democracy

Political Socialization Process by which people get their ideas about politics and government – where you learn Family Religion School Peers Media Government … Political Parties… Interest Groups

Corporatists = certain interest groups within society have a special relationship with the government – cooperation in the creation and implementation of government policies Pluralists= interest groups compete for influence – idea that all individuals, parties, and interest groups have roughly equal access and ability to influence policy – government is neutral in treatment

Single-Party Systems One Party = China And One Party Dominant= Russia Advantages= continuity, stability, efficient, single voice, nationalism/charisma overcomes the cleavages Disadvantages= tend to be oppressive, inflexible, slow to change, no variety

Two-Party System 2 major parties vie for political power- UK Substantive democracies “big tent” parties --- broad coalitions SMD/plurality/FPTP/winner takes all SMD/majority/winner takes all Advantages= less fragmentation, closer relations between govt. and people, stability, simplifies voter decisions, consensus, works better than multiparty Disadvantages= small groups and minorities less represented

Multiparty Parties are usually based on distinctive cleavages- Russia, Mexico, Nigeria Substantive democracy Proportional representation Hybrid system – FPTP and PR Advantages= represent more people, more accountable, represents more minorities and cleavages, more ideologically driven Disadvantages= fragmentation, no real connections between representatives and people, less stable, less efficient, complicated for voters, less consensus

Types of Electoral Systems Plurality and Majoritarian Systems SMD/FPTP At-large Voting Two-round runoff voting Instant runoff voting Proportional Representation System Party List Mixed member Proportional

Democracy C4RUMP C R U M P

Democracy…Democratization Substantive Procedural Liberal Illiberal – elections without protections of civil liberties/human rights, lack of independent judiciaries, small/weak civil societies, disenfranchisement

Democratization by Country Russia China Iran Great Britain Mexico Nigeria

Democratization Answers Russia = Illiberal China= Authoritarian with Constitution Iran= Authoritarian Theocracy w/Constitution Great Britain= Liberal/Consolidated Mexico= Transition w/Constitution – Procedural w/Constitution Nigeria= Debatable – illiberal w/Constitution

Branches of Government Executive = enforce laws ---- Head of Government vs. Head of State Legislative= makes the laws Judicial= interpret the laws ---civil law and common law … rule of law

Governmental Systems Unitary Why decentralize? ---- devolution Pacify political rivals Prevent revolution Easing tensions along ethnic, regional cleavages Giving into political pressures Increasing legitimacy Increase political participation Efficiency Accountability of local leaders Increasing democracy

Governmental Systems Federal Advantages= broader representation, greater legitimacy, eases cleavages, more points of access/participation, diverse policy, local taking care of local Disadvantages= slower lawmaking, inefficiency, inequality, diffusion of responsibility, more disputes between national and local

Federal vs. Unitary by country Russia= Asymmetric Federalism China= Unitary – all power flows from the politiburo Iran= Unitary Great Britain= Unitary with devolution Mexico= Federal (but Federal has more resources especially revenue) Nigeria= Federal (states rely on the Federal for revenue $$$)

Governmental Systems Parliamentary Systems –Fusion -Votes of Confidence/No Confidence – means of removing the PM and cabinet from power – majority vote of no confidence removes the PM and sets in motion the procedures for a new government -GB/Westminister – votes on large legislation acts as votes of confidence --- failure of the legislation can bring down the government without the vote of confidence -PMs who have lost the confidence of their own party are often removed from office through internal party actions (UK when Major replaced Thatcher and again Brown replaced Blair) -Result= party discipline is strong Presidential System

Governmental Systems … Russia= Presidential/Parliamentary (Leg=Federal Council appointed – Duma PR w/7% threshold) China= Presidential (Leg= Lower by the lowest local by absolute majority) Iran= Presidential (Leg= Majls SMD/majority/2 rounds Great Britain= Parliamentary (Leg= Commons FPTP/SMD/Plurality and Lords Appointed) Mexico= Strong Presidential (Leg= Senate and Chamber of Deputies Hybrid) Nigeria= Presidential (Leg= SMD plurality)

Data Review GDP = Gross Domestic Product – all final goods and services produced = higher levels often means more world power GDP per capita= higher is an indication of higher development GINI Index= measure of income or wealth inequality within a society = lower values indicate less income inequality