Politics, Regimes and Democracy

Politics and Power Politics can be treated as a process that regulates conflicts within a society. Political systems are often able to manage conflicts peacefully.

Categories of conflict 1. Conflicts over beliefs and general truths (“morals”) 2. Conflicts over the appropriate goals for the society 3. Conflicts over resources and their allocation Can you think of examples of each?

Uses of Power Power can be given expression through coercive or persuasive means Power is needed to enforce the terms of the conflict-ending agreement. What if agreements could not be enforced?

Mutual Protection as the Root of Government Hobbesian state of nature To end: a single ruler must possess unquestioned authority to guarantee the safety of the weak from the strong.

The Roving Bandit Settles Down What's the difference between a government and a bandit? Longer-run approach to its victims. Incentives: roving versus stationary bandit

Property Rights state is rooted in the protection of property rights institutionalized standards of behavior reduces uncertainty and thus transaction costs

Government The institutions empowered with the legitimate use of force within a given territory to control human behavior.

Legitimacy A status derived from a popular belief that governmental actions are an appropriate use of power by a legally constituted authority. Legitimacy reduces the costs of obtaining compliance.

Sources of Legitimacy Tradition/Habit Identity Results/Charisma Rational-Legalistic or Bureaucratic Institutions

Regime Types Democratic Authoritarian Totalitarian Post-Totalitarian Sultanic

Dimensions of Regimes Pluralism Mobilization Charismatic Leadership Pervasive Ideology

Democracy A system or regime type in which the ultimate political authority is vested with the citizenry

Types of Democracy Presidential Parliamentary Semi-Presidential

Two basic requirements for a functional democracy Participation Contestation

Democracy vs. Republic In a republic, sovereignty is vested with the people who elect agents to represent them.

Decision Making in Democracies Direct Democracy Representative Democracy Representative as Delegate Representative as Trustee

Limited Government As a protection of minority rights against a “tyranny of the majority,” the United States has a constitutionally-limited government. Restrictions on government are written in a binding document (Constitution) and checks are placed on the individual organs of government. American Constitutional Limits by: Checks & balances Federalism (states’ rights) Civil liberties (individual rights)

Ideology A comprehensive and logically ordered set of beliefs about the nature of people, institutions and the roles of government.

Three Basic Values 1. Order 2. Freedom (liberty) 3. Equality Competing in a two-dimensional space. Place yourself on the chart with IDEAlog: http://idealog.org/index.asp

“Liberalism” Please note that the United States has an odd usage of the word “liberalism” – focused upon the advocacy of positive governmental action to improve public welfare – whereas in most of the world adherents champion freedom and limits on government.