Slides

1. POL 302
Spring 2018

4. What words, concepts, ideas, etc. come to mind
when you see the following words?
“politics”
“power”
“comparative politics”

5.  Many definitions of politics:
 Lasswell: “Who gets what, when and how”
 Characteristics of Politics:
 (1) Power
 (2) Decision Making
 Political scientists study power as it relates to
political communities.

6.  Power:
 Ability to influence others or impose will on them
 How do you know if you have power?

8.  Subfield of political science that compares
the pursuit of power across countries
 Examples of Power Imbalances:
 State Control vs. Individual Freedom
 Plutocracy vs. Egalitarianism

10.  Institutions
 Interests
 Ideas
 Individuals
 International Environment
 Interactions

12.  Government Performance
 Unemployment and Inflation
 Constitutional Structures
(and resulting institutions)
 “Behavioral Revolution” in Political Science

14.  Lasswell Definition of Politics
 How do individuals and groups define their
interests?
 Politically
 Economically
 Socially

16.  Political Culture
 What do people think about politics?
 Opinion Polling
(e.g. Gallup Poll, WorldValues Survey, etc.)
 Equality, Loyalty, Freedom, Justice,Trust
 Impact of ideas change over time
 Why?

18. PEOPLE AS SUBJECTS
 Authoritarian Systems
 Definition of “Subjects”
 No Rights or Freedoms
 Obligations to State
PEOPLE AS CITIZENS
 Democratic Systems
 Definition of “Citizens”
 General Characteristics:
 Sovereignty
 Consent of Governed
 Government  People

19. James David Barber

20. ACTIVE-PASSIVE
 How much energy does
the president invest in
their job?
POSITIVE-NEGATIVE
 How much does the
president enjoy their job?

21. Can we categorize recent presidents?
George W. Bush? Barack Obama?
Active-Positive
Thomas Jefferson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt
JFK
Active-Negative
JohnAdams
LBJ
WoodrowWilson
Richard Nixon
James Madison
Ronald Reagan
William H.Taft
Passive-Positive
G GeorgeWashington
Calvin Coolidge
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ulysses S. Grant
Passive-Negative
Presidential
Character
Credit given to Dr. James M. Curry, GVPT 475, University of Maryland

23.  IndividualCountry Focus
 Why problematic?
 International Influences
 European Union as Case Study

24. How do EU member
states balance
individual history,
culture, etc. while part
of a large continental
organization?

30.  Individuals are rational and self-interested
with sincere preferences
 What does this mean?
 Borrowed from economics
 Example: Building a Road in Jacksonville
 Rep. Lawson vs. Other Members in Congress

32.  Attitudes, values, beliefs, and symbols
 Gives people a way to understand politics
 Culture of location can change
 Slow—since it becomes ingrained in society
 Endures because of political socialization
 Cultural values can influence forms of power

33.  Well-defined attitudes, values, beliefs are
clearly identified within any political culture

34.  Question Modernists’ argument
 Cultures NOT fixed with set values;
subject to interpretation
 Societies have subcultures
(e.g. South and Northeast in U.S.)
 Importance of political discourse
 Example: Meaning of “family values”

37.  Organizations where govt. power is
exercised
 Constitution defines institutions of govt.
 Legislative, Executive, Judicial Branches
 Different arrangements in other countries
 Parliament, Ruler, or Council
 Goal: Prosperous political environment

39.  How we get the things we want in politics
 Peaceful elections or violent revolutions
 Who decides on the rules is important.
 Elite (Aristocracy)
 Wealthy (Plutocracy)
 Royalty (Monarchy)
 People (Democracy)

40.  Who rules in the United States?
 Democratically-elected political actors
▪ Presidents, legislators, justices
 Voters
 Who rules in other countries?
 A dictator
 The military
 Council

41.  Distribution of Resources
 Social, Economic, Political

43.  Division of Society into Groups (e.g. Divergent)
 Dispersion of Power
 Policy = Compromise
 Power and InfluenceVaries
 Example: Democrats and U.S. House

45.  Societies are ruled by elite; effective
monopoly on power
C. Wright Mills
Elite groups control
society.
Includes notable
families, celebrities,
CEO’s of companies,
stockholders, etc.

47.  Who is in formal position of power?
 Who has influence in governmental-
decision-making?
 Who benefits from decisions made?