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Lecture Notes on Systems Model |, Study notes of Comparative Law and Politics

Berry College Comparative Law and Politics

Material Type: Notes; Class: Comparative Politics; Subject: Political Science; University: Berry College; Term: Forever 1989;

Typology: Study notes

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Uploaded on 11/01/2009

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Notes for Intro to Comparative Politics:

CHAPTER 1

Systems Model:

Created by David Easton

1st moderate model for comparing politics

Political life = system b/c it centers around social life

Political system -system through which values are authoritatively allocated

(giving/withholding) for an entire society

Separate from domestic environment

Problems with Model:

Too much of an equilibrium across the model

Works better with democracies than with other types of political systems

Too much like a machine (far more going on in real system – not just inputs and

outputs/ doesn’t cater to revolutions

Ethnocentrism – using one country’s system to judge others (not good for obvious

reasons)

Structural-Functional Model:

Created by Gabriel Almond

All political systems have political structures

All political systems carry out/perform the same set of functions

Example of Model in 1st Handout

Process Functions

IntArt IntAgg PoliMake PoliImp PoliAdj

System Functions

Important for preservation of system as a whole

Political Socialization + Political Recruit + Political Communication

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Notes for Intro to Comparative Politics: CHAPTER 1 Systems Model:  Created by David Easton  1 st^ moderate model for comparing politics  Political life = system b/c it centers around social life  Political system-system through which values are authoritatively allocated (giving/withholding) for an entire society  Separate from domestic environment Problems with Model:  Too much of an equilibrium across the model  Works better with democracies than with other types of political systems  Too much like a machine (far more going on in real system – not just inputs and outputs/ doesn’t cater to revolutions  Ethnocentrism – using one country’s system to judge others (not good for obvious reasons) Structural-Functional Model:  Created by Gabriel Almond  All political systems have political structures  All political systems carry out/perform the same set of functions Example of Model in 1st^ Handout Process Functions IntArt IntAgg PoliMake PoliImp PoliAdj System Functions Important for preservation of system as a whole Political Socialization + Political Recruit + Political Communication

Inputs Outputs Interest Articulation Policy Making Interest Aggregation Policy Implementation Political Socialization & Recruit Policy Adjudication Political Communication Interest Articulation: the way in which demands/interests are expressed and transmitted to decision makers for action Ex. Lobbyists, interest groups, political parties Interest Aggregation: to make demands and prioritize them for action Ex. Party platforms Political Socialization & Recruit: the way in which people acquire their political ideas OR the way in which people are resocialized into a new political system/ new leaders inducted into system Ex. Bolsheviks, immigration Political Communication: the way in which people are influenced to choose political systems Ex. Religion, heritage, ethnic grouping, schools Policy Making: the way in which decisions are made Ex. Legislation, House of Commons, political parties, bureaucracy Policy Implementation: the way in which policies are implemented Ex. Police, taxes, fines Policy Adjudication: the way in which challenges to policy are dealt with Ex. Courts, obeying laws  As political systems develop, structures become more differentiated to improve in specific function  Structural Diversification + Functional Specificity  This model carries some of the same problems of the other model

The Executive Branch of any government can be divided into two types: Ceremonial Effective Queen really draft policy Unity Symbol prime minister in Britain Heritage Tourism STATE:  set of governing institutions in a nation/ a community of peoples  abstract concept – not looking for specific entity or concrete object to compare to  manifested by government

governing institutions
presides over geographically defined territory and is final judge over lives in territory/absolute jurisdiction
sovereignty=power and rule it has, countries are equal to one another because of their sovereignty, nonintervention powerful in International Affairs: Westphalia (1648) – sovereign decides state religion
monopoly over use of force – only state can enlist arms

BRITAIN

 Major geographical subdivisions of the United Kingdom = England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland  Parliamentary democracy  Stable, has been around for centuries  Constitutional monarchy 2 Phases brought about Constitution

Parliament vs. Monarchy  1642 – Civil War  1648 – Charles I executed  Originally dominated by House of Lords  Parliament took all power away from monarch which allowed for political parties
Democratization process within Parliament  Became more representative of people  1832 – People Representation Law  1918 – allows women over 28 to vote  House of Commons grows more powerful over House of Lords British Constitution
Uncodified  No written document  Sources

Court decisions
Acts of Parliament
Works of authority  news during political changes
Traditions/Conventions  Completely unwritten  Very conservatively regarded  Can be broken without penalty but rarely ever are  Leader of majority becomes prime minister  Opposition leader is always second

Flexible  They can change their minds with little repercussion
Unitary Government  Central government doesn’t share any significant powers  One branch

Any people unsatisfied left to colonies/ safety valve – takes pressure off system
Monarchy is a surviving institution because it is a symbol of unity

Gradual/Incremental  Pragmatic/practical
Deferential Culture  Respect of authority  Traditional
Democratic  Fought for it so are more likely to keep it  Strong sense of individualism  Hold true elections (little corruption in election)  Can’t infringe on individual rights Parliament  Parliamentary term – 5 years  Prime minister can call election at any time  2 Party system since WWII  Labour & Conservative  Party holds all responsibility for government decisions  Prime minister is sometimes referred to as a constitutional dictator  Party members are very loyal and there are very view times they vote against Party or exempt their vote Conservative Party/Tory Established in the 1700s Ideology:  Free enterprise  Rugged individualism  Pragmatic  Unity of nation – no distinction between classes/ ability not birth  Freedom of choice  No public assistance/welfare – wish for voluntary assistance rather than government intervention  No nationalization of business  Prevent monopolies  Ensure workplace safety  Ensure full employment  Distribute industries evenly across geography

 Foreign Affairs:

Believed in spread of Empire
After WWII applied for admission to European Union but were held back for 10 years because of France’s apprehension Structure:

National Union  Umbrella organization for constituency associations  Comes up with agenda for the Annual Conference  Constituency Associations

Check electoral rolls
Spread the word
Recruit voters/sponsors for Party

Parliamentary Party  The people of the Party who are currently serving in either of the Houses  “public schools” – elite universities that most of the Conservative Party attended (Oxford, etc.)  Elects Party leader annually  If the Party leader dis already the Prime Minister then it is rare that they will change  Candidates have to have a 15% majority  By third ballot it goes to regular majority regardless of percentage
Central Office  Create Party policy  Party Leader headquarters  Where main leader of the Party meet
Annual Conference  Party Leader alone forms Party policy but uses the conference as a way of finding out the preferences of the Party (sounding board) Labour Party Established in 1900 Ideology: sympathy for the working class, people are inherently good, demarketize the economy, nationalization, sharply progressive income taxes, universal social welfare services, elimination of class differences Foreign Affairs: non-nuclear policy, unilateral disarmament, withdraw from European Union, lower immigration
Trade Unionism

Somewhat unionized
Ex. British Medical Association, National Union of Teachers, Confederation of British Industry  Media
BBC – run by government but still has reputation of impartiality
Free speech
Expose corruption but sometimes twist news  Official Secrets Act
All upper level civil servants and all classified positions must sign document
Says that you can not disclose any information once you have left your position
Can be a good or bad thing The British Disease  Relations between labor and management were tense even after the welfare state was created  Unemployment was at 3 to 4%  Workers began to strike for better wages and conditions  Waves of strikes led to Britain falling behind in economy and not adopting any new technology Postwar Consensus  Took on policy of Keynesian economics – believed that state should take part in economy  Creates the welfare state and National Healthcare System  Was necessary after large amount of damage from WWII European Union  Britain was happy to join up until issue of common currency (euro)  Felt that it infringed on their sense of individualism and their traditions of queen, crown and sovereignty  Thatcher had issues with joining because she did not want to sever ties with the U.S. just as France had a problem with Britain’s close ties to the U.S. being brought into the Union  However Britain wants the Union to expand to more countries for spread of democracy in the hopes of eradicating war  The U.S. wants expansion of the Union because if there are many countries than they won’t be able to make proper consensus decisions (too many cooks in the kitchen) Margaret Thatcher  Majored in chemistry  Went to law school

 Conservative Party leader  Elected in 1979 What She Did  Elected for 3 terms  Unions

New legislation to lessen power of unions
Laws that required workers to vote before initiating a strike
Added “cooling off” periods to lessen tension of workers
Used courts to seize unions
Ex. closed state coal mines – no mine = no union = no strike  Cut Taxes
Brought highest income tax down from 90% to 40%  Privatized industry  Allowed people to buy state held property  Allowed people to opt out of pension Results  Average income rose 40%  Inequality between classes and races rose  Unemployment rose 10% at peak and lowered toward the end of her time in office  Drug and crime rate rose Why She Lost Her Popularity  Corruption in government  People of her own Party thought her reforms were too radical  Too authoritarian – was called the “Iron Lady”  Wanted to change property tax to a poll tax (meaning # of heads in house which would alienate the poor)  Divided Party between Euroskeptics (those who didn’t want to join the European Union) like herself and those who did Election  Ran against Mike Heseltine but did not win over 15% majority so just decided to step down and give the position to her choice – John Major Tony Blair What He Did  Elected for 3 terms

Lecture Notes on Systems Model |, Study notes of Comparative Law and Politics

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BRITAIN