Comparative Government

AP Comparative GovernmentCore Countries: The BasicsIndustrialized DemocraciesCommunist and Former Communist RegimesLess Developed CountriesGreat Britain

The BasicsThe KingdomsOne of worlds most densely populated countriesNo longer an all white countryWelfare state is still strongPolitical PartiesConservativeThatcherElitist and effective party organizationOpening organization to more democratic processes led to Thatchers electionSince Thatcher, party has struggled to find success

LabourBegan as alliance of unions, socialists, and cooperative associations in the early 20th centuryNew Labour, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and younger, more moderate leaders took over in mid-1990s

Political CultureIdentification with the UK has declined in past 40 yearsResurgence of support for regional parties in Scotland and WalesDevolution (regional parliaments)Monarchys loss of influence and prestigeIncreasing racial diversity (most born in the UK)Growing importance of the EU

Political ParticipationInterest groupsTrades Union Council and Confederation of British Industries are dominant peak associationsLobbying must be done at highest levels where bills are drafted

The British State: Enduring Myths and Changing RealitiesThe Monarchy and the Lords: visible but powerlessParliamentary sovereignty, sort ofReal power lies with leadership of majority partyCollective responsibility is key to power

Mexico

The BasicsPovertySlow economic growthHigh unemploymentMassive national debtNorthward emigration remittances

DiversityGeographic and climatic variationsVariety of ethnic heritagesLinguistic and cultural diversity

U.S. Mexican relationshipEconomic interdependenceMexican immigration to the U.S.Cross border drug traffic

Political CultureParochials: Indians not well integrated into Mexican systemSubjects: majority who tolerate the system (elderly, poor, women, peasant farmers)PRI participants: beneficiaries of the party and its dominanceAnti-PRI participants: opposition based on policy differences

The federal systemMost state and local governments still dominated by PRIPAN and PRD have won more and more elections in last decadeThe militaryNon-political military for past 60 yearsCorruption and drug trade threaten militarys reputation and effectiveness

Public PolicyDebt and DevelopmentCrisis of the 1980s oil pricesPrivatizationOpening up the economyU.S.- Mexico relationshipImmigrationDrugsIran

The BasicsPersia vs. Iransome reformers (like the Pahlevis) emphasized Persian roots and traditionsothers emphasized Shiite values and traditionsethnic diversity complicates simplistic divisions

The BasicsShiite vs. SunniShiite dominance in Iranestablished clergy and theological trainingtradition of theological debate to reach truthbefore Islamic revolution, most clergy shunned politics

Persia vs. Shiism: two powerful traditionsSocial and economic conditionshuge oil reservesincome and wealth distribution is highly unequalbrain drain since 1979challenges of the very young population

The Status of WomenIslamic debate about roles of womenwomen suffered from Islamic revolution changes

People and PoliticsPolitical Cultureno homogeneous political culturecleavages within Shiismdivision between rural and urban poor and urban middle class and wealthyunpredictable evolution of huge youth cohort

Iranian StateUnelected elementsSupreme Leader: controls military, media, judiciary, and clerical hierarchyGuardian Council: approves all candidates and legislationExpediency Council: mediates between majlis and Guardian Counciljudiciary

Elected InstitutionsPresidentAssembly of ExpertsMajlis

ElectorateAssembly of Religious ExpertsChief Judge

(Judiciary)Guardian CouncilIslamic Majlies

(Legislative)President

(Executive)Leadership CouncilSupreme LeaderCabinetPublic PolicyFaith and gendertheocracytreatment of women is a telling sign of state of affairsThe Economyaverage wealth equal to Mexico or Russiadependence on export of oilpoverty, inflation, and unemployment of youth are unsolved problemsbonyads, created from seized property of former regime leaders and powerful economic influence

Russia

The BasicsGeography: a huge country at high northern latitudesDiversity: dozens of cultural and ethnic identities preserved into the 21st centuryPoverty: a poor country that got poorer after 1989 until oil prices began risingThe Environment: pollution and the health problems it causes are endemic all across the country

The Russian StateParty StateDemocratic Centralism

Nomenklatura: maintaining loyalty and choosing successors

ReformGlasnost: greater transparency in Party and government operationDemocratization: strengthening of government powers and the election of a legislaturePeristroika: economic restructuring and introduction of market mechanismsSmall-scale private ownershipAgricultural reformFacilitation of joint ventures with foreign investors

PutinNamed PM and acting presidentElected president and consolidated powerSince 2000, Putin has centralized power more and more on presidency (or is it on Putin?)

Political ParticipationHaving relied on force, regimes lack legitimacyPeople expect an authoritarian systemWeak and small civil society

Political ParticipationPutins manipulation of parties has caused a lack of legitimacyElectionsLow ParticipationChanging parties and rules reduces legitimacyThe Russian State

Public PolicyEconomyLargely privatized but economy still shrinkingMost Russians are still poorMediaOpen since the 90s but Putin has been consolidating to loyal oligarchs since 2000Putins Plan Watch Putins Plan here.China

The BasicsThe worlds most populous countryRelative ethnic homogeneityGreat linguistic differences within one languagePoverty deep and widespreadGreat growth of middle class

The Chinese StateMao thought people were poor and blank and could easily be taught a new political and economic cultureCultural change the primary priority for MaoistsCollectivismStruggle and activismEgalitarianism and populismSelf-relianceState domination of all agents of socializationCultural change has become a much less important goal since 76

The Chinese StateParticipation from the top downCCP determines what people should do and organizes their participationMore than 70 million Party members engage in implementation of policy decided by leadershipLess top-down activity as more people are involved in enterprises not directly controlled by the Party and government

Public PolicyForeign Policy2008 Olympics North KoreaAgricultureMost peasants still very poorPeople leave countryside for urban opportunities at every chanceMediaTightly controlled by the CCPNigeria

The BasicsHuge populationFertile soilWell-educated eliteVast oil and gas reservesPoverty

The BasicsEthnic Diversity400 ethnic groupsMultiplicity of languages

The Nigerian StateHistory of colonialismCycle of military rule and republic

The Nigerian StateMass political culturePeople dissatisfied with political systemPeople prefer democracy to other regimesFragmented and polarized populaceEthnicallyReligiouslyRegionallyEconomically

Brain Drain