8-9-2014
Politics (lec1)
What is politics?
What is ‘Politics’?
Study of power. Not only about government. More about power in general.
- The activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate
between parties having power
- Activities aimed at improving someone’s status or increasing power within an organization.
What is power?
Ability to control (others). Ability to impose.
- The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others to the course of events
(OED)
- The ability to get others to do something that they would not otherwise do (Dahl 1961).
- “Who gets what when and how” (Lasswell 1936)
- Overly focused on the material
- “The authoritative allocation of values for a society” (Easton 1965)
- Values: material and non-material
Subfields: Political Philosophy
- The study of concepts that relate to the conduct of politics
- Government
- How should we structure government?
- What makes good (ethical) government?
- Justice
- Is retribution justice?
- Distributive Justice (who should get what?)
- Liberty
- What is the nature of liberty?
- Can liberty exist apart from the state?
- Property
- Is there a moral justification for (idle/excess) property?
- Rights
- Should rights be overturned for the greater good?
- War
- Is there such a things as a just war? What does it look like?
- How should state leaders wage war?
Subfields: Policy and Administration Studies
- Practical research resulting in policy advice or proposals.
- Are the politics proposed correct?
- The development of models to assess policy processes.
- Can time be saved in the decision-making process?
- Can quality of decisions be improved?
- Training of policy professionals.
Subfields: International Relations
- The study of the interaction between states (and other entities that are involved in cross
border politics)
- Realism: Focus on power and the urge for states to maintain their sovereignty,
power, and survival. States are sovereign; US can’t tell other states what to do. (Arms race)
- Liberalism: Focus on cooperation between states, wealth creation, and institution
building.
- Constructivism: Focus on identity issues between states and within the international
system as a whole.
- Other approaches: world systems theory; green IR; feminism, English School…
,Subfields: Comparative Politics
- The study of political phenomena across states
- NB: The states themselves are not usually the focus
- E.g. The focus on the relations hip between trust in government and health
care coverage not ‘America’ or ‘Germany’
- A method of study and not a body of theory
- In itself, comparative politics does not predict anything; it gives us a way of testing our
expectations
- Focused on variables and correlation
- Independent variables = inputs
- Dependent variables = outputs
- Comparative politics is not the same things as simply talking about countries as if they are
similar.
Occupational Hazards (Edison, 2004)
Three things in place = success.
- Examines the likelihood that military occupations will succeed
- Dependent variable: Success or failure
- Success defined as whether the occupation furthers the interests of the occupying
power
- Transition to democracy is not necessary for ‘success’
Does the occupation help secure the region?
Does the occupation come at a reasonable cost?
- Independent variables
o Necessity of the occupation (Does the occupied country need help?)
o Commonly perceived threat
o Guarantee that the occupying forces will withdraw is credible
Conclusions from comparison
- The historical conditions needed for successful occupation are rare
- They probably only ever occurred simultaneously after the Second World War
- Most case studies show us that occupations usually fail
o Potential occupiers should be extremely cautious before embarking on military
adventures that may lead to occupation
John Stuart Mill’s methods of comparison
- Method of Agreement
- If two or more examples have a variable in common, and all only have only one other
variable in common, the variables are correlated
- Method of difference
If a dependent variable is common to all instances but one, and in that one instance,
the independent variable is different, the variables are correlated
, 15-9-2014
Politics (lec2)
Political Philosophy
Political science = the study of politics.
Politics is about the ideas, organization, morality of power at the public level. Also at private level?
(gay marriage, one-child policy)
Who gets what, when and how? – and why?
Harold Lasswell 1902-1978
Politics is about the organization (institutions) and the morality (legitimacy) of ‘power’ at the public
level, in all its forms and varieties.
Division, distribution, re-distribution (reason why we have what we have).
What is political science?
The systematic study of politics. Provides us with the tools (concepts, methods) to generate
knowledge and undemanding of politics to better understand the political world, to bring order in the
chaos of real political life, with its countless variables, the unpredictability of human behaviour…
And how it relates to: political theory, political ideology, and political philosophy.
Theory, Ideology, Philosophy
Theory – By humans about political life. Is theoretical (supposed to do). Need to understand reality.
Ideology – Ideas and beliefs that direct guide real policies. About goals and how to achieve them.
Philosophy – Critically, systematically studies relevant (‘timeless’) political issues, philosophical perspective
Political theory
- Empirical theory supports description and explanation: (of political events) ( attempt to understand reality)
- Interest group theory, rational choice theory, totalitarianism (aspiration of total control)
- Normative political theory adds prescription to analysis: (how it should be/has to be)
- Communitarianism stress community, democratic peace democracies do not fight other demos, Marxism
Democracy leads to peace – inspiration
Marxism: way to analyse society + tells us how ideal type of society should look like.
Classless society; exterminate difference (bourgeoisie/proletariat).
Political ideology
- Set of ideas and beliefs that direct, guide real policies –a bout desirable politic al goals and
how to achieve them
- It is about the ‘isms’ in this world: conservatism, liberalism, socialism (Marxism, in all its
varieties…), Islamism (?)
- Democracy is not an ideology, but liberalism is. Liberal democracy comes close. Democracy
based on norms and values, but also organization.
Political culture/culture and politics
- The structure of configuration of common traditional political orientations of a group of people,
a society…
Culture and politics:
- Culture as a variable of politics or the issue of universalism…?
Case:
- Democracy: conditions or agency? Western or universal?
Can you build a liberal democracy without having a sizeable/stable middle class? Also implies a
relatively equal society.
Can you build a democracy in a predominantly Islamic society? E.g. Turkey, Indonesia – you can.
Culture is precondition of democracy.
- (political) tolerance is the spark of Dutch political culture? Dutch society has always been
diverse, and we needed to work together in order to survive – accepted differences (religious).
- Culture is a variable of politics. In culture are aspects and elements which prevent or enable a
given political order to be build.
Democracy is a universal value (like human rights) and can be applied everywhere.
Universality – are we one world? Does democracy fit other types of societies (culture, history…)
Politics (lec1)
What is politics?
What is ‘Politics’?
Study of power. Not only about government. More about power in general.
- The activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate
between parties having power
- Activities aimed at improving someone’s status or increasing power within an organization.
What is power?
Ability to control (others). Ability to impose.
- The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others to the course of events
(OED)
- The ability to get others to do something that they would not otherwise do (Dahl 1961).
- “Who gets what when and how” (Lasswell 1936)
- Overly focused on the material
- “The authoritative allocation of values for a society” (Easton 1965)
- Values: material and non-material
Subfields: Political Philosophy
- The study of concepts that relate to the conduct of politics
- Government
- How should we structure government?
- What makes good (ethical) government?
- Justice
- Is retribution justice?
- Distributive Justice (who should get what?)
- Liberty
- What is the nature of liberty?
- Can liberty exist apart from the state?
- Property
- Is there a moral justification for (idle/excess) property?
- Rights
- Should rights be overturned for the greater good?
- War
- Is there such a things as a just war? What does it look like?
- How should state leaders wage war?
Subfields: Policy and Administration Studies
- Practical research resulting in policy advice or proposals.
- Are the politics proposed correct?
- The development of models to assess policy processes.
- Can time be saved in the decision-making process?
- Can quality of decisions be improved?
- Training of policy professionals.
Subfields: International Relations
- The study of the interaction between states (and other entities that are involved in cross
border politics)
- Realism: Focus on power and the urge for states to maintain their sovereignty,
power, and survival. States are sovereign; US can’t tell other states what to do. (Arms race)
- Liberalism: Focus on cooperation between states, wealth creation, and institution
building.
- Constructivism: Focus on identity issues between states and within the international
system as a whole.
- Other approaches: world systems theory; green IR; feminism, English School…
,Subfields: Comparative Politics
- The study of political phenomena across states
- NB: The states themselves are not usually the focus
- E.g. The focus on the relations hip between trust in government and health
care coverage not ‘America’ or ‘Germany’
- A method of study and not a body of theory
- In itself, comparative politics does not predict anything; it gives us a way of testing our
expectations
- Focused on variables and correlation
- Independent variables = inputs
- Dependent variables = outputs
- Comparative politics is not the same things as simply talking about countries as if they are
similar.
Occupational Hazards (Edison, 2004)
Three things in place = success.
- Examines the likelihood that military occupations will succeed
- Dependent variable: Success or failure
- Success defined as whether the occupation furthers the interests of the occupying
power
- Transition to democracy is not necessary for ‘success’
Does the occupation help secure the region?
Does the occupation come at a reasonable cost?
- Independent variables
o Necessity of the occupation (Does the occupied country need help?)
o Commonly perceived threat
o Guarantee that the occupying forces will withdraw is credible
Conclusions from comparison
- The historical conditions needed for successful occupation are rare
- They probably only ever occurred simultaneously after the Second World War
- Most case studies show us that occupations usually fail
o Potential occupiers should be extremely cautious before embarking on military
adventures that may lead to occupation
John Stuart Mill’s methods of comparison
- Method of Agreement
- If two or more examples have a variable in common, and all only have only one other
variable in common, the variables are correlated
- Method of difference
If a dependent variable is common to all instances but one, and in that one instance,
the independent variable is different, the variables are correlated
, 15-9-2014
Politics (lec2)
Political Philosophy
Political science = the study of politics.
Politics is about the ideas, organization, morality of power at the public level. Also at private level?
(gay marriage, one-child policy)
Who gets what, when and how? – and why?
Harold Lasswell 1902-1978
Politics is about the organization (institutions) and the morality (legitimacy) of ‘power’ at the public
level, in all its forms and varieties.
Division, distribution, re-distribution (reason why we have what we have).
What is political science?
The systematic study of politics. Provides us with the tools (concepts, methods) to generate
knowledge and undemanding of politics to better understand the political world, to bring order in the
chaos of real political life, with its countless variables, the unpredictability of human behaviour…
And how it relates to: political theory, political ideology, and political philosophy.
Theory, Ideology, Philosophy
Theory – By humans about political life. Is theoretical (supposed to do). Need to understand reality.
Ideology – Ideas and beliefs that direct guide real policies. About goals and how to achieve them.
Philosophy – Critically, systematically studies relevant (‘timeless’) political issues, philosophical perspective
Political theory
- Empirical theory supports description and explanation: (of political events) ( attempt to understand reality)
- Interest group theory, rational choice theory, totalitarianism (aspiration of total control)
- Normative political theory adds prescription to analysis: (how it should be/has to be)
- Communitarianism stress community, democratic peace democracies do not fight other demos, Marxism
Democracy leads to peace – inspiration
Marxism: way to analyse society + tells us how ideal type of society should look like.
Classless society; exterminate difference (bourgeoisie/proletariat).
Political ideology
- Set of ideas and beliefs that direct, guide real policies –a bout desirable politic al goals and
how to achieve them
- It is about the ‘isms’ in this world: conservatism, liberalism, socialism (Marxism, in all its
varieties…), Islamism (?)
- Democracy is not an ideology, but liberalism is. Liberal democracy comes close. Democracy
based on norms and values, but also organization.
Political culture/culture and politics
- The structure of configuration of common traditional political orientations of a group of people,
a society…
Culture and politics:
- Culture as a variable of politics or the issue of universalism…?
Case:
- Democracy: conditions or agency? Western or universal?
Can you build a liberal democracy without having a sizeable/stable middle class? Also implies a
relatively equal society.
Can you build a democracy in a predominantly Islamic society? E.g. Turkey, Indonesia – you can.
Culture is precondition of democracy.
- (political) tolerance is the spark of Dutch political culture? Dutch society has always been
diverse, and we needed to work together in order to survive – accepted differences (religious).
- Culture is a variable of politics. In culture are aspects and elements which prevent or enable a
given political order to be build.
Democracy is a universal value (like human rights) and can be applied everywhere.
Universality – are we one world? Does democracy fit other types of societies (culture, history…)
