Advanced Placement
Comparative Government

mr. crawford

Unit Two

An effective comparison of political systems must accurately describe and satisfactorily explain the similarities and differences of the systems being compared, and the scientific approach to the study of comparative government necessarily means a search for generalizations, regularities of behavior, and--even more ambitiously--laws of social and political process. The modern method of political science has sought to formulate general statements applicable to large numbers of particular cases. This search for generalizations is essential if comparative analysis is to be effective, but it is not easy because of the multiplicity and diversity of human actions and interactions. This is the reason political scientists turn to theories, propositions, paradigms, and models. These tools are simplified pictures of reality that social scientists develop to order data, make assumptions, and predict outcomes. By its very nature, however, the scientific method must simplify reality. All the information available cannot be factored into a theory or model; a model that is as complex as the real world would be of no help in actually understanding the real world. Therefore, political scientists must learn to select which points are important and ignore the rest. This unit will focus on the the major criteria used for analysis and evaluation, and will introduce the core models and paradigms of comparative analysis. Our frame of reference will be the system of government with which we are most familiar: The United States.

Questions and Concepts:

• What is society's basic socio-economic organization, and what are the political consequences of this socio-economic organization?
• How is the socio-economic organization of society expressed in the institutions of the state?
• How does society deal with political conflict?
• What is the source of political authority and power?
• Why do citizens accept the state as legitimate?
• What are the important aspects of the civic culture?
• What is the relevance of civic culture to the political system?
• How does the process of political socialization work?
• What are the roles played by citizens in political life?
• Why do citizens differ in the degree and type of political involvement, and what factors affect this?
• What type of ideological regime is the dominant form of political expression in this society? Why?
• What are the institutions, structures, and basic functions of the state? The national government?
• What is the extent or scope of government activity?
• How does the policy-making process work?
• What are the sources, nature, and consequences of political change?

Vocabulary: