Comparative Political

Analysis
Introduction
 The Alternative:
Western Model of
Limited political
Freedom:
Vs. liberties
Liberal Democracy
State capitalism
Market Economy
Protectionism
 Results?

Economic crisis Strong economic

Rising inequality growth
Political Vs. Declining inequality
dysfunction Effective
infrastructures
What is the future of democracy?
What is the future of the market
economy?
 What are the really big questions?

What explains the global proliferation and acceptance of democracy and

democratic values? What explains the backlash and backsliding?

What (if any) are the prerequisites for a successful democracy? What defines a
successful democracy? Where and when does democracy survive? When and
where does nondemocracy survive?

What are the domestic and international sources of legitimacy for democratic
and nondemocratic leaders? How does globalization impact these sources of
legitimacy?

How do democracies and nondemocracies cope with the challenges of

international economic integration? Is one more successful than the other?

Can domestic politics mitigate the dark side of the market? Prevent a race to
the bottom?

Whats gone wrong with democracy? Whats been right with nondemocracy?
 Course Focus: 2nd image

Waltzs 3 images:
1st image: individual level
2nd image: state level
3rd image: system level (international)
Course focus on 2nd image and 2nd image reversed:
Regime type global power distributions, wealth, and the
market
Global power distributions, wealth, and the market
regime type
 Course Focus: Scientific inquiry

Political science objective is to increase the clarity and accuracy of our

understanding about the political world
Theories- sets of systematically related generalizations that provide
explanations and predictions about the linkages between certain concepts
Example: Democratic Peace Theory
In developing theory, key elements are variables and causal relationships
between variables
Dependent variable (Y): phenomenon to be explained (Peace)
Independent variable (X): factors thought to affect phenomenon (Democracy)
X causes Y (higher X causes lower Y, etc.) (Democracies peace)
Case Study: intensive study of a single case where the purpose of that study is
to shed light on a larger class of cases
 Course Trajectory

Background on Regime Type

Democracies, Nondemocracies, and Transitions/
Consolidations
Research Methods
Guided by the democratic peace theory
Emphasis on case study methodology
Critical Analysis of Regime Type and the International
System
Economic development, integration, and participation
(growth, poverty, international organizations)