Political Culture
Define political culture.
Shared attitudes, beliefs, and values about political processes within a society.
Define a multiparty system.
A system where more than two political parties have realistic chances of winning elections.
Define primordialism regarding nationalism.
The idea that nations have deep, ancient roots based on inherent ethnic or kinship ties.
Differentiate social movements from revolutions.
Social movements seek policy change; revolutions aim for comprehensive regime or structural changes.
Who were two major classical political economists?
Answer: Adam Smith and Karl Marx.
What is a civic culture, according to Almond and Verba?
A culture characterized by active citizen participation, political trust, and belief in one's influence over politics.
According to Duverger’s Law, which electoral system tends to produce two-party systems?
Plurality or "first-past-the-post" voting systems.
Describe symmetric federalism.
A federal system where all subnational units (states or provinces) have equal powers.
Which country sparked the Arab Spring?
Tunisia.
What does the Gini coefficient measure and what do 0 and 1 signify?
Income inequality within a country. 1 means highly unequal.
How did Almond and Verba propose to measure political culture?
Using survey data to analyze individuals' attitudes toward political institutions and processes.
How do one-party dominant systems differ from single-party systems?
One-party dominant allows multiple parties but only one party consistently wins; single-party allows only one legal party.
What do perennialists believe about national identity?
National identity has existed historically but isn't necessarily ancient or continuous from prehistoric times.
What does the "iron law of oligarchy" imply for social movements?
It suggests movements often become controlled by a small group of leaders or elites.
How does gender equality support development?
Empowering women enhances overall economic, educational, and health outcomes.
Distinguish between parochial, subject, and participant political cultures.
Parochial: minimal citizen interest/knowledge; Subject: passive obedience; Participant: active political engagement.
Why do authoritarian regimes have political parties despite limited or no electoral competition?
Parties help legitimize the regime, mobilize the public, and control political participation.
Give an example of asymmetric federalism.
Canada or Russia, where some regions have special autonomy.
What are "everyday forms of resistance"?
Small, informal acts of opposition such as work slowdowns or non-compliance with authorities.
Define sustainable development.
Development that meets current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs.
Why is trust important in a civic culture?
Trust facilitates cooperation, stable democracy, and reduces political conflicts.
Explain how electoral systems shape the number of parties represented in legislatures.
Proportional systems encourage multiple parties by rewarding smaller parties; plurality systems discourage multiple parties by favoring major parties.
Explain how federalism affects debates over policies like abortion or healthcare in the U.S.
Federalism allows states to make different policies, causing clashes between state and federal governments over who has ultimate authority.
What limitation of digital activism does Zeynep Tufekci highlight?
Online mobilization is easy initially but often lacks sustained commitment and organizational structure.
Identify the three main indicators in the Human Development Index (HDI).
Income, education, and life expectancy.