Comparative Politics Patrick O'Neil

This is chapter one through page 10, a combination of in class notes and terms from the text. Hope it helps.

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In comparative Politics, what do we compare?
Political institutions, types of governments, economic status, history and culture, and social makeups.
What is the definition of state?
Organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory
What is the definition of Government?
The leadership that administers the state.
What is a failed state?
A state that has lost legitimacy and power.
What is a nation?
A group of people with commonalities and shared identity such as language and culture
The definition of legitimacy
The extent to which a governments authority is regarded as right and proper.
How governments get legitimacy
Efficiency. Governments can draw legitimacy from tradition, charasmatic or rational - legal sources
Traditional legitimacy
The state is obeyed because it has a long tradition of being obeyed.
Charasmatic legitimacy
Identification with the magnetic appeal of a leader or movement
Rational-Legal Legitimacy
A system of laws and procedures that become highly institutionalized.
Where do most modern states derive their legitimacy?
Most modern states derive their legitimacy from rational-legal sources
Give an example of a state that used traditional legitimacy
In Japan and UK the monarchy is a source of traditional legitimacy that complements the rational-legal legitimacy of the state. l
Unitary Stystem
Political power is centralized; most power concentrated in captial- very few powers left to region of local bodies.
Federal System
Political Power is shared. Can hamper national decision making and accountability.
Devolution
The handing down of power. In unitary systems can initiate calls for this.