Lecture One January 8th 2015 What is political science The study of politics What makes it different is not the topic but how we go about studying it our method of knowing Epistemology A method of knowing Philosophy search for a general understanding of value by speculative rather than observational utopia in head the oughts V Science system of knowledge that trys to create general truth and laws and trys to test these claims Ideology is understanding of the world or how things are ought be This leads to a normative ought what should our govt ought to do Political is not ought but how things actually are Political science is more focused on positive empirical are Much more interested in polisci in casual questions how does X cause Y Representation vs demographics vs actually representing the people the right Fact based definitions way Hypothesis testing products of theory Weather decreases turnout and in turn decrease democratic party votes What is politics Often equated with power E Scheinder said power quote Plato from ancient Greece attempted to define politics Harold Lasswell who gets what when and how Says politics is about getting something Imprecise definition and doesn t help us define politics David Easton The authoritative allocation of value for a society About establishing values for the society Social level is undefined office family tribes Robert Dalh A relationship of influence between two or more actors Equated politics and power is a relationship of power A wants X and B wants not X Saying war is the absence of the relationship war begins where politics ends Relationship is negotiated through rules versus war Breeds conflict because it s a relationship Lecture Two January 13th 2015 What is politics Politics does not require success One side does not have to convert the other side Politics exist where the relationship exist Exist potentially everywhere home job Politics process through which individuals and group reach agreement on a course of common or collective action even as they continue to disagree on the goals that action is intended to achieve Need rules in place to decide which policy we are going to choose because you cant have both How we engage each other Individual Choices Social Costs Successful politics almost always includes compromise and bargaining The ones most moderate have the most bills passed due to willing to compromise rather than those extreme Shot gun all of our daily interactions Allows for the continuation of a relationship with that person May not always lead to happy ends where both sides are satisfied Allows for social exchange For stability we make rules of exchange When the founders went to the convention of 1707 they wanted to write rules of exchange Created a set rules where we could change the rules of exchange Society will change people will change provided it can be changed although it was difficult to change standard rules 2 3 of house 2 3 of senate of state to change rules Created rules to minimalize conflict American public is more moderate than the representatives Constitutions and Government The constitution of a nation creates its governing institutions and the set of rules prescribing the political process these institutions must follow to reach and enforce collective agreements The government in turn consists of those institutions created by the constitution and charged with making and enforcing collective agreement Examples of Government Monarchy British are governed by a constitution which ever party is in majority rules government But also agree not to outlaw the majority party Not even written down because not needed no concern the majority will restrict the rights of the minority There is no great divide in the majority Not seeking to outlaw or be punitive to others Monarch has no governing powers more of a tradition a thread through their culture legacy ceremonial Republics representative democracy Tranny of the majority Government in the united states is a democratic republic Both republicans and democrats are both republicans and democrats Theocracy Religion dominates Dictatorship One individual rules everything Person comes to power by force and control Institutions Institutions consists of roles that are designed and linked together with rules to perform some intended purpose Institutions are the formal or informal rules of the game Formal can be written statue Informal social norms unwritten culture is a set of norms unwritten rules ex walking on the left side of the side walk Political scientists use to scientific method Rational Choice Theory how political elites work how nations interact positive empirical theory Four main assumptions Individuals have goals which they attempt to achieve the moral value of actors goals is not judge Understanding the individual Each individual has a goal in mind something you really want safety security entertainment Individuals have freedom of choice Although institutions can constrain choice individuals are free to choose between alternatives Which of these do I prefer the most Individuals choose actions that they believe will maximize their goals The self interest axiom Does the theory explain what it is trying to explain Can we use this Rational choice theorists deliberately simplify and abstract reality in their models of politics create generalizations to look like reality Rational behavior means choosing the best means to gain a predetermined theory set of goals Rational means someone who is pursing their goals and someone who is not pursuing their goals is irrationals The Prisoners Dilemma present them with a choice The minor evidence will leave them with a misdemeanor 5 yrs More evidence will result in a felony charge 10 yrs Butch and Rocco example in jail and will rat the other for no years in jail Strategy 1 both keep quite Potential outcomes 5 years vs 10 years Strategy 1 squeal on partner Go free Both squeal 7 yrs each Combined 10 yrs v combined 14 years Lecture 3 January 15th 2015 Butch and Rocco due to rational self interest both want to squeal to maximize their chances of freedom Everyone ends up being worse off if personal goals outweighs group goals social costs Relates to members of congress and wanting to bring projects to their district If all do it will spend to much money Each actor involved has an individual desire to pursue but collectively wouldn t be good for district The prisoner s dilemma is a game that is played repeated Builds trust between
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