Politics

Politics

Review (Brief History)The State

Definition

“The activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.”Oxford Dictionaries

“The study of government and the state.” Oxford Dictionaries

Primitive stage

TribesSedentarySense of belonging sharing a common past.Punishments to stablish a sense of law.

Greece

Polis (State cities) social organization with political institutions.Social stratificationAristoteles: Types of governments

Monarchy: tirannyAristocracy: oligarchyDemocracy: demo’s government

Res publica: Citizens participation

Middle Age

Feudalism:Land = worthCatholic church: battle for the power• Pope (Italy) vs. Nobility (Spain and

France)

Reinassance

Machiavelli: Political Science

The Prince (1513)• The ends justifies the

means.• Be feared instead of

loved.• War is justified when it

is necessary.

Reinassance

Jean BodinSovereignty (a self governing state –capacity-)From the people to the sovereing.Controversial term

Reinassance (England)

Thomas HobbesLeviathan

• Problem: how human beings can live together in peace and avoid the danger and fear of civil conflict.

• Solution: obedience to an unaccountable sovereign (a person or group empowered to decide every social and political issue)

Modern State (Enlightenment)

Adam Smith:Laissez faire, laissez passer The Wealth of Nations (1776)• Economic freedom• Bourgeoisie: new social class.• Someone earning money by his own labor

benefits himself. 

Modern State (Enlightenment)John Locke (1632-1704)

Opposition to authoritarianism; use of reason, human rights.

Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)

Theory of the separation of powers which had an enormous impact on liberal political theory (legislative, executive, and judicial power)

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): The Social Contract Theory The central claim of his work is that human beings are basically good by nature, but were corrupted by the complex historical events that resulted in present day civil society.

The State: What is it?

State• Sovereign

entities capable of making decisions regarding their national interest.

Nation• Coherent group

of people connected and link by some variable.

Nation-states• Sovereignty• Territory• Population• Diplomatic

recognition• Internal

organization • Domestic support

Conditions for the existence of a State of Law

Recognition of the supreme ethical values of Law, joined with the society’s will to follow them.

A group of techniques that will be useful to practice the submission to the law.

Remember: Principles

of Law

But…which techniques?

Techniques

1. Existence of a constitution (supreme character)

2. Establishment of certain rights or guarantees3. Recognition of the principle of legality

(accordance w/the law)4. Division of powers5. Possibility of participation of the citizens in

public affairs6. Free role of the media7. Capacity to complain or appeal any judicial

ruling.

The Constitution

Definition•Fundamental law, •Document that contains all the basic rulings on the organization and structure of a state.

Origins:•This idea was first expressed in Europe in the XVI century

•More important in the 13 English colonies United States (1784)

The constitution A constitution must contain:Individual and social rights that the state must protect.Clear indications of the government institutions and organizations.Organization and structure of the public administration.

ClassificationAccording to their presentation• Written and non written

According to their reform procedure:• Rigid and flexible

Contents and classification

Types of government

PresidentialDirect electionFixed periodsVery clear separation of powers

ParliamentaryCongress elected directly (president indirectly)Flexible periodsRequires coalitions

Head of State & Head of Government

What is the difference..??

Legislative power

Dictate, modify and revoke the laws thatrule the country.

Steps for the creation of lawsInitiative• Only the congressmen, the executive power, and

the states of the federation

Discussion Approval (depending on the matter)Sanction (signature)Put in force

Executive power (Administration)It is characterized by the group of activities by which the state provides the satisfaction of public need.Achieved through a series of organisms, closely related, that have a common hierarchy according to the law.

Executive power (Administration)

This organisms create the so-called public administration.It can be handle following two directions:

Centralized and,Decentralized

This function is personalized in the “Head of the State”

Jurisdictional power

It must solve, by using the laws, all the controversies that might arise between private parties and the state.The judges interpret and apply the law, in order to provide a ruling (sentencia) that must be obeyed by the parties in conflict.

What is power??

Capacity to influence others actions.Implies the interaction between FREEDOM and ORDERCan be exercised through:

AuthorityInfluenceControl of resources

Definition of Authority

The power or right to give orders , make decisions, and enforce obedienceA person or organization having power or control in a particular, typically political or administrative, sphere

According to Oxford Dictionaries

Government’s authorityCharacteristics

Socially recognizedImpersonalExercised by the government to carry out the actions that lead the country to the “common good”.It is manifested through:

Ability to give ordersThe creation of laws and regulationsThe administration of public goods and services

Leadership Why follow a person and gave it political power?

• Max Weber (1948): one of the first leadership theorists to recognize that leadership itself was situational in nature, and that true leaders needed to move dynamically from one type of leadership style to another to remain successful. Types of leaders

• Traditional• Functional• Charismatic

Why do we need leaders..?

Individuals need to participate in politics according to their beliefsThere are several ways in which this can be possible:

Political partiesLobbies and,Civil society

Political partiesThey were originated in their modern form in Europe and the U.S. in the 19th century.

 Also, they develop a political program that defines their ideology

Sets out the agenda they would pursue to gain power.

**The manner of thinking that characterized agroup. The way they perceived reality.

Background

Cadre parties: (18th and 19th century) Aim at attracting only an active elite.Vote was restricted to white men with property and to those that paid taxes.Masses were not taken into account.

Mass-based parties: (20th century)Appeal for support to the whole electorate, all the people which were interested in participate.With a strong structure and organization.

Systems

Multiparty: Depends on the type of the electoral system.

Usually the main example of Democracy• Not for the USA & Great Britain

In Europe: Conservative, Liberal and Socialist.In Latin America: Conservative & Liberal

SystemsBipartisan: Tends to be unstable. But the reason why it works in the following examples is because they have Constitutions before the 20th century.

USA: Historical background federalists vs. Republicans. Then Republicans vs. Democrats• Cadre parties; • Both liberals but Republicans tend to be more

conservative.

Great Britain: Historical background conservative vs. liberal (Tories & Whigs). • Nowadays Conservative and Labour.

Systems

Single / Hegemonic party: Communists or Socialists countries.

Totalitarism Fascist• Italy, Germany, USSR• Mexico?

– 1929 Plutarco Elías Calles (Partido Nacional Revolucionario) Hegemonic

– 1994 Dominant– 2000 Opposition

Lobbies and Civil societyCharacteristics

When people organize themselves to participate in public affairsHas very specific demandsFlexible organizationsSeek to influence government decisionsTake actions to complement those the government do.