Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 1

COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT: UNITED STATES

Kathleen M. Dibley

Grand Canyon University

Professor Ali Sloan

POS 345

April 26, 2011

 Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 2

Comparative Government: United States

Comparative politics looks at and compares societies of all nations to answer the

question of why and how countries become democratic, fascists, or communists.

Comparativists hopes the knowledge will help make the world a better place in which live by

helping people to make better moral decisions about who is ruling their country. They compare

and analyze people and their nation's political processes using comparative themes. The

themes this essay addresses are: World of States, Governing the Economy, the Democratic

Idea, and Politics of Collective Identity[ CITATION Kes09 \l 1033 ].

Comparativists look at social, economic, ideological, institutional, and internationally, in

beginning stages of a countries democracies. They look at democracies, which has become

unstable and/or fell into the role of a dictator. They compare countries that turned their backs

on dictatorships and countries who adopted democratic elections [ CITATION Scm06 \l 1033 ].

They compare the democracy of the United States and its Democratic politics, processes,

policies, and attitudes with other nations to help determine or make sense of the political

processes which exist globally[ CITATION Kes09 \l 1033 ].

Domestic politics are influences inside of country. International politics are outside

influences of other states that compete economically and politically. Influences are the

internet, media, large corporate influences, cultures, and values. This has changed the world

and how the people react socially and politically. Countries react to changes in nations abroad

when war and where terrorism exists. The United States sought to topple regimes in Iraq and

the Middle East to stabilize the region and encourage democratic elections [ CITATION Kes09 \l
 Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 3

1033 ]. United States is not a control of the world even though the United States has

considerable influence in the United Nations, the European Union, the WTO's, the World Bank

international monetary fund, North American Free Trade Agreement, and challenges individual

states control in regards to money and trade[ CITATION Kes09 \l 1033 ].

It is my opinion that it has become less fitting to depend on the characteristics of

sovereignty, nationality, and stateness for comparing a democracy with capitalism or

dictatorships for theory, observation, and to come to conclusions for deriving the facts.

Comparative politics continues to be influenced by the media and the public. Political leaders

and/or members of the United Nations might be able to recognize and together form ideas and

decisions based on the functionality of the world and all nations [ CITATION Scm06 \l 1033 ].

Democracies are not created equal. Before people who work in comparative politics

analyze the different democracies and regimes, they must first look at how the history of the

country began. They must consider what the main characteristics of a democracy for that

country should consist of. The very minimum for a state to consider itself a democracy details:

competitive, multiparty elections, freedom of speech, and rights to assemble [ CITATION Kes09 \l

1033 ].

Governments analyze and predict how their country will produce and manufacture

goods in order to keep up with the supply and demand for their nation. Government decisions

are often based on theory and evaluation of comparativists and economist’s foster influences in

decision making of government. Although the United States and other democratic countries

boast economic success, authoritarian regimes in China and East Asia also have economic
 Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 4

success stories. The economic foundations should not be based on individual people but rather

to include collectivities, which is not broke down by preferences or actions. It should take into

account the effects brought into existence by multiple levels of political power and

authority[ CITATION Scm06 \l 1033 ].

There is a rise in democratic processes throughout the world. Democracy doesn't always

mean that the country is free. Democratic ideas throughout authoritarian ruled countries might

seem appealing because comparativists suggest that their country will be economically more

stable. Democratic ideas spark political conflict in authoritarian ruled countries. The political

stability in countries in which authoritarian regimes have toppled are often unstable because of

corruption in the fact that the Constitution needs revamped and upheld[ CITATION Scm06 \l

1033 ].

Politics of collective identity looks to the countries social class. Political changes inside

countries will only be achieved if a group of influential people band together to make changes

inside the political structure. There are so many barriers to changes which can lose ethnicity,

religion, race, and regional rivalries. The collective groups can form a battle opposition of

minorities who demand equal rights, or dominate group's trying to prevent minorities from

access to national resource. It is anti-modern counter action to the individualism and freedom

and embedded by globalization[ CITATION Eri99 \l 1033 ].

Comparativists should continue to consider the democratic government of the United

States as a model. However they must be careful to weigh the complexity of the state or nation

who might be looking for a free or partially free democracy. They must look at the history of the
 Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 5

country, ethnicity, and sometimes the religion of the country. They must look at what the

relationship is/or can be between the citizens of the government. Kesselman stated in order to

appreciate the complexity of politics and political transitions in countries around the world; we

must look beyond any single national perspective. Today, business and trade, information

technology, mass communication and culture, immigration and travel, as well as politics,

Portuguese connections among people worldwide. We must develop a truly global perspective

as we explore the politics of different countries and their growing interdependence on one

another[ CITATION Kes09 \l 1033 ].

 Introduction to Comparative Politics and Established Democracy: United States 6

References

Erikson, T. H. (1999). Globalization and the politics of identity. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from UN
Chronicle: http://folk.uio.no/UNChron.html

(2009). The Global Challenge of Comparative Politics: The Making of the Modern American
State303-351. In M. Kesselman, J. Krieger, & W. A. Joseph, Introduction to Comparative
Politics (pp. 5-35;). Boston New YorkHoughton : Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scmitter, P. C. (August 2006). The Nature and Future of Comparative Politics. 1-42.