Overview

The course enables the students to demonstrate an understanding in comparing countries,

regional blocks, and the state system in terms of their current politico-economic conditions are
shaped by socio-cultural and historical factors and the course as well uses a comparative
approach to examine the political structures; policies; and political, economic and social
challenges of the different countries. Students cultivate their understanding of comparative
government and politics through an analysis of data and text-based sources as they explore
topics like power and authority, legitimacy and stability, democratization, internal and external
forces and methods of political analysis. In any society, maintaining order is one of the function
of its government.

The Study of Comparative Government and Politics

Meaning and Definition of Comparative Government and Politics

Introduction

Difference between comparative politics and comparative government is very subtle

that they are often referred to as one. Studying the political system in terms of
divisions, countries, and regions has had substantial history. Politics is the practice
and theory related to governance- organized control of the human community which
also describes the practice of distribution of power not only within a particular
community but also with interrelating communities. Furthermore, a political system
is a framework of practices within a particular political territory. That is to say, the
political system of one country may (or sometimes may not) be different from that
of another country or territory. The body with the political power of a particular
territory is called a government. This article explores what comparative politics and
government mean and their difference.

What is Comparative Politics?

Comparative politics is a term referring to the study of political understanding of more

than one nation, state or country in order to make precise comparisons. It is an area of study in
politics that is largely discussed and studied all over the world. There are two main approaches
to comparative politics: one being the cross national approach and the other being the area
studies approach. The first type of approach involves simultaneous studying of a large number
of nation-states in order to obtain a wider understanding of theories and their applications. The
latter type of approach deals with an in-depth analysis of politics within a particular political
territory, a state, a country, a nation-state, or a region of the world.

What is Comparative Government?

 The comparative government is a sub-division of politics that systematically studies,
analyses, and compares the nature of governments in a number of selected countries. A
government is the topmost hierarchical body of governance in the country or a nation-state.
Through the study of comparative government, different forms of governments encountered
around the world are studied, analyzed, and compared with a view to understanding the
differences and seeking any potential practices a country can learn from another and adapt.

What is the difference between Comparative Politics and Comparative Government?

 Comparative government is concerned with the study of formal political institutions like
legislature, executive, judiciary and bureaucracy alone, in comparative politics the other
factors which influence the working of the political institutions are taken into account.
 Comparative politics makes a study of the formal as well as informal political institutions.
This point has been summed up by a scholar thus: The scope of comparative politics is
wider than that of comparative government despite search for making comparisons
which is central to the study of both.
 Comparative government was chiefly confined to the study of the political institutions of
western democratic countries. On the other hand, comparative politics concentrates on
the study of political institutions of all the countries of the world. It has laid special
emphasis on the study of political institutions of the states which have emerged in the
twentieth century.
 Comparative government involves only descriptive study of the political institutions and
makes only formal study of the political institutions provided by the constitution. On the
other hand, comparative politics concentrates on analytical study of the various political
institutions. Investigation and experimentation constitute prominent features of
comparative politics.
 Comparative government concerns itself only with the political activities of the political
institutions, while comparative politics also takes into account the economic, cultural and
social factors. In other words, it tries to examine the political institutions through
interdisciplinary approach.

Despite these differences mentioned, the terms comparative politics and

comparative government are often referred together in the sense that if a university
offers a course in this field, it would best be on comparative politics and
government. They are not often separated when studied.