AP Comparative Government and Politics Comparative Politics as a Social Science

Comparative Politics as a Social Science Fundamental Methods ● Studying comparative politics as a science is important to researchers. They want to establish a difference between social studies and social sciences. Therefore, they adopt methods from science. ● In comparative politics, different types of information can be used to gather conclusions about the political scheme. 1. Quantitative information is presented in numbers, and in comparative politics, they serve as a way to compare different countries and draw conclusions. 2. Qualitative information is typically presented in statements. ● Also, when observing a set of data, it’s critical to distinguish correlation from causation. 1. Correlation is when two sets of data are related. 2. Causation is when one variable influences another. ○ Causation is difficult to establish in comparative politics because it’s impossible to isolate different variables in lab settings like in natural sciences. Furthermore, the variables don’t have a one-to-one relationship, and they influence each other. ● This information can be found in many sources. However, there are a select number of data collection resources that make relationships in core countries. You should be able to read data from these sources when taking the AP exam. 1. Human Development Index (HDI) 2. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 3. GDP Per Capita 4. GDP Growth Rate 5. Gini Index/Coefficient 6. Freedom House 7. Transparency International 8. Failed States Index The Comparative Method ● What does “comparative” mean in AP Comparative Government and Politics? Well, it’s a nod to the method with which researchers approach this subject, called the comparative method. ● Comparing different countries is an essential aspect of comparative politics. ● Comparison is an essential part of studying politics because it provides a certain standard. What defines a poor country? Or a corrupt one? Well, looking at just one country can’t provide a good answer, so addressing different ones is a good approach. ● The purpose of comparison; 1. Identify social and political problems 2. Recommend a course of action, or promote a reform ● When comparing different countries, you could say one of the following statements. 1. Empirical statements simply state facts. ○ “The United Kingdom’s GDP per capita in 2020 was $39800.” would be an empirical statement, because it’s merely stating a fact. 2. Normative statements include value judgments. ○ “Nigeria should change its economic policies.” would be a normative statement, because what Nigeria should do is a matter of opinion. ■ Just because normative statements include value judgments, doesn’t mean that they are inherently not scientific. Both are essential to the study of comparative politics. The Systems Theory ● The systems theory is a model, or an example, of a political system that can be generalized to most systems. It explains the factors that influence public policy during its creation and maintenance. IMAGE BY @STAYING_AFLXT ● In comparative politics, an environment is what surrounds a political system. Certain aspects of the environment can influence political systems. There are a number of aspects to the environment. ○ Political culture is what people regard to be normal and expected in a society, usually developed through historical traditions. It essentially sets the stage for political behavior. ○ Inputs are demands, support, and suggestions exercised to the political system. Inputs could be made through different political parties and interest groups. ○ Outputs are what the political system produces, such as decisions, actions, and policies. ● Once an output is created, a number of inputs respond to them in a process called “feedback.” Feedback can be provided by different sources, including: ● One of the most common sources is news media, which can influence public opinion. ● Linkage institutions are institutions that can connect people to policy making. ○ Linkage institutions include elections, political parties, and different interest groups, as well as the media, as mentioned above. ● Within the political system, there are state institutions, which are formal institutions that are most directly involved with policymaking. It includes many elements of the state. ○ Branches of government, like legislative, executive, and judicial, are state institutions. ● It is in both linkage institutions’ and state institutions; interests to act within what is appropriate within the boundaries of the political culture. This ensures that they don’t stand against the public, which would prevent them from exerting influence on politics. ● These different factors (thoughts, laws, and official procedures) make up a political system, and, in turn, influence both who has influence and how much of it they have.