uAi UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE MADRID EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS Professor carlos alba (carlos. alba@uames) Autonomous University of Madrid Department of Political Science and Imternational relations
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS Professor Carlos Alba (carlos.alba@uam.es)
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA 1. Democratic pluralism; federal and 1. Voting systems-plurality and unitary states Consociational democracy 2 proportionalrepresentation(PR) Max Weber s idealtype of 3 Democracy rational-legal bureaucracy Political attitudes, political culture 3. The quango and political systems 4. Capitalism and the mixedeconomy 5. Diffuse and specific support for 5. Policy communities democracy 6. Sovereignty public service mode/ -ofa 6. Media regulation in terms 7. Federalism, regionalism, devolution and subsidiarity Interests and group 8. Ethnic minorities in Europe 8. Corporatism, neo-corporatism and 9. The three branches of govemment and pluralism the separation of powers 9. Materialism and postmaterialism 10. Law and different kinds of law Ideology 11. The changing nature of migration in 11. Left-nights differences in politics modem Europe 12. The concept of party system
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba 1. Democratic pluralism; federal and unitary states 2. Consociational democracy 3. Democracy 4. Political attitudes, political culture and political systems 5. Diffuse and specific support for democracy 6. Media regulation in terms of a ´´public service model´´ 7. Interests and groups 8. Corporatism, neo-corporatism and pluralism 9. Materialism and postmaterialism 10. Ideology 11. Left-rights differences in politics 12. The concept of party system 1. Voting systems- plurality and proportional representation (PR) 2. Max Weber´s ´´ideal type´´of rational-legal bureaucracy 3. The quango 4. Capitalism and the mixed economy 5. Policy communities 6. Sovereignty 7. Federalism, regionalism, devolution and subsidiarity 8. Ethnic minorities in Europe 9. The three branches of government and the separation of powers 10. Law and different kinds of law 11. The changing nature of migration in modern Europe
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA Societies contain different and often competing political groups and ideologies, which are equally legitimate if they abstain from violence Politics as a struggle b> political parties, social movements terest groups It is as legitimate for ethnic groups to form parties and get concessions as it is for economic interests to do so
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba Societies contain different and often competing political groups and ideologies, which are equally legitimate if they abstain from violence Politics as a struggle political parties, social movements, interest groups It is as legitimate for ethnic groups to form parties and get concessions as it is for economic interests to do so
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA 1 Federal and unitary states a) Federal states Division of power (derived from a written constitution) between a central government and territorial entities known as states, provinces, or regions t The federal or central govemment often consists of two chambers, one of which( the upper house or senate)contains representatives of the states Local government usually falls under the direction of state rather than federal government Constitutional courts adjudicate in case of conflict between state and federal government Autonomous power given to territorial units of government within nationstates and ability to defuse national conflict by decentralizing it to lower levels of government E.g. Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba a) Federal states: Division of power (derived from a written constitution) between a central government and territorial entities known as states, provinces, or regions The federal or central government often consists of two chambers, one of which (the upper house or senate) contains representatives of the states Local government usually falls under the direction of state rather than federal government. Constitutional courts adjudicate in case of conflict between state and federal government Autonomous power given to territorial units of government within nationstates and ability to defuse national conflict by decentralizing it to lower levels of government E.g. Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA 1 Federal and unitary states b)Unitarystates: Constitutional power not divided between central and territorial units of government, but concentrated in national government t The powers and functions of lower levels of government within the nation are derived not from a written constitution but from central government Central government can change these powers, duties and functions Sweden, UK Eg: Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba b) Unitary states: Constitutional power not divided between central and territorial units of government, but concentrated in national government The powers and functions of lower levels of government within the nation are derived not from a written constitution but from central government Central government can change these powers, duties and functions Eg: Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, UK
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA 2100ay Arend Lijphart s explains how and why some nations can maintain democratic peace and stability in spite of being deeply divided by ethnic, religious, linguistic or cultural differences Division of the different groups into communities with their own political parties, trade unions and other organizations which can provide their own services(health, education, welfare) Deep social cleavages 3 political conflicts between the communities Cooperation between the political elites in order to maintain order and stability, enabling the separate communities to maintain their own autonomy Pillarization 'o used to refer to cons ociational arrangements in which the different communities form separate'pillars'within the social structure Eg: The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba Arend Lijphart explains how and why some nations can maintain democratic peace and stability in spite of being deeply divided by ethnic, religious, linguistic or cultural differences Division of the different groups into communities with their own political parties, trade unions and other organizations, which can provide their own services (health, education, welfare) Deep social cleavages political conflicts between the communities Cooperation between the political elites in order to maintain order and stability, enabling the separate communities to maintain their own autonomy ‘Pillarization' used to refer to consociational arrangements in which the different communities form separate 'pillars' within the social structure E.g: The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA 3 Democracy Being responsive and accountable to the people Problem: the people' rarely agree on the best course of action to take on any given issue so responding to the 'people'often bolls down in practice to responding to the majority the suppression of the minority Solution regular free competitive elections The extension of freedom of speech, communication and meeting to minorities The ethnic majority 3 often divided by class and religious differences Political parties which base themselves on these needs to ally with minority based parties to get a parliamentary majority and form a government The minority can then get concessions for its support
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba Being responsive and accountable to the 'people‘ Problem: the 'people' rarely agree on the best course of action to take on any given issue, so responding to the 'people' often bolls down in practice to responding to the majority the suppression of the minority Solution: regular, free, competitive elections The extension of freedom of speech, communication and meeting to minorities The ethnic majority often divided by class and religious differences Political parties which base themselves on these needs to ally with minority based parties to get a parliamentary majority and form a government The minority can then get concessions for its support
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA Political community Political culture小9Ns Political regime Political shared attitudes ymp the constitutional authorities amongst a given loyalty, ar order and its those people population, identity, political structures, and who occupy towards political participation in the fundamental positions o authorities law common values upon importance in the or government structures with a which they are political system common political based purpose
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba Political culture shared attitudes amongst a given population, towards political authorities, law or government Political community mutual sympathy, loyalty, and identity; political participation in common structures, with a common political purpose Political regime the constitutional order and its structures, and the fundamental values upon which they are based Political authorities those people who occupy positions of importance in the political system
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA a) Specific support; based upon the particular benefits it delivers(e.g. economic benefits) Strong specific support -the system will be more easily undermined by short-term failure to satisfy citizens b) Diffuse support: based upon fundamental beliefs and the legitimacy of the system Strong diffuse support-the system will easily survive periodic short-term shocks (economic depression) or revelations about corruption or incompetence in high places
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba a) Specific support: - based upon the particular benefits it delivers (e.g. economic benefits) Strong specific support – the system will be more easily undermined by short-term failure to satisfy citizens b) Diffuse support: - based upon fundamental beliefs and the legitimacy of the system Strong diffuse support – the system will easily survive periodic short-term shocks (economic depression) or revelations about corruption or incompetence in high places
EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROFESSOR CARLOS ALBA .加1:时广 6. National broadcasting 3 draws a distinction between The public service model electronic and print media 1. Market regulation =The can only work effectively if state intervenes in the print broadcasting is limited media market only to avoid more or less by national the monopoly /oligopoly boundaries. Broadcasting In the print media, there is from abroad render it market competition but in difficult for governments to the electronic there is state control the media regulated monopoly 5. Public service and profit 2. Content regulation making 3 Whereas the The print media are print media are usually regulated as little as possible. They are left to electronic media are non- egulate themselves profit organizations matters of public decency supposed to serve the and personal privacy public interest by maintaining political 3. Self-regulation or 4. Public and private funding regulation by quango sn The print media are order to minimize the ually funded by the chances of political control market while the electronic the media are regulated by media are usually funded their own bodies or with public money with quangos, independent of the general subsidies or by government license fees
European Political Systems Professor Carlos Alba draws a distinction between electronic and print media 1. Market regulation The state intervenes in the print media market only to avoid the monopoly / oligopoly. In the print media, there is market competition, but in the electronic there is state regulated monopoly 2. Content regulation The print media are regulated as little as possible. They are left to regulate themselves in matters of public decency and personal privacy 3. Self-regulation or regulation by quango in order to minimize the chances of political control, the media are regulated by their own bodies or quangos, independent of the government 4. Public and private funding The print media are usually funded by the market, while the electronic media are usually funded with public money, with general subsidies or by license fees 5. Public service and profit making Whereas the print media are usually profit-making, the electronic media are nonprofit organizations supposed to serve the public interest by maintaining political impartiality 6. National broadcasting The public service model can only work effectively if broadcasting is limited more or less by national boundaries. Broadcasting from abroad render it difficult for governments to control the media