PSCI 105 (Fall 2019) Blog Discussion

No blog assignment for this week due to Thanksgiving holiday. Blog Discussion Group Nine posted here is for the first week of December. Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on December 3 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on December 6. China  1. What changes did Mao make to Marxism and Leninism to make them more appropriate to the Chinese setting? 2. Is it still appropriate to think of China as a “communist” country? Discuss the possibility of China’s democratization. Nigeria 3. If you were a member of a particular ethnic group in Nigeria, what would be your attitudes towards democracy? 4. How have the frequent shifts from civilian to military rule and back again exacerbated the country’s many social and economic problems? 5. Are political parties the best option for divided societies such as Nigeria, or are there more efficient channels through which citizens can express themselves and be governed.

Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on November 19 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on November 22. Britain 1. Is the British prime minister more powerful than the president of the United States, or vice versa? Is Parliament prime minister more powerful than Congress, or vice versa? 2. How does the power of the prime minister compare with that of the U.S. president? 3. Given a choice between serving as the president of the United States or as the prime minister of Great Britain, which job would you prefer? Why? Mexico 4. To what extent are the elitist and hierarchical tendencies of Mexican politics found in liberal democracies? 5. What bringing Mexico into a free-trade agreement with the United States and Canada a good idea or a bad idea for the three countries? Why? 6. Mexican corporatism brings various social actors (e.g., labor, business professionals) into an officially sanctioned ruling coalition.  While guarante...

Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on November 12 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on November 15. Ethnicity, Divided Societies, & Violence 1. What are the sources of political conflicts and violence for both authoritarian regimes and democratic regimes? 2. How does nationalism play a role in a democratic country? Political Economy & Economic Globalization 3. How has Kenesianism played an important role in a democratic country?

Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on November 5 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on November 8. Democracy and Democratization 1. Discuss evidence for and against the proposition that “democracy promotes peace.” 2. Would you favor national referendums to settle such issues as abortion, gun ownership, tax rates, or other controversies, or should we leave it to our elected representatives and the courts to make authoritative decisions on these issues? 3. Would you define democracy primarily in political or economical terms, or both about equally?

Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on October 22 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on October 25. Political Culture 1. Do you agree with Huntington that today’s world is increasingly characterized by a “clash of civilizations”? 2. How does political culture differ from political ideology? Interest Groups 3. Discuss evidence for and against the proposition: “All political conflicts—including ethnic, religions, gender, and generational conflicts—ultimately boil down to class conflicts. Rich people tend to be politically favored and poor people are not, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or age.” 4. Are interest groups good or bad for politics? Should they be limited somehow?

Please answer one question from the following list. Blog "post" due at 11:55pm on October 15 and "comment" due at 11:55pm on October 18. Nondemocratic Rule 1. What are some of the essential differences between democracies and authoritarian regimes? 2. What are authoritarian leaders mainly concerned in their political rule? Political Parties and Party Systems 3. Is the United States dominated by a “power elite”? If so, who constitutes it? If not, are there any groups or individuals who have exceptional influence? Do the masses matter at all? Are perhaps all democracies dominated by some power elite? 4. Are political parties an adequate or inadequate vehicle for channeling political opinions and actions? Is it better to be an independent voter rather than one who identifies with a party? 5. Are political parties important to the functioning of a democracy?