SP3139: What does Francis Fukuyama believe are the principal component parts of a political order: Comparative Government and Politics Spring 2022 Essay,UCC, Ireland
| University | University College Cork (UCC) |
| Subject | SP3139: Comparative Government and Politics Spring 2022 |
- What does Francis Fukuyama believe are the principal component parts of a political order built through the development of the institutions of the ‘modern’ State? Illustrate your answer with examples used by Fukuyama in his The Origins of Political Order.
- Discuss the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Who voted for him? Why? How did women vote? Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from the lecture and the assigned readings including Setzler and Yanus (2018) and Philpot (2018).
- What is populism? Are there different types of populist leaders? Does populism present a threat to liberal democracy? Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from the lecture and the assigned readings.
- Discuss the different types of authoritarian regimes and the methods that authoritarian leaders use to gain power and maintain their regimes. Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from lecture and the assigned readings.
- How has Vladimir Putin maintained power in Russia for the last 22 years? What are the challenges to his regime? Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from lecture and the assigned readings about Putin.
- Discuss the tensions that exist in Turkey between democracy, authoritarianism, the military, religion, and secularism. Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from lecture and the assigned readings about Turkey.
- Who was the last Shah of Iran? What happened to his regime? Why? Be sure to include a thorough discussion of the material from lecture and the assigned readings.
- “Democracy is a competitive political system in which competing leaders and organizations define the alternatives of public policy in such a way that the public can participate in the decision-making process.” -E.E. Schattschneider. Given what you have learned this semester provide a critique of this definition of democracy. Is anything missing? Be sure to reflect on the lectures and readings in providing your answer.
- Choose either Hitler or Stalin. Discuss what life was like during his regime using the reading material assigned for either Hitler (Shirer, 1960) or Stalin (Fitzpatrick, 1999 and Montefiore, 2003). Why was the leader you chose able to remain in power for as long as he did? Was his regime authoritarian or totalitarian? Explain.
The following two questions were on the Midterm Exam.
- Can democracy survive without parties? Critically analyze the role of parties in democratic systems with special reference to Peter Mair’s argument about the ‘hollowing of western democracy.
