PSCI 105 (Spring 2018) Blog Discussion

Blog post due at 11:55pm on April 3 and comment due at 11:55pm on April 6. Nigeria If you were a member of a particular ethnic group in  Nigeria , what would be your attitudes towards democracy? How have the frequent shifts from civilian to military rule and back again exacerbated the country’s many social and economic problems? 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.

Blog post due at 11:55pm on March 27 and comment due at 11:55pm on March 30. China What changes did Mao make to Marxism and Leninism to make them more appropriate to the Chinese setting? Is it still appropriate to think of  China  as a “communist” country? Discuss the possibility of  China ’s democratization.

Blog post due at 11:55pm on March 20 and comment due at 11:55pm on March 23. Mexico To what extent are the elitist and hierarchical tendencies of Mexican politics found in liberal democracies? 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? Mexican corporatism brings various social actors (e.g., labor, business professionals) into an officially sanctioned ruling coalition.  While guaranteeing certain privileges for these groups (e.g., job security for unionized labor and subsides for businesses), it also limits such freedoms as choosing when to strike or how to allocate capital.  Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such arrangements.

Blog post due at 11:55pm on March 13 and comment due at 11:55pm on March 16. Britain 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? How does the power of the prime minister compare with that of the  U.S.  president? 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?

Blog post due at 11:55pm on February 20 and comment due at 11:55pm on February 23. Democracy and Democratization Discuss evidence for and against the proposition that “democracy promotes peace.” 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? Would you define democracy  primarily  in political or economical terms, or both about equally?

Blog post due at 11:55pm on Feb. 13 and comment due at 11:55pm on Feb. 16. Political Parties and Party Systems 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? 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? Are political parties important to the functioning of a democracy? Interest Groups 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.” Are interest groups good or bad for politics? Should...