Comparative Politics: Electoral Systems and Analytical Methods

Comparative Political Analysis

Hypothesis: Countries that use proportional representation are more likely to have multi-party legislatures than countries that use first-past-the-post voting systems.

In comparative politics, the method of agreement and the method of difference are tools we use to figure out what might be causing certain political outcomes by comparing different countries. They help us look beyond surface differences and get to the root of what really matters.

The Method of Agreement

The

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Leadership Styles, Team Dynamics, and Workplace Well-being

Types of Leaders

Question: Which of the following are types of leaders?

Answer: Laissez-faire, democratic, autocratic.

Defining Leadership

Question: Leadership is:

Answer: A set of characteristics that make a good leader.

Key Characteristics of a Leader

Question: Which of these are characteristics of a leader?

Answer: Inspiration, confidence, and delegation.

Understanding Political Leadership

Question: A political leader is:

Answer: A leader defined by their field or domain.

The Paternalistic Leader

Question:

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Ancient Skills, Organic Farms, Toxic Friends & Modern Issues

Internet Revives Ancient Skills of Geisha

  • Maiko
  • Teahouses
  • Poor girls
  • Making up their own kimonos
  • An art
  • All day from morning to midnight
  • In Kyoto
  • It’s more exciting than working in a company.

Organic Farming

  • Wanted to grow their own food.
  • Was not used to grow produce right before they bought it.
  • The use of farming methods that do not cause environmental damage.
  • Decides whether produce can be called organic.
  • Your farming practices are approved by its inspectors.
  • When the Soil Association was just starting to function.
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Economic Nationalism: From Classical Roots to Modern Trade Policy

Mercantilism: Foundations of Economic Nationalism

Mercantilism is a state-focused view of international political economy that prioritizes national security, power, and economic control. From the 15th to 19th centuries, classical mercantilism aimed to build trade surpluses by promoting exports and limiting imports. Wealth—especially gold and silver—was seen as necessary to fund military power and secure dominance. Charles Tilly argued that war drove state consolidation, making trade and resource

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Understanding Global Inequality: Samir Amin, Raul Prebisch, and Hegemonic Cycles

Understanding Global Inequality: Samir Amin and Structuralist Thought

Samir Amin, a prominent figure in the structuralist and Marxist schools of thought, focused on the roots of global inequality. His analysis attributes inequality to two primary factors:

The Productivity Gap and Access to Technology

A significant productivity gap exists due to unequal access to technology. Productivity, defined as the capacity to produce, is directly enhanced by technological access. Developed nations benefit from

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Criminal Subcultures: Emergence, Impact, and Policy

Instrumental Subcultures: Conditions for Emergence

  • In neighborhoods with existing opportunity structures, some young people face blockages in legitimate opportunities.
  • These individuals may have already adopted a subcultural solution to their status problems and may take a further step: engaging in professional crime.
  • This involves a shift from expressive crime (destructive, malicious) to disciplined, instrumental, career-oriented offenses.

Apathetic Subcultures

  • Characterized by drug use and a sense
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