1-Democracies Compared
Over the past few weeks, we have had the opportunity to explore the roots of political philosophy. Let’s take a moment to focus in upon the idea of democracy. What is the true definition of democracy?
2- The Division of Power
As we have seen through our readings, governments differ on where the power of the state should be held.
Unitary systems concentrate the power within the central government and little or no authority is granted to the component areas. In contrast, federal systems allow first-order civil divisions to have some autonomy, while the central government maintains authority over some areas.
Take a moment to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each system.
3- Elections
Compare and contrast single-member districts and proportional representation (PR). How effective is each electoral system in representing its people’s interests? How do they support the party systems around which they arose?
4- Political Parties and Interest Groups
We continually hear about interest groups in the news. Understanding this, what is the relationship between interest groups and government? How does this apply to government-created interest groups? In addition, what are the effects of bureaucrats as interest groups? Do you believe this crossover between bureaucrats and interest groups to be right? Please be sure to provide specific examples in your response.
