Reminder: You should all be Reminder: You should all be using/checking your Laurier email using/checking your Laurier email account – this is the one we will account – this is the one we will
use to contact you.use to contact you.
Tutorial#1 will take place Tutorial#1 will take place during the Weeks of January during the Weeks of January
2121stst and 28 and 28thth
Make sure you know which tutorial you are registered in– tutorial dates/times/locations are listed in
“Tutorials” folder of MLS tutorials meet every two weeks (not every week)
Tutorial readings and tasks posted on course MLS– under “Tutorial#1” folder– make sure that you do the readings and prepare
before your Tutorial
Section A
Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (see below) Weeks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 (see below)
# Day / Time / Room # Day / Time / Room
123456
W / 9:30-10:20 / P2027W / 10:30-11:20 / P2027W / 11:30-12:20 / P2027W / 12:30-13:20 / P2027 W / 13:30-14:20 / P2027W / 17:30-18:20 / DAWB 2-108
7891011
W / 9:30-10:20 / P2027W / 10:30-11:20 / P2027W / 11:30-12:20 / P2027W / 12:30-13:20 / P2027W / 13:30-14:20 / P2027
Section B
Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (see below) Weeks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 (see below)
# Day / Time / Room # Day / Time / Room
123456
W / 14:30-15:20 / P2027W / 15:30-16:20 / P2027 W / 16:30-17:20 / P2027 W / 17:30-18:20 / P2027 W / 17:30-18:20 / DAWB 3-105W / 18:30-19:20 / P2027
7891011
W / 14:30-15:20 / P2027W / 15:30-16:20 / P2027W / 16:30-17:20 / P2027W / 17:30-18:20 / P2027W / 17:30-18:20 / DAWB 3-105
Week
Date Week
Date
3 Jan.21-25 4 Jan.28-Feb.1
5 Feb.4-8 6 Feb.11-15
7 Feb.25-March 1 8 March 4-8
9 March 11-15 10 March 18-22
11 March 25-29 12 April 1-5
Tutorial ParticipationTutorial Participation
Tutorial participation is worth 10% of final grade– grade out of 10 will be awarded for each Tutorial,
five grades out of 10 to be averaged at end of term
– if you miss a Tutorial, grade of “0” is awarded and factored into average
– you will receive 4/10 for attending – the other 6 marks will be allocated on the basis of your participation!
– no Tutorial make-ups
Core Concepts in Political Science – Core Concepts in Political Science – Review from Last DayReview from Last Day
Politics– originates in conflict over scarce resources and/or
differing values, between groups in society who want different things
– is the activity of resolving this conflict– always involves the exercise of power = the
ability of one actor (or group) to impose his/her will on others
coercion, authority, influence
Core Concepts - Core Concepts - cont’dcont’d
power influences the resolution of conflict, i.e., some individuals/groups win out over others
Government– is the conflict manager, makes and enforces
collective decisions
Point of clarificationPoint of clarification: What is the : What is the difference between ‘the State’ and difference between ‘the State’ and
‘Government’?‘Government’?
““The State” is all of these thingsThe State” is all of these things
The law
An institution/set of institutions
A sovereign entity
An internally recognized entity
A group of people
An idea
GovernmentGovernment
Is specialized activity of those individuals and institutions that make and enforce collective decisions in a state
Is both a set of activities (occurring over time), and also a collection of institutions that carry out these activities
So then what is ‘Democratic So then what is ‘Democratic Government?’Government?’
How Democratic are We?How Democratic are We?Democracy =Democracy = (Gr: demos, kratein)(Gr: demos, kratein)
January 15, 2013
http://democracyweb.org/new-http://democracyweb.org/new-map/map/
Freedom House “Map of Freedom House “Map of Democracy”Democracy”
Each country is rated on a seven-category scale, 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free– 1.0-2.5 = Free; 3.0-5.0 Party Free; 5.5-7.0 Free
Two foci:– political rights: enable people to participate freely in
the political process, including the right to vote, compete for public office, join political parties representatives are accountable to the electorate
– civil liberties: allow for the freedoms of expression and belief, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, personal autonomy and individual rights
http://democracyweb.org/http://democracyweb.org/about/fiw1.phpabout/fiw1.php
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2006&country=7084
Democracy is...Democracy is...
1) A set of ideals about how government should work, what the role of citizen is in the political system
AND
2) A set of procedures and institutions guiding operation of government, participation of citizens
Democratic IdealsDemocratic Ideals
Can you name any?
Popular Popular SovereigntySovereignty
Sovereignty = supreme authority in a political community
Popular = people are source of all political power, have right to overrule other bodies– can “throw the rascals out”– your text: “power in some way rests with the
people” (p.61)”
Political Political EqualityEquality
Idea that each individual citizen (regardless of gender, race, etc.) carries the same weight in voting and other political decision-making– measured by extent to which citizens have equal
voice in governing
Why important? Political activity is means by which we inform our governors of our interests, make them responsive to us
Majority RuleMajority Rule
Idea that, if each vote is to be counted equally, the decision of the majority must be accepted– government accepts what most people want
The alternative is “oligarchy” (rule by the few)
Do we have majority rule in Do we have majority rule in Canada?Canada?
http://www.sfu.ca/~aheard/elections/results.html– Seat Counts: PC 166; NDP 103; Libs 34; Greens
1 PC 166 seats vs. all other parties 138 seats = majority
government
– But, voter turnout was 61.1% of all potential voters
So, PCs were elected by 36.6% of those who voted, which is 22.4% of the total electorate (including those who voted and those who didn’t vote)
What about Mexico?What about Mexico?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_general_election,_2012
Political LibertyPolitical Liberty(rights and (rights and freedoms)freedoms)
Freedoms that protect the individual, set limits on government or fellow citizens, essential to exercise of popular sovereignty– ‘negative freedoms’ (freedom from)
speech, association, religion, press, fair trial, right to bear arms, sexual orientation… unrestricted by government
– ‘positive freedoms’ (freedom to) education, health care… provided by government
Minority RightsMinority Rights
Designed to ensure that a specific individual or group (which may be vulnerable, disadvantaged) is able to achieve equality
Includes both:1) individual rights (as applied to members of
racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or sexual minorities) and,
2) collective rights accorded to minority groups
Political CompetitionPolitical Competition
If people are to be sovereign, they must be able to choose their political representatives– there must be more than one choice!
Elections are key to political competition, must be fair – affects legitimacy of political system– e.g., Canada vs. Singapore
2000 U.S. Presidential Election2000 U.S. Presidential Election
Was it the Butterfly Ballot?Was it the Butterfly Ballot?
Canada’s 2011 Federal Election saw Canada’s 2011 Federal Election saw some “irregularities”some “irregularities”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/story/2011/05/02/cv-election-polling-pranks-411.html#
Rule of LawRule of Law
Idea that government authority is legitimately exercised only in accordance with written, publicly disclosed laws – intended as a safeguard against arbitrary
governance
“rule of law” vs. “rule by law”
Democratic IdealsDemocratic Ideals
– political equality– majority rule– popular sovereignty– political liberty (rights and freedoms)– minority rights– political competition– rule of law
→ some of these ideals are in tension with each other, or with other important values
→ thus, requires delicate balancing act!
