Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Introduction to Political Science

Summary

Introduction to Political ScienceSummary
Menu
Table of contents
  1. Preface
  2. Introduction to Political Science
    1. 1 What Is Politics and What Is Political Science?
      1. Introduction
      2. 1.1 Defining Politics: Who Gets What, When, Where, How, and Why?
      3. 1.2 Public Policy, Public Interest, and Power
      4. 1.3 Political Science: The Systematic Study of Politics
      5. 1.4 Normative Political Science
      6. 1.5 Empirical Political Science
      7. 1.6 Individuals, Groups, Institutions, and International Relations
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
  3. Individuals
    1. 2 Political Behavior Is Human Behavior
      1. Introduction
      2. 2.1 What Goals Should We Seek in Politics?
      3. 2.2 Why Do Humans Make the Political Choices That They Do?
      4. 2.3 Human Behavior Is Partially Predictable
      5. 2.4 The Importance of Context for Political Decisions
      6. Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
      9. Suggested Readings
    2. 3 Political Ideology
      1. Introduction
      2. 3.1 The Classical Origins of Western Political Ideologies
      3. 3.2 The Laws of Nature and the Social Contract
      4. 3.3 The Development of Varieties of Liberalism
      5. 3.4 Nationalism, Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism
      6. 3.5 Contemporary Democratic Liberalism
      7. 3.6 Contemporary Ideologies Further to the Political Left
      8. 3.7 Contemporary Ideologies Further to the Political Right
      9. 3.8 Political Ideologies That Reject Political Ideology: Scientific Socialism, Burkeanism, and Religious Extremism
      10. Summary
      11. Key Terms
      12. Review Questions
      13. Suggested Readings
    3. 4 Civil Liberties
      1. Introduction
      2. 4.1 The Freedom of the Individual
      3. 4.2 Constitutions and Individual Liberties
      4. 4.3 The Right to Privacy, Self-Determination, and the Freedom of Ideas
      5. 4.4 Freedom of Movement
      6. 4.5 The Rights of the Accused
      7. 4.6 The Right to a Healthy Environment
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
    4. 5 Political Participation and Public Opinion
      1. Introduction
      2. 5.1 What Is Political Participation?
      3. 5.2 What Limits Voter Participation in the United States?
      4. 5.3 How Do Individuals Participate Other Than Voting?
      5. 5.4 What Is Public Opinion and Where Does It Come From?
      6. 5.5 How Do We Measure Public Opinion?
      7. 5.6 Why Is Public Opinion Important?
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
  4. Groups
    1. 6 The Fundamentals of Group Political Activity
      1. Introduction
      2. 6.1 Political Socialization: The Ways People Become Political
      3. 6.2 Political Culture: How People Express Their Political Identity
      4. 6.3 Collective Dilemmas: Making Group Decisions
      5. 6.4 Collective Action Problems: The Problem of Incentives
      6. 6.5 Resolving Collective Action Problems
      7. Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Review Questions
      10. Suggested Readings
    2. 7 Civil Rights
      1. Introduction
      2. 7.1 Civil Rights and Constitutionalism
      3. 7.2 Political Culture and Majority-Minority Relations
      4. 7.3 Civil Rights Abuses
      5. 7.4 Civil Rights Movements
      6. 7.5 How Do Governments Bring About Civil Rights Change?
      7. Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Review Questions
      10. Suggested Readings
    3. 8 Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Elections
      1. Introduction
      2. 8.1 What Is an Interest Group?
      3. 8.2 What Are the Pros and Cons of Interest Groups?
      4. 8.3 Political Parties
      5. 8.4 What Are the Limits of Parties?
      6. 8.5 What Are Elections and Who Participates?
      7. 8.6 How Do People Participate in Elections?
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
  5. Institutions
    1. 9 Legislatures
      1. Introduction
      2. 9.1 What Do Legislatures Do?
      3. 9.2 What Is the Difference between Parliamentary and Presidential Systems?
      4. 9.3 What Is the Difference between Unicameral and Bicameral Systems?
      5. 9.4 The Decline of Legislative Influence
      6. Summary
      7. Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
      9. Suggested Readings
    2. 10 Executives, Cabinets, and Bureaucracies
      1. Introduction
      2. 10.1 Democracies: Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Regimes
      3. 10.2 The Executive in Presidential Regimes
      4. 10.3 The Executive in Parliamentary Regimes
      5. 10.4 Advantages, Disadvantages, and Challenges of Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes
      6. 10.5 Semi-Presidential Regimes
      7. 10.6 How Do Cabinets Function in Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes?
      8. 10.7 What Are the Purpose and Function of Bureaucracies?
      9. Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Review Questions
      12. Suggested Readings
    3. 11 Courts and Law
      1. Introduction
      2. 11.1 What Is the Judiciary?
      3. 11.2 How Does the Judiciary Take Action?
      4. 11.3 Types of Legal Systems around the World
      5. 11.4 Criminal versus Civil Laws
      6. 11.5 Due Process and Judicial Fairness
      7. 11.6 Judicial Review versus Executive Sovereignty
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
    4. 12 The Media
      1. Introduction
      2. 12.1 The Media as a Political Institution: Why Does It Matter?
      3. 12.2 Types of Media and the Changing Media Landscape
      4. 12.3 How Do Media and Elections Interact?
      5. 12.4 The Internet and Social Media
      6. 12.5 Declining Global Trust in the Media
      7. Summary
      8. Key Terms
      9. Review Questions
      10. Suggested Readings
  6. States and International Relations
    1. 13 Governing Regimes
      1. Introduction
      2. 13.1 Contemporary Government Regimes: Power, Legitimacy, and Authority
      3. 13.2 Categorizing Contemporary Regimes
      4. 13.3 Recent Trends: Illiberal Representative Regimes
      5. Summary
      6. Key Terms
      7. Review Questions
      8. Suggested Readings
    2. 14 International Relations
      1. Introduction
      2. 14.1 What Is Power, and How Do We Measure It?
      3. 14.2 Understanding the Different Types of Actors in the International System
      4. 14.3 Sovereignty and Anarchy
      5. 14.4 Using Levels of Analysis to Understand Conflict
      6. 14.5 The Realist Worldview
      7. 14.6 The Liberal and Social Worldview
      8. 14.7 Critical Worldviews
      9. Summary
      10. Key Terms
      11. Review Questions
      12. Suggested Readings
    3. 15 International Law and International Organizations
      1. Introduction
      2. 15.1 The Problem of Global Governance
      3. 15.2 International Law
      4. 15.3 The United Nations and Global Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
      5. 15.4 How Do Regional IGOs Contribute to Global Governance?
      6. 15.5 Non-state Actors: Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
      7. 15.6 Non-state Actors beyond NGOs
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
    4. 16 International Political Economy
      1. Introduction
      2. 16.1 The Origins of International Political Economy
      3. 16.2 The Advent of the Liberal Economy
      4. 16.3 The Bretton Woods Institutions
      5. 16.4 The Post–Cold War Period and Modernization Theory
      6. 16.5 From the 1990s to the 2020s: Current Issues in IPE
      7. 16.6 Considering Poverty, Inequality, and the Environmental Crisis
      8. Summary
      9. Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
      11. Suggested Readings
  7. References
  8. Index

10.1 Democracies: Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Regimes

Democratic systems are classified into three categories: presidential regimes, parliamentary regimes, and semi-presidential regimes. Within each regime, there is a head of government as well as a head of state. In presidential regimes, the head of government is directly elected by the citizens and also serves as the head of state. In parliamentary and semi-presidential regimes, the head of government and head of state are separate individuals, and the legislature selects the head of government. Generally, the head of state is a ceremonial role, while the head of government holds political power and takes the lead in setting the policy agenda.

10.2 The Executive in Presidential Regimes

The single greatest distinctiveness of presidential regimes is that the chief executive is popularly elected. This individual serves as both head of government and head of state and serves fixed terms. More so than parliamentarianism, presidentialism provides the opportunity for populism to emerge. Populism is a political approach that uses emotional appeals to the masses and promises the masses a political voice in a government that is perceived to be ruled by elites. As is the case with all chief executives, presidents possess both formal and informal powers. Formal powers are those granted to the president by statute or constitution. Informal powers arise from custom or tradition. The power to persuade is most likely the greatest power a president has and is connected to the president’s approval ratings. Through the use of the bully pulpit, presidents have the opportunity to shape public opinion and convince the public that the president’s policies are the best approach to address issues facing the nation.

10.3 The Executive in Parliamentary Regimes

In parliamentary regimes, the head of government is typically termed the prime minister and is a member of parliament. The parliament selects the prime minister after party elections have taken place. If one party earns a majority of the seats in parliament, the majority party selects the prime minister. If no party earns a majority of the vote, then two or more parties will form a coalition and the coalition will select the prime minister. Prime ministers hold considerable political power such as the power to select members of the cabinet. Nevertheless, prime ministers can be removed by a confidence vote. Sometimes called a “no confidence vote,” this is a procedural move in a parliamentary regime in which ministers vote to continue to support the prime minister. If the prime minister loses the confidence vote, new elections take place.

10.4 Advantages, Disadvantages, and Challenges of Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes

The main advantage of presidentialism is that presidents can claim a mandate and act quickly during a time of crisis. The judiciary is separate from the executive in presidential regimes, an arrangement that may help protect the rights of minority groups. The main disadvantages of presidentialism are that it may lead to gridlock, there is a relative lack of accountability, and the chief executive performs the roles of head of government and head of state. Within presidentialism, political parties are weaker. The advantages of parliamentarianism are unified government, clear lines of accountability, the representation of minority parties in the parliament, and stronger political parties. Parliamentarianism’s disadvantages include drastic policy change from one government to the next, coalition governments resulting in more frequent elections, and relatively fewer protections of minority rights.

10.5 Semi-Presidential Regimes

Often viewed as a hybrid of presidentialism and parliamentarianism, semi-presidential regimes are difficult to define. In their most basic expression, the legislature selects the head of government (the prime minister) and citizens directly elect the head of state (the president). Both the prime minister and the president hold political power. In semi-presidential regimes, there is a wide discrepancy in the amount of freedom citizens have within their countries. This suggests that authoritarianism is more likely to be associated with semi-presidential regimes, but while the connection between the two is interesting and noteworthy, causality (i.e., a semi-presidential regime causes authoritarianism) cannot be determined or inferred.

10.6 How Do Cabinets Function in Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes?

Within both presidentialism and parliamentarianism, cabinets serve as formal advisors to their chief executives and oversee specific departments. As the head of the department, an individual typically holds the title of secretary. Within parliamentarianism, cabinet secretaries are also members of parliament. In presidentialism, cabinet secretaries typically are not members of the legislature. It is common for secretaries to have a background in government as well as an expertise in the area their department oversees. Nevertheless, in presidentialism this is not always the case, and political loyalty and shared ideology are often considered when presidents make appointments to the cabinet. In parliamentary regimes, cabinets are more commonly integrated into the executive decision-making process, while in presidentialism, cabinet secretaries tend to be more independent and are not always included in presidential decision making. Within both parliamentarianism and presidentialism, it is not unusual for chief executives to form informal groups they turn to for advice. Historically, these informal groups of advisors have been called “kitchen cabinets.”

10.7 What Are the Purpose and Function of Bureaucracies?

Since the 1800s, bureaucracies have grown in both scope and number and now affect the daily lives of all citizens. In many countries, government bureaucracy is the country’s number one employer. Bureaucracies share a number of characteristics such as hierarchical authority, job specialization, formalized rules, impersonality, professionalization, and the maintenance of files or records. Today, the recruitment and retention of employees are usually based on merit, as most countries have adopted a civil service system emphasizing competence and rejecting selection or promotion based on partisanship. In the 1800s, however, it was not unusual for countries to follow a “spoils” system in which positions were awarded based on partisan loyalty. Even though the public tends to have a negative view of bureaucrats, these bureaucrats perform essential functions, ensuring governments run smoothly and that citizens are kept safe.

PreviousNext
Order a print copy

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Citation/Attribution

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-political-science/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-political-science/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Apr 5, 2023 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.