What are Political Theories? Proposed explanations that
describe and evaluate future patterns of a group or nation. This
includes the political orientation of a group Ex: Socialist,
Communist, Conservative Purpose Allow us to predict political
behavior Compare governments
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Important to Note: For every theory, there are always several
other theories that criticize the theory and oppose it. These are
THEORIES not laws or rules so there is almost always deviation from
these rules Results in lots of argument and angry politicians
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List of Political theories Structural Theory Rationale
Expectation Theory Deterrence Vs. Cultural Theory Systems Theory
Vs. Structural- Functional Theory Dependency Theory Vs. Free Market
Ideology Others
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Structural Theory Interpreting aspects of human cognition,
behavior, culture, and experience that focuses on relationships of
contrast between elements in a conceptual system that reflect
patterns underlying a superficial diversity. Areas of Study: Why
societies formed/ what holds them together Religon Suicide
Deviance/ Crimes Affirmation of cultural norms and values
Clarification of right and wrong Unification of others in society
Promoting social theory
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Rationale Expectation Theory When faced with a decision, people
will always choose the route that yields the highest benefit
Balancing costs against benefits to arrive at best action
Utilitarian Political realism Acting for ones own interest Zero-sum
Assumptions: Motivated by the wants/ goals that express preferences
Act based on balance of benefits to attaining goal vs. the costs
Act on the basis of the information that they have about the
conditions
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Criticism/ Opposing Theory Culture Theory Nature of politics is
based from culture Individual ideas usually does not influence
decisions To understand political behavior, look at the culture of
the ethnicity Deterrence The presence of a threat of punishment/
promise of reward may motivate people just as much as the
punishment or reward itself Rational calculations would lead
offenders to not commit crimes Ex: Death penalty
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Criticism/ Opposing Theory Democracy-Peace Theory Will try to
maintain peace among different countries, even though it may be
more beneficial to attack the country.
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Dependency Theory Critiques the relationship between developed
and developing countries As time goes on developing nations depend
more on developed nations Developing countries must stay in a in
economic ruts for developed nations to grow and thrive. Developing
nations provide resources/ goods for Developed Nations Kept in ruts
buy economic sanctions and free-trade policies.
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Free Market Ideology Goes against Dependency Theory Claims that
developed nations actually help developing nations when they buy
the recourses from them. Opens the market for developing nations
and provides some economic stability Short Run: Painful and lots of
conflict Long Run: Economic stability Many times results a problem
of developed countries forcing democracy on developing ones
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Modernization Theory Argues that societies develop in a
predictable stages through which they become increasingly complex
Depends primarily on the importation of technology and the
resulting political/ societal changes believed to come as a result
Increased levels of schooling & Development of mass media
Democratic political institution Fosters Increasingly sophisticated
transportation & communications Extended family declines in
importance Organizations become more bureaucratic Religion declines
in public influence Cash-driven markets take over as primary
mechanism for goods exchange
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Systems Theory Politics should be seen as a whole, not as a
collection of different problems that need to be solved Step 1:
Changes in society produce demands and supports (inputs) towards
the political system. Step 2: these demands and supporting groups
stimulate competition in a political system, leading to decisions
(outputs) answering the demands Step 3: The decision interacts with
society, and if it produces change in the environment, there are
"outcomes." Step 4: These outcomes may generate new demands or
supports and groups in support or against the policy ("feedback")
or a new policy on some related matter. Step 5:Rinse and
Repeat
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Other Political Theories The Great Man Theory history is
decided by a few influential and powerful individuals Game Theory:
Views politics in terms of a game: everything is either a player,
strategy or payoff Strategic decision making Prisoners Dilemma Risk
versus reward
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Works Cited Almond, Gabriel A., et al. Comparative Politics
Today. Vol. 7. New York: Longman, n.d. ""Dependency Theory: An
Introduction," Vincent Ferraro, Mount Holyoke College, July 1966."
N.p., Web. 5 Jan. 2014. "Structuralism." Missouri University of
Science and Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. What is System
Theory? Principia Cybernetica Web. 26 Apr. 2009. Department of
Sociology - Iowa State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014.
"Rational Choice and Deterrence Theory." University of Missouri-St.
Louis. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. "Great man theory." Princeton
University - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. "What is Game
Theory?" David Levine's Economic and Game Theory Page. N.p., n.d.
Web. 5 Jan. 2014. Prisoner's Dilemma - A Game Theory Simulation."
Copy / Paste by Peter Pappas Dedicated to relinquishing
responsibility for learning to the students. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan.
2014. "Modernization Theory." About.com Sociology. N.p., n.d. Web.
5 Jan. 2014.