POL 2104 Lecture Notes - Papal Supremacy, Religious War, Comparative Politics

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POL 2104
• Professor: Joseph Roman

Document Summary

Introduction to the course/studying and understanding the state. Understanding the state: the state is a central concept in comparative politics, states are political communities, states as an institutional complex. Perspectives on states: constitutional: states as a social contract. Social contract in exchange for security and order and protect rights. Once a state can no longer provide these things, it becomes illegitimate: ethical and moral: states organize for particular end. What should the state do? ex: establish individual rights ex: enhance collectivity (general will: conflictual: states as a power holder that regulates divisions. State is very bias in decision making decisions tend to be made in the interest of one particular social group: pluralist: states as a neutral arbiter amongst competing groups. The state is a regulator of conflicts between social groups. Has no interest in the outcome it simply mediates the disagreements between competing groups in society.