Political Science 1020E Study Guide - Final Guide: John Mearsheimer, Hegemony, Graham T. Allison
1 Jul 2018
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Department
Course
Professor
Rousseau: organized interests degrade general interest (divides people)
De Tocqueville: Modern democracy best grounded on interests, associations (let them join with
other people with same interests and preferences, this is what freedom looks like)
● Mancur Olson - Interest Groups:
○ a) Pursure goodies from government (looking for more taxes so money goes to
their group)
○ b) Provide Selective benefits (interest group can appeal to people for
membership because of their program of action, but selective benefits is when
they try to get membership by saying we will give you benefits)
○ c) Choke the national economy (if it works to make an interest group to get
money then more people will join and end up efforts to make interest groups not
entrepreneurships, weakening the economy, might get response in the end to get
rid of all interest groups and start over)
● Montesquieu: ‘Need of Dispatch’ - Single individual best (cant call together many
legislators for an efficient response, sometimes need response on the spot so just one
person)
● Harvey C. Mansfield: Room for manoeuvre, especially in crisis (need executive to
respond quickly, if build in discussion then undermining the fundamental purpose of an
executive)
James Madison:”In representative government, the legislative power necessarily
predominates” (representative institution carries will of the people so should be the most
powerful)
Economy and society book by max weber
Graham allison, Essence of Decision
(People choose options that are easier and available instead of the most rational)
● John Mearsheimer:
○ a) “China cannot rise peacefully” (when one country rises to get power resources
that challenges the hegemon in decline, dangerous things can occur)
○ b) “I am not arguing that chinese behaviour alone will drive the security
competition that lies ahead. The united states is also likely to behave in
aggressive ways..”
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Rousseau: organized interests degrade general interest (divides people) De tocqueville: modern democracy best grounded on interests, associations (let them join with other people with same interests and preferences, this is what freedom looks like) A) pursure goodies from government (looking for more taxes so money goes to their group) B) provide selective benefits (interest group can appeal to people for membership because of their program of action, but selective benefits is when they try to get membership by saying we will give you benefits) Montesquieu: need of dispatch" - single individual best (cant call together many legislators for an efficient response, sometimes need response on the spot so just one person) Harvey c. mansfield: room for manoeuvre, especially in crisis (need executive to respond quickly, if build in discussion then undermining the fundamental purpose of an executive) James madison: in representative government, the legislative power necessarily predominates (representative institution carries will of the people so should be the most powerful)
