Identifications (definitions, significance, relationship of linked/words):
Aristotle's taxonomy of political systems
milestones along the road to British democracy:
Magna Carta, Cromwell's republic, Glorious Revolution,
Great Reform Act, Parliament Act, voting laws of 1918, 1928
Structures:
fusion/separation of power, Parliament, cabinet,
prime minister, vote of confidence/no confidence, head of state, head of
government, Welfare state, British Disease, Thatcher, question time,
co-habitation
unitary (centralized) / federal systems (Are
UK, Japan centralized or federal?)
natural resources of Japan, ethnic characteristics
of Japan
milestones along the road to Japanese democracy
Meiji Restoration, Empire, U.S. occupation,
1993, evolving political party system
MITI, LDP, Article 9, factions, Recruit Scandal,
money politics, mal-apportionment, Minamata, Genro,
Party systems:
2 party, 1 dominant party system, multi-party,
party discipline, party conference, single member district, amplification,
proportional representation, coalition government, threshold, runoff
election, when do elections take place?
economic growth strategy (1950-90), bubble economy, Yasukuni Shrine
Essays:
1. Our text book follows a "political system-representation and participation-public policy" framework. What kinds of activities and political organizations are discussed in the "political system"? What kind of structures and functions are involved in "representation and participation"? What is meant by "public policy"?
2. Using the experiences of Great Britain, France, and Japan, describe different ways countries become democratic.
3. In the selection of the prime minister in England and Japan, what is the role of the Members of Parliament? What is the role of the various political parties? What institutional factors affect the strength of parties in Parliament? What is the role of the ordinary citizens?
4. Compare and contrast democracy in the United States and in Great Britain. What are the differences in theoretical approach? What are the differences in institutional structure? What impact does this difference have on policy?
5. Compare and contrast the party systems in England, Japan in 1955-1993 period, and Japan in the post 1996 period. How do the respective voting systems influence the overall structure of party systems?
6. Explain why the British conservative party could win only 42 percent of the popular vote and win 52 percent of the seats in parliament. Explain why the Liberal Democrat party in Great Britain could win 18 percent of the popular vote and get only 3 percent of the seats in Parliament.
7. Review British efforts to develop a welfare state. What programs were included in the welfare state? To what extent was it implemented? What were the problems and limitations?
8. Conservative economists argue that Japan's rapid economic growth rate from 1950 to 1990 was due to policies that allowed free markets and minimize government interference in the economy. Is this analysis correct?
9. Why has Japan's economy stagnated in the last decade?