Some grand theories in Comparative Politics:

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Some grand theories in Comparative Politics

• A very hasty overview

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Grand theory what is it?

• A set of general principles about politics that
  can be applied to all countries
• An overarching model that can be used to
  categorize all countries and political systems
• An attempt to create order out of politics

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A problem
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Modernization Theory (late 1940s-1960s)

• Main problem it attempted to solve Differences
  among countries (poverty, industrialization or
  lack thereof, type of government, etc.)
• Theory that all societies in an evolutionary
  process in which they move from being
  traditional to being modern.
• culture as impediment to development
  traditional groups in society seen as obstacle
  to modernization and development.

• Need for external trigger less localized
  economy, improved communications, formation of
  new elite
• Idea that democracy naturally follows
  development.
• western countries as more evolved and better
  others less evolved

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Limitations of Modernization Theory?

• Linear view of history only one route to
  modernity
• the West as the best  
• assumption that the only possible development is
  capitalist development
• Democracy doesnt always follow development
• Change does not always equal better
• Societies not homogenous diversity of
  modern/traditional developed/undeveloped inside
  the same society
• Note Although discredited in academic circles,
  still widely believed outside academia,
  especially in political and popular circles.

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Dependency theory(late 1960s-1970s)

• Critique of modernization theory
• Argues that developing countries
  underdevelopment due to external exploitation
  of those countries (NOT due to internal factors)
• imperialism prevented emergence of western
  ideal-type development/the emergence of a
  indigenous alternative

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Critiques?

• Encouraged isolationist policies that sometimes
  backfired
• Overemphasized external factors in explaining
  political conditions
• Marxian -- Overly economistic?

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Other mid-range theories and approaches in
Comparative Politics

• World systems theory
• Rational Choice theory
• State-Society Relations
• Political Economy

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Comparative Politics paradigms main topics of
study Early 1900s European constitutions and
judiciaries ? Post-WWII Roots of fascism and
totalitarianism ? 1950s-1960s structural-function
alism Modernization theory ? 1960s-1970s Moderniz
ation theory Dependency Theory ? 1970s-1980s World
systems theory Study of the state International
Political Economy