Political Change

AP Comparative Government

Unit V

The Beginning of Political Change

Somewhere in the history of pre-industrial or post-industrial societies, lies a period of time where ancestors (our forefathers) rose up against tyrants, tossed off the shackles of a dictatorial regime, produced a revolution, and gained freedom….

Revolution

Definition From the Latin revolutio, "a turn around” Violent change against an established institution.

To have a revolution, one must have a certain mix of ideas, people and events

We shall call these . . .

Revolutionary Components

1. Leader2. Followers 3. Theme4. Cause5. Oppressor

6. Recognition7. Resources8. Martyr9. Spark10. Propaganda

1. Leader – The great mind or visionary -- Who is calling the shots?

(Rousseau, John Locke, Jefferson)

Revolutionary Components

Example: Russia

Boris Yeltsin First president of Russia Pushed for democratization of the USSR

satellite states as well as Russia Abolished office of supreme leader Reopened ties with west

Example: Nigeria

Jaja Wachuku First Speaker of House Well educated Originally From Nigeria, but lived in

Ireland where received education Exceptional Lawyer and Statesman

Map showing the location of the secessionist Republic of Biafra within Nigeria

Revolutionary Components

2. Followers -- Radicals -- The guerillas, Terrorists, zealots, bomb

throwers, those who will die for the cause. . . (Sam Adams, Nathan Hale, Ben Franklin)

Masses -- Very important group and you need at least 50% of them to be successful.

1979 Revolution in Iran

Example: Iran Most supporters desired a complete overthrow and a

development of an Islamic Republic of Iran Students, religious hardliners, communist

organizations were all supporters of the revolution People who felt that Islam was failing under the leadership of

the Shah Supporters of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and

extreme conservatives Constitutionalist liberals — the democratic, reformist

Islamic Freedom Movement of Iran, headed by Mehdi Bazargan, and the National Front Wanted reform and not a complete overthrow—

just Change Lacked the organization and power of the Khomeini

movement

Revolutionary Components

3. Theme – Very Simple is Best –

“Give me Liberty or give me death” Taxation without representation

The Mass Line- Mao realized that the REAL power was from the Chinese Peasants

Revolutionary Components

4. Cause – Usually very complex (Get rid of the Limeys) --

represented by simple theme

Mexican Zapatista Uprising1994

Example: Mexico Zapatista Army of National Liberation Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional EZLN

Peaceful revolutionary group Based in Chiapas, Mexico (one of the poorest

states in Mexico) Rural, indigenous people Led by Subcomandante Marcos

Revolutionary Components

5. Oppressor The Bad Guy, who is, in the eyes of the radicals, the target. (George III, the Shah, the Mexican government)

6. Recognition When the Oppressor recognizes he has a problem. . . He has four options

(1) Give in or Capitulate (Not likely)(2) Compromise (3) Fight . . . or call out the troops(4) Do nothing

Revolutionary Components7. Resources Guns + Stuff + things

(1) External -- Help from afar(2) Internal -- Patriot’s guns

8. Martyr Somebody who dies for the cause9. Spark What sets off the rebellion (death of a

patriot…) 10. Propaganda Truth is its most important element

Is this true??

The Classic Revolutionary Cycle

Discontent

New Government

Honeymoon Period

Instability

Recognition

One Thought

Radicalism

The Classic Revolutionary Cycle

1. One thought2. Discontent -- Civil disobedience3. Radicalism4. Recognition -- Civil War5. Instability -- the masses join the fray6. New Government7. Honeymoon period------------------------------------1. One thought……..

Patriot v Radical?

What is the difference between a Patriot and a Radical?

One is accepted and the other is not.

The Political Spectrum

Radical Liberal Conservative Reactionary

Change is the key element

What does “Dynamic Change” Accomplish?

1. Political change New theories – idealism

2. Economic redistribution of wealth The rise of a new class

3. Social movements Urbanization

4. Religious unity or disunity5. New party systems6. Other ideas…?

Revolutions to Consider… Russia Nigeria Mexico China Great Britain Iran The Revolutions

What was wrong and how was it solved?

TYPES OF CHANGE

Change occurs in many ways, but it may be categorized into three types: Reform Revolution Coup d'etat

Change through Reform Reform is a type of change that does not advocate the

overthrow of basic institutions. The reformers DO NOT advocate the overthrow of

basic economic or political institutions. For example, reformers may want to change business

practices in order to preserve real competition in a capitalist country

Or they may want the government to become more proactive in preserving the natural environment

Revolution Revolution, in contrast to reform, implies change at a

more basic level, and does involve either a major revision or an overthrow of existing institutions.

A revolution usually impacts more than one area of life. The French and American Revolutions were

directed at the political systems, but they significantly changed the economies and societal practices of both countries, and spread their influence throughout the globe.

Coup D'état Coup d'etats generally represent the most limited of

the three types of change. In a coup the leadership of a country is replaced

with new leaders. Typically coups occur in countries where

government institutions are weak and leaders have taken control by force.

Often coups are carried out by the military, but the new leaders are always vulnerable to being overthrown by yet another coup.

ATTITUDES TOWARD CHANGE

The types of change that take place are usually strongly influenced by the attitudes of those that promote them. Attitudes toward change include: Radicalism Liberalism Conservatism Reactionary responses

Radicalism Radicalism is a belief that rapid, dramatic changes

need to be made in the existing society, often including the political system.

Radicals usually think that the current system cannot be saved and must be overturned and replaced with something better.

For example, radicalism prevailed in Russia in 1917 when the old tsarist regime was replaced by the communist U.S.S.R. Radicals are often the leaders of revolutions.

Liberalism Liberalism supports reform and gradual change

rather than revolution. This is NOT always the same as liberalism as a political

ideology. The two may or may not accompany one another. This type of liberalism generally does not believe that the

political and/or economic systems are broken, but they do believe that they need to be repaired or improved.

They may support the notion that eventual transformation needs to take place, but they almost always believe that gradual change is the best.

Conservatism Conservatism is much less supportive of change in

general than are radicalism and liberalism. Conservatives tend to see change as disruptive, and they

emphasize the fact that it sometimes brings unforeseen outcomes.

Legitimacy itself might be undermined, as well as the basic values and beliefs of the society.

They consider the state and the regime to be very important sources of law and order that might be threatened by making significant changes in the way that they operate.

Reactionary Responses

Reactionary beliefs go further to protect against change than do conservative beliefs. Reactionaries are similar to conservatives in that they oppose

both revolution and reform, but they differ in that they also find the status quo unacceptable.

Instead, they want to turn back the clock to an earlier era, and reinstate political, social, and economic institutions that once existed.

Reactionaries have one thing in common with radicals: both groups are more willing to use violence to reach their goals than are liberals or conservatives.

THREE TRENDS In comparing political systems, it is important

to take notice of overall patterns of development that affect everyone in the contemporary world.

1. Democratization

2. Movement toward market economies

3. The revival of ethnic or cultural politics

THREE TRENDS1. Democratization

2. Movement toward market economies

3. The revival of ethnic or cultural politics Two of these trends - democratization and the

move toward market economies - indicate growing commonalities among nations

The third represents fragmentation - the revival of ethnic or cultural politics

Political Change in the 21st C

And the next step for our 6 core countries is…