Traditional Approaches to Comparative Politics

Traditional Approaches to Comparative Politics

Normative Philosophical Approach

Facts/Features: Oldest approach, predates political science. Uses abstract reasoning, moral arguments, formal logic. Prescriptive, deductive, value-loaded, idealistic, speculative.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, T.H. Green, Leo Strauss, Isaiah Berlin

Historical Approach

Facts/Features: Genealogical; treats history as genetic process. Studies past to understand present political phenomena.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Laski, Hegel (Historical Dialecticism)

Example: Comparative analysis of French, Russian, Chinese Revolutions (Skocpol)

Institutional Approach

Facts/Features: Focus on formal rules, procedures, and structures. Studies state organs, legislatures, executives, courts, legal systems. Static, formal institutions determining political outcomes.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

Aristotle, Polybius, Bryce, Edward Finer, Duverger, Sartori, Alexis de Tocqueville, Max Weber, Herman Finer, Carl Friedrich

Legalistic Approach

Facts/Features: Focus on formal laws and procedures. Descriptive, Eurocentric, limited attention to behavior and soft institutions.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

Bryce, Edward Finer

Behavioural Approach

Facts/Features: Focuses on individual and group behavior rather than institutions. Empirical, uses surveys, statistics, and scientific methods.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

David Easton, Almond, Powell, Easton & McGill

Structural-Functional Approach

Facts/Features: Studies political system as a set of structures performing functions. Focus on outputs, processes, and stability.

Main Thinkers & Examples ⬇

Almond, Powell, Gabriel Almond & Bingham Powell (Comparative Politics)