Unit 5 Course & Exam Description

The Course and Exam Description (CED) outlines the essential framework for studying comparative politics. 

Unit 5 One Page Readings & Flip Notes

One-Page Readings (OPR):

Short readings that explain the main ideas of each lesson so you can learn the content before class instead of listening to a lecture.

Flip Notes (FN):

Guided notes that help you pull out the most important ideas from the reading and get ready to use them in class.

Lesson 5.1 Impact of Global Economic and Technological Forces

This topic focuses on how global economic and technological forces influence political policies, behaviors, and culture. You’ll examine economic globalization, the IMF, World Bank, and WTO, and how multinational corporations (MNCs) and neoliberalism can create conflicts within states.  

Lesson 5.2 Political Responses to Global Market Forces

This topic focuses on comparing how course countries respond to global market forces. You’ll examine policies about private ownership of industry and capital, different levels of private control of natural resources, and why governments respond to markets to improve conditions, manage domestic demands, and maintain or increase power.

Lesson 5.3 Challenges from Globalization

This topic focuses on how globalization creates challenges to regime sovereignty. You’ll examine how foreign direct investment and multinational corporations, cultural influences, environmental degradation, and foreign political/economic pressures (including sanctions) can challenge governments and provoke domestic backlash

Lesson 5.4 Policies and Economic Liberalization

This topic focuses on economic and political liberalization policies and the consequences of economic liberalization. You’ll examine how states reduce their economic role through free market mechanisms (privatization, tariff and subsidy reduction, foreign direct investment) and how neoliberal economic policies can produce mixed outcomes, including growth and inequality.

Lesson 5.5 International and Supranational Organizations

This topic focuses on how international and supranational organizations influence domestic policymakers and national sovereignty. You’ll examine how the IMF and World Bank use financial preconditions and how supranational organizations (ECOWAS, EU, WTO) can pressure states to reduce tariffs and liberalize trade.

Lesson 5.6 Adaptation of Social Policies

This topic focuses on how governments adapt social policies to address political, cultural, and economic changes. You’ll examine policies related to gender equity, health care, and education, and how social welfare policies can reduce poverty and improve public health while maintaining or bolstering political legitimacy.

Lesson 5.7 Impact of Industrialization and Economic Development

This topic focuses on how rapid industrialization and economic development can produce radical changes in governmental policies. You’ll examine how governments respond to environmental and political problems tied to fossil fuels, how trade liberalization shapes development choices, and how budget deficits can lead to austerity measures.

Lesson 5.8 Causes and Effects of Demographic Change

This topic focuses on the political causes and consequences of demographic changes and how they can challenge a government’s legitimacy. You’ll examine population growth, migration, and shifting land use, and analyze how policies and economic opportunities drive population movement and create new demands on governmental resources.

Lesson 5.9 Impact of Natural Resources

This topic focuses on how natural resources affect political stability and economic development. You’ll examine rentier states and the resource curse, how nationalization can provide revenue and consolidate control, and how privatized ownership can decrease government control and increase inequality and potential loss of sovereignty.

Unit 5 Review

Students choose one of two review options to prepare for the Unit 4 assessment. Each option reinforces key Comparative Government concepts by applying course countries, core vocabulary, and analytical thinking aligned to the CED.  Please select ONE option to complete for the reviw.