Course Title: INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Course Number: POL 282

Credit Units: 3
Course Facilitator: Prof. Belen Lorezca-Tangco, OP, AB, MA, Ph.D.
(Political Science); Ph.D. (Educational Management); FABI; Doctorate
of Letters, Honoris Causa (Cambridge, England)
Consultation Time/Place: T 1700-1800 / AB Faculty Consultation Room
Email: bltangco1222@yahoo.com
________________________________________________________________________________
Course Description: A study of the contemporary major institutions of
government in selected countries, including their interaction, using various
conceptual approaches and systems analysis.
Course Goals and Objectives:
Major Competency: Critical ability to distinguish and analyze current
developments in the major political systems vis-a-vis the regional and
international institutional systems as they affect relations and mutual security.
By semestral end, the participants/ students shall have:
1. Acquired a sound knowledge and understanding of the types of political
systems as categorized according to ideological or socio-economic/ cultural
thrusts;
2. Obtained a distinct understanding of the various factors that affect the
political

systems

in

their

operations

and

struggle

for

sustainable

development; and
3. Achieved a critical ability to distinguish the governmental systems and
analyze the situations obtaining vis-a-vis the neighbouring systems,
regionally and internationally.
Value Objectives: The participants/students are expected to acquire sound
understanding of the events and situation obtaining in the major selected
political systems. Such understanding would enable them to contribute
research works that may lead to thesis writing on issues and systems concerns
of concerned political systems, thereby creating a breakthrough in a global
search for solution or facilitation of answers to challenging life questions.

1|Page

Course Organization
U N I T 1: NATURE OF POLITCAL SYSTEMS

Definition of Political System

Composition of a Political System

Relevance of a Political System

UNIT 2: TYPES OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS

According to Evolution
o Feudal
o Populistic
o Democratic

According to presence/ seat of power

o Anarchy

o Democracy

o Dictatorship

o Indirect Democracy

o Autocracy

o Plutocracy

o Oligarchy

o Aristocracy

o Theocracy

o Meritocracy

o Monarchy

o Stratocracy

o Cleptocracy
UNIT 3: DIAGNOSING POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Diagnosing Ancient Political System

Biological Diagnosis

Latin and Chinese Political System

10 Characteristics
o Moral Functionality

o Feedback

o Budget

o Learning

o Reserves

o Leadership

o Defense
o Growth

Cohesiveness
o Mass Solidarity
o Vision

2|Page

UNIT 4: BRANCHES/INSTITUTIONS OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Executive

Church

Legislative

School

Judicial

Media & NGOs

Military

Interest Groups

UNIT 5: BASIC LAWS FOR POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Democratic Peace

Alliances

Political Scandals

Ability of Expansion

UNIT 6: COMMON FLAWS OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS

in Quasi-democratic system

Twenty Common Flaws

UNIT 7: POLITICAL SYSTEMS IN CONTEMPORARY

World vis-a-vis Historical landscape

o England

o Switzerland

o Sweden

o United States of America

o Belgium

o France

o The Netherlands
UNIT 8: CHALLENGES TO POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Environment, Financial Status, National interests, etc.

UNIT 9: CRITICAL RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Region of interest/ institutions

UNIT 10: INTEGRATION

3|Page

Professor's

Input:

Lectures,

documentary

film

showing,

multimedia

presentations
Enabling/Collaborative Activities: Forum discussions, role-playing, research
presentation, thought paper discussion
Integrating Activity: Comparative/ contrasting presentation
Basic Readings:

Bekaert, Geert and Robert J. Hodrick. International Financial

Management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009

Easton, David. The Political System. An Inquiry into the State of Political
Science, Alfred A. Knopf.N.Y., 2nd ed. 1981.

____________.The Analysis of Political Structure. Routledge, 1990.

____________. An Approach to the Analysis of Political Systems,1993.

Sodaro, Michael J..Comparative Politics: A Global Introduction.

Boston,MA: McGraw Hill Higher Education; London, McGraw Hill. 2008

DeLury, George E. (ed.). World Encyclopedia of Political Systems &

Parties. New York, 1987.

Extended Readings:

Harrison, James. The Human Rights Impact of the World Trade

Organisation. Oxford; Portland,Or: Hart, 2007

Painter, Martin and Jon Pierre (eds.). Challenges to State Policy Capacity:
Global Trends and Comparative Perspectives. 2008

Roberts, Nancy C.. The Age of Direct Citizen Participation. Armonk,N.Y.:

M.E. Sharpe, 2008

Journals:

Mansbridge, Jane. Rethinking Representation, American Political

Science Review,vol.97, no.4. November, 2003, 515-527.

Carty, R. Kenneth. Political Turbulence in a Dominant Party System,

Political Science & Politics. Vol. XXXIX, no.4,October 2006.825-27

Warren, Mark E. Political Corruption as Duplicitous Exclusion. Political

4|Page

Science & Politics. Vol.XXXIX,no.4,October 2006.803-07

Instructional Media:

Time Magazine

Political Science Journals

Documentary films

Course Policies/Requirements:

Two (2) thought papers before prelims for discussion

Preliminary examination

Course paper with presentation

Final examination

Grading System:

Thought Papers/Quiz..30

Class participation/Research....................................30

Preliminary/Final exam...............................................40

Total............................................................................100

5|Page