AP Comparative Government and Politics

Welcome to AP Comparative Government and Politics!!!!!

The Advanced Placement course in Comparative Government and Politics is an introduction to concepts

used by political scientists to study the internal and external functioning of the state. We will be

studying six core countries including: China; Great Britain; Russia; Mexico; Nigeria; and Iran. Within the

context of the course I my hope is that students develop an understanding of the processes involved in

governance that are generalizable to any national state.

The following summer assignment is designed to provide you the opportunity to begin developing the

skills that you will practice in the course. This assignment will be due on the day after returning to

school.

Summer Assignment

This assignment is worth 100 point, and must be typed, printed, and submitted at the beginning of the

school year. All work must be original; any plagiarism will result in a null score for the assignment.

Directions:

Read chapters one through three in The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad by

Fareed Zakaria. You can find cheap used copies online or at the local library. Keep in mind; we will use

this book throughout the course, so a personal copy is suggested.

After you have completed the reading compose a one and one-half reflection for each of the following

parts. All answers should be in paragraph form and provide meaningful transitions to the next section of

the paper.

Part I: Introduction and Chapter 1

What is the purpose of the Siren Story? What is democracy and why do we value it? Compare liberal and illiberal democracy. What does it mean when we say American society is anti-majoritarian? How have religion, geographic location, philosophical ideals, and liberal economies helped

shape Western democratic thought? How does culture encourage or discourage it’s ability or desire to form liberal democracies?

Part II: Chapter 2 What lesson might be learned from Adolf Hitler and Karl Lueger? What forces supported the growth of liberalism in Great Britain but not in Germany? How can national wealth both promote and inhibit the growth of a stable democracy? What evidence suggests that China and Mexico are becoming increasingly democratic? In what

ways are they struggling with democratic transitions? Part III: Chapter 3 According to Zakaria, why did Russian democracy fail? Is technology more likely to promote or undermine liberal democracy? Why? Should all anti-democratic movements be opposed? Why or why not? Why is India sometimes viewed as an “inconsistent democracy”? Does a democratic peace exist? Is there a relationship between war and constitutional liberalism? Part IV: Summation

Based on what you have read, do you think that democratization should be a policy goal of the

U.S.? Explain why you believe this should/should not be the case.

Have a great summer, I look forward to the course next year.