Download Aristotle`s Taxonomy of Political Systems

PS 240 Handout (1 September 1999)
Classification of Nation-States: Toward a Better Taxonomy
 Vincent Wei-cheng Wang
Aristotle's Taxonomy of Political Systems
In Whose Interest?
How Many Rule?
Self (degenerative)
General (virtuous)
One
Tyranny
Oligarchy
Democracy
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Polity
A few
Many
Charles Lindblom's Classification of Politico-Economic Systems
Polyarchic
Market-oriented systems
(not exclusive of authority)
Centralized authority and
preceptoral "systems" (not
exclusive of market)
Authoritarian
Most of the world's systems,
including Yugoslavia, Spain,
All polyarchal systems:
Portugal, most of Latin America,
North American Western
new African nations, the Middle
European, and others [AICs] East except Israel, and all of
noncommunist Asia except
Japan [LDCs]
Communist systems except
Yugoslavia and perhaps
Hungary. Also Nazi-Germany.
[Totalitarianism]
Conventional
Groupings
Danziger’s
Groupings
First World
More
Developed
Countries
World System
Theory
Economic
Development
Core
Highest
Social
Development
Military
Alliance
Highest
Economic Bloc
LIEO (Bretton
Woods
System): IMF,
IBRD,
GATT(WTO);
EU
Representative
democracies,
most have
parliamentary
systems, few
have
presidential
systems
All respect
private
ownership;
some (Sweden)
more socialist,
others more
capitalist
(U.S.)
Political
System
Economic
System
Second World
NATO
PostCommunist
Developed
Countries
Core ?
Third World
Transitional
Developed
Countries
NICs
Third World
Islamic States
of the Middle
East
Semiperiphery
?
Periphery
High but
declining
High and
growing fast
Medium to low
to lowest
High but
declining
WTO
High and
growing
U.S. camp
Some (oil
exporters)
quite high,
some medium
medium to low
COMECON
essentially
under the
LIEO, and
prospered from
it
OPEC
Formerly
communist
dictatorships,
now
experimenting
democracies
Formerly
authoritarian,
but now
democratized
Many have
traditional
monarchies,
some become
theocracies
Many gained
independence
after WWII,
many plagued
by instability,
dictatorship,
etc.
Formerly
command
economies;
now
experimenting
capitalist
reforms
Mixed
economies, but
more capitalist
than socialist;
developmental
state
Used oil
receipts to
develop the
economy
Ranging from
capitalist to
socialist to
communist;
some have
manufacturing
capability, but
most rely on
primary
products
Superpower
struggle
Medium to low
to lowest
Some coveted,
but more
neglected by
Superpowers
Some joined
regional pacts
in Africa, Latin
America, etc.