Political Science 4003
    COMPARATIVE LEGISLATURES


            Study guide for first exam:

                Legislatures in today’s democracies

                Empowerment of the state: Hobbes and Locke compared/contrasted vis-a-vis:
                    state of nature
                    social contract/compact
                    civil society
                    empowerment/limitations on the government/state
                    representativeness

                Uniqueness of legislatures
                    legislative attributes: constitutive/procedural
                    legislative functions
                    legislatures and policy making

                Representatives and Legislators
                    dimensions of time: length of session/service
                    legislative activities/roles
                    member characteristics

                Political parties in the legislature
                    party systems–weak vs strong (responsible) parties
                    party ideology
                    party leadership
                    parties/committees in the legislative process