12 short questions comparative/ politics 1. How did German nationalism come before the state itself was formed? Who were the Junkers, and what role did they play in this? 2. What were some of the factors or characteristics of German state-making that you think led to both World Wars? 3. Germany developed what the book calls social market capitalism in the post-war era. What is this, what role does the state play, and how is it different from other countries systems? 4. What challenges does this economic system now face? Why do you think the EU was so popularly supported in Germany from the beginning? 5. Germanys political system was also rebuilt after the war with the aim of checking centralized state power, within and between the branches. What are some of the checks and balances built into it that carry out this function? 6. How do Germanys political parties reflect the growing diversity of its population? German politics has been getting more right-leaning in part due to this changedo you think this trend will continue? Why or why not? 7. What elements of German and other western state-building were borrowed by Japan? Why did democracy, developed relatively early in Japan, fail to take root there before WWII? 8. What role has the state played in Japans economic development? What external factors have also helped make it into one of the richest countries in the world? 9. Discuss the close relationship between private businesses, and the one that developed between business and labor. How have economic changes at home and abroad impacted these relationships? 10. How is the modern Japanese state organized? Which system have we looked at (so far) is it most similar to, do you think? 11. What role has clientelism played in political, economic, and social life in Japan? How and why did the tight grip Japans Liberal Democratic Party (one of the biggest users of the clientelist system) had on power loosen in recent years? 12. What are some of the social divisions we see in Japan? Do you think the current challenges faced by the country (political, economic, social) will alter its rather distinct cultural makeup?

12 short questions comparative/ politics 1. How did German nationalism come before the state itself was formed? Who were the Junkers, and what role did they play in this? 2. What were some of the factors or characteristics of German state-making that you think led to both World Wars? 3. Germany developed what the book calls social market capitalism in the post-war era. What is this, what role does the state play, and how is it different from other countries systems? 4. What challenges does this economic system now face? Why do you think the EU was so popularly supported in Germany from the beginning? 5. Germanys political system was also rebuilt after the war with the aim of checking centralized state power, within and between the branches. What are some of the checks and balances built into it that carry out this function? 6. How do Germanys political parties reflect the growing diversity of its population? German politics has been getting more right-leaning in part due to this changedo you think this trend will continue? Why or why not? 7. What elements of German and other western state-building were borrowed by Japan? Why did democracy, developed relatively early in Japan, fail to take root there before WWII? 8. What role has the state played in Japans economic development? What external factors have also helped make it into one of the richest countries in the world? 9. Discuss the close relationship between private businesses, and the one that developed between business and labor. How have economic changes at home and abroad impacted these relationships? 10. How is the modern Japanese state organized? Which system have we looked at (so far) is it most similar to, do you think? 11. What role has clientelism played in political, economic, and social life in Japan? How and why did the tight grip Japans Liberal Democratic Party (one of the biggest users of the clientelist system) had on power loosen in recent years? 12. What are some of the social divisions we see in Japan? Do you think the current challenges faced by the country (political, economic, social) will alter its rather distinct cultural makeup?

illadelphhalflife added on 06/13/13 at 11:59 PM (PST):

NEED DONE BY 1PM TOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!