Russia

Universal suffrage starts at the age of 18 in Russia.  The government is headed by the Prime Minister and the state is headed by the President.  The Prime minister is appointed by the President, who rules a 6-year term. Yet, this is still corrupt.  For example, Putin was President for 6 years, then appointed Prime Minister, and now holds office again and can run for two terms. The State’s Duma has to approve the Prime Minister before it is decided. 

The power is divided amongst three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative.  The executive is headed by the President and the Prime Minister.  The judicial branch consists of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Arbitration, and the office of the Procurator.  The legislative, or lawmaking, branch is lead by the Federal Assembly.

Russia is on its way to being a liberal democracy, but Putin’s rule keeps it from truly being one.  The President has the most power, then the Prime Minister.  The State Duma recognizes United Russia, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and Liberal Democratic Party of Russia as its political parties.THe debate in Russia now is over whether democracy shouldbe centralized or not. 

 

Mexico

How does one gain power? 

• The president is elected by a simple majority of registered voters in the thirty-one states and the Federal District. 

How is power divided? 

• The government is divided into an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch.
• The President heads the executive branch. There is no vice president. A Mexican president is only allowed to serve one six year term. 
• The legislative branch is a bicameral congress. Congress has the power to pass laws, impose taxes, declare war, approve the national budget, approve or reject treaties and conventions made with foreign countries, and ratify diplomatic appointments.There is an upper chamber, which addresses all matters concerning foreign policy, approves international agreements, and confirms presidential appointments and a lower chamber, which deals with the government's budget and public expenditures. Both chambers draft, discuss, and approve legislation and ratify high-level presidential appointments. Members of Congress can serve more than one term, though the terms cannot be consecutive.
• The judicial branch is divided into federal and state systems. The highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, consisting of twenty-one magistrates and five auxiliary judges, all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate or the Permanent Committee. 

Explain the political system: 

• Mexico has a presidential system with strong and independent legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The president is elected by majority vote for a six-year term.
• Mexico is a federation integrated by 31 States and a Federal District. Each State elects its own governor and legislature; municipal authorities are chosen at the local level.
• The Chamber of Deputies has 500 members, elected for a three-year term; 300 elected by simple majority in single-member districts, and 200 elected by proportional representation in five 40-member regional districts.
• The Senate has 128 members, elected for a six-year term. Each state elects three senators, and in addition 32 are elected by proportional representation on a single nation list.
• Re-election for consecutive terms in prohibited for all federal deputies and senators.
• Legislators can be elected to the other chamber when their term expires, and they can be re-elected to the same cture; municipal authorities are chosen at the local level.

Externalities: A consequence (positive or negative) of an economic activity that is experienced by unrelated third parties

China

How is power divided?

The most recent and current edition of the constitution of the People's Republic of China outlines a division of power among three bodies: the People's Liberation Army, the Communist Party of China, and the State Council. Each entity has their separate place in the system. The CCP deals with the political decisions of the state, the State Council acts as the primary administrative body, and the PLA serves as the military branch. Each branch is separate and has their own separate jobs. However, because the constitution names the CCP as the sole political party of the state and the party has all legal power in the government each branch is very intertwined with Party members. Essentially the constitution divides the power but reconciles it all in the CPP to create a one-party state with a strong and stable central government.



How does one gain power?

Due to the strength of the single party system in China, gaining vast amounts of power is not as hard as in other less centralized governments. To gain power in China one must first be elected to the National People's Congress. This is the basic level of national governing power in China apart from local governance. As a large body, 3,000 members, an individual has little power. However, there exists a hierarchy in the CCP that allows an individual to gain copious amounts of power. The highest tier is the Politburo Standing Committee. This is a 9 member committee and the most powerful decision making body in the Party. While this is only a Party matter, the single Party has so much power in the government that each member of this elite committee has lots of power and influence. In each branch there exists a similar hierarchy through which an individual can work their way, usually with the help of bribes, to the top.



The political system:

China's political system is technically a socialist government, but they allow an open market economy in addition to their state owned businesses and industries. They have a constitution that divides power, yet also grants all the political power to a single party, the CCP. With  a large majority of both the country and the politicians members of the CCP, they have a lot of power and the government is very strong and centralized. While issues may arise with regards to human rights violations and human needs, the government is very effective on account of its lack of slow and cumbersome discourse. The rights and opportunities of China's citizens are limited compared to democracies around the world, but they aren't as limited when compared to more oppressive and authoritative regimes.

Define externality

ex·ter·nal·i·ty

noun/ˌekstərˈnalitē/

externalities, plural

1. A side effect or consequence of an industrial or commercial activity that affects other parties without this being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved, such as the pollination of surrounding crops by bees kept for honey
2. The fact of existing outside the perceiving subject

China

How does one gain power in this country?

Anyone over the age of 18 can vote for people to represent them in the Nation People’s Congress and then the NPC essentially controls the rest of the political system. It appoints the president, the premier, the judges, and more or less every other governmental position so the only time that the people have a nominal say in the government is when they elect their representatives. The reason this participation is more nominal and not as pronounced as the American republic is that the congress only accepts people from the same political party with the same views and interests.

How does power divide in this country?

The power in China is subdivided amongst the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The legislative branch is a unicameral congress called the National People’s Congress or the Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui. The congress has nearly 3000 seats and the representatives are elected into office by their local region and serve a term of 5 years. While the official standpoint of the Chinese government is that anyone can get elected, in reality only members of the CCP and its allied political parties are allowed in. The executive branch consists of the President and Vice president. Currently their president is President Hu Jintao and their Vice President is Xi Jinping. The president serves 5 year terms and can be elected twice. The executive branch also has a premier who is nominated by the president and confirmed by the congress and currently the premier is Wen Jiabo. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme People's Court whose judges are appointed by the National People's Congress, Local People's Courts, and the Special People's Courts. While this may appear very similar to the U.S. model of government it really isn’t as the congress controls essentially every aspect of the government and the President is merely a puppet for their purposes. The CCP controls the government completely and faces no significant political opposition.

Explain the political system:

The government is essentially a representative semi democracy in that there are supposed elections for political positions of power; however, all of the politics is controlled by one party and no opposition truly exists. The country is split into 23 different regions, which all have a small local government but are mainly ruled by the central communist government. In nearly every major decision the congress is unanimous due to their coinciding interests for example the vote for the new president was more or less unanimous with 2963 votes for Hu out of the 2987 potential votes. The country is slowly becoming more and more open and democratic but as for right now the political system is quite closed to the public and is very involved with the every day to day lives of the people in China.

Externalities are defined as a cost or benefit that is not transmitted directly through prices. 

Great Britain

How power is divided:
The united kingdom is considered a constitutional monarchy, this means that the head of the state is the monarch (King or Queen) but his/her power is limited by the constitution. This means that not only the head of state gets a say in the government of the united kingdom. The prime minister who is appointed by the queen holds alot of the power in the government. Just below the queen sits the house of lords and the house of commons. Comparing to the United States government it is similar in the sense that if a bill or law is going to passed it needs to pass through both houses before it is sent to the monarch for his or her approval. The House of Commons hold more legislative power than the House of Lords. The house of Lords responsibility is making laws and checking government actions.
How one gains power:
To gain power in the House of Commons you need to be elected in by the people.The house of commons is the lower house of the bicameral parliaments. Originally to be in the House of Lords it was heredity meaning passed down in the family, but more recently the queen herself has been appointing the Lords. There are two sections of the House of Lords one which is a birth rights and the other is where the Queen of Prime Minister can appoint people.
Political System:
Currently the Prime Minister holds most of the political power. Since there is in fact no written Constitution it falls under a weird category. The legislative branch is represented by Parliament, meaning the Houses. The executive power is held by the prime minister. Who has taken in a role similar to the president of the United States. The judicial power is represented by the Supreme Court. The House of Commons is perhaps the most important because without having an written constitution it makes it hard to control. 
   

Iran

1. How is power divided?
    There is one Supreme Leader, currently Ali Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989. The Supreme Leader has full control over the nuclear & foreign policies and the armed forces and he also has the highest religious authority. There is also a President, currently Mahmoud Amedinejad, who is elected by the people (every four years and can run twice, just like the US). The President does not have as many powers as the Supreme Leader, but the President can sign foreign treaties, administer the national budget, and appoint individuals such as governors, ministers, and ambassadors with the approval of Parliament. The Parliament drafts legislation, raitifies treaties, and approves the national budget. There is then an Assembly of Experts, which elects the Supreme Leader and can remove him from power at any time. There are also local councils.

2. How does one gain power in Iran?
    Anyone seeking power in Iran must be Islamic, for it is an Islamic republic. The Council of Guardians have designed a written exam to test the Assembly of Experts' candidates' eligibility. There is a lot of corruption in the nation's politics today, making it difficult for some to gain power and easier for others.

3. Explain the political system.
    The Iranian political system is a mix of appointed individuals and direct elections of individuals. The executive branch contains the Supreme Leader and the President. The legislative branch used to be bicameral but is now unicameral because the senate was removed after the Iranian Revolution. The Majlis, or Parliament, is made up of 290 members who are elected for four-year terms. The judicial branch consists of a head Judiciary (appointed by the Supreme Leader), who then appoints the head of the Supreme Court and the chief public prosecutor.

4. An externality occurs when the private costs or benefits to the providers or buyers of a service or good is different from the overall social costs or benefits that come from its consumption and production.

US questions.

How is power divided in the US?
The main division of power in the US is the separation of branches.  In the US there are three branches, executuve (the president), legislative (Congress) and Judicial (Supreme Court), all which check and balance the other branches.

How does one gain power in the US?
Power is gained a couple of ways in the US.  Power in the government usually comes from being a charismatic, popular, well spoken leader with a a large funding basis--many politicians rise to power starting as a Senator or Governor and through speeches, money, and popularity become President.  Power in the business world usually comes from a combination of luck, ruthlessness, background, connections, and ideas.  America has a very capitalist economy which changes how power is gained in the business world.  In a pure capitalism everyone has a fair shot at gaining power and climbing to the top of the totem pole.  While this is not completely the case in America, a good amount of opportunity exists.

US Political System:
The US has one of the more established and complex political systems in the world.  What comes to mind first is the document that is the foundation of American Government--the Constitution.  Embedded in the Constitution is a separation of powers which is also a significant trademark of the American political system.  The President (Executive branch) is a limited ruler, elected to office through political primaries usually from one of the main two political parties in the US.  The two party system and political primary system are also representative of the US political system.  Next is Congress: inside of Congress lies the Senate and the House of Representatives.  There are two Senators from every state while the representation in the House is proportional.  The Judicial branch houses the Supreme Court, the major law enforcement entity in the country.  Beneath all the upper tiers of government is a rich and deep political culture that plays a huge role in driving the US political system.  The number of participants in the US is one of the highest in the world.  Congress and the executive branch are also (unfortunately) very tied into business nowadays.  Businesses provide huge amount of funds and exercise huge amounts of influence in decisions made throughout government.

Externality: A consequence of economic activity.  Can be positive or negative.

Great Britain

How Power is divided:

Although technically a monarchy, the power of the monarch are mostly ceremonial. Based on Montesquieu's concept of separation of power, the actual British government is divided into 3 branches. Like the United States, it is separated into an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judiciary branch. However, the power is not divided as specifically as seen in the United States. The executive branch is made up of Ministers. All Ministers must be in Parliament, the bicameral legislative branch. Parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons holds the most power and is made up of elected members. The House of Lords holds less power and is made up of officials either appointed by the Queen or who gained the position through their family. Although this seems undemocratic, the House of Lords holds few responsibilities in relation to the House of Commons. The judiciary system consists of the courts but is complicated due to the fact that Great Britain contains 3 separate countries, each with their own set of laws. As previously mentioned, the lines the divide power are blurred. All Ministers are in Parliament, some senior judges are members of the House of Lords, and all Ministers are head of specific government departments.

How One Gains Power:


Consisting of both the executive and legislative branches, Parliament is where the power lies in the British government. In the past, members of the House of Lords were mostly granted their power through heredity but it is becoming more common for the Queen to appoint members. The House of Commons are elected by the people. Britain uses a "first past the post" system of voting. All members of the House of Commons gain their position through these elections, which take place at most 5 years apart. The Queen is born into royalty. However, her position is more symbolic than functional making her a simply a cultural icon.

Political System:

Great Britain is has no written constitution, making it part of a group that includes only itself, Israel, and New Zealand. There are several documents and events that lead to an accepted structure and separation of government. The Prime Minister is has become more powerful in the last century. Acting similar to a President when dealing with foreign nations, appointing a cabinet, and assigning the head of departments. As the legislative branch, Parliament creates and passes laws. The judiciary system is complex in comparison to other nations'. The complications of having no written constitution (or bill of rights) and incorporating three countries separate laws, all with their own subtleties. The House of Commons is the only representative, yet most powerful part of the government. The elections are open to all citizens of 18 years or older, and have improved the participation percentage from the previous election.

Nigeria

How is power divided?

        The Federal Republic of Nigeria divides power between three branches of government. They are the executive branch, legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The excutive branch consists of the chief of  state and the head of government. The chief of state and the head of government is the president.  In the executive branch there is also the cabinet in which members of the cabinet oversee the 19 federal ministries. The presidents known as the Federal Executive Council is required to appoint one representative  from the 36 different states into the cabinet. 
         The legislative branch is a bicameral legislative body known as the National Assembly. It is made up by the house of representatives and senate. There are 360 seats in side of the house of representives; seats are decided by the population of each state. In the senate there are 109 seats; 3 seats per state and 1 seat for the capital city Abuja. Abuja is considered to be a federal capital territory. 
         The judicial branch Is made up of the suprem court, the court of appeals, and the federal high court. The suprem court has as many as 15 justices, and it is presided over by a chief justice. The members of the suprem court are nominated by the president but need to be approved by the senate. The federal court of appeals has minimum of 35 justices, there need to be at least three experts justices in Sharia law , and three experts in customary law. 

How does one gain power?
        One comes to power through the process of elections. There is universal adult suffrage  in Nigeria. People are elected by popular vote. Members of the national assembly are elected for four year terms. They are allowed to serve a a maximum of two terms. The same is true for the president.

Explain the political system:
Nigeria has a constitution that was put into effect on May 31, 1999.  The People's Democratic Party has control of the House, The senate, and the current president is a member of the People's Democratic Party. People are elected by first-past-the-post that makes it more likely that it is a two party system. There are four diffrent types of law: English Law, Common Law, Customary Law, and Sharia Law. English law is based off of laws that were put in place in Nigeria while Nigeria was still a colony of England. Common law is laws that are based off of a precendent that has occurred since independence. Customary Law is based off of traditions. Sharia law is also known as Islamic law. It is subject to the consent of  Muslims. It is based off of Islamic ideologies. 

Externalities: Existing outside of a perceived object.
                           
         

Russia

How does one gain power?

-Elections are held with universal suffrage at 18. Once a President is elected he serves two consecutive 6-year terms and appoints a Prime Minister (formally known as the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation) who must also be approved by the State Duma, a lower house in the Federal Assembly.


How is the power divided?

3 main branches of government:
-Executive: President and the Prime Minister
-Judicial: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Arbitration, Office of procurator general
-Legislative: The Federal Assembly
 
Explain the Political System:
-Currently attempting to become a more liberal democracy but is actually more of a "managed democracy" or a "sovereign democracy" because of President Putin's rule
-The main political parties in Russia as recognized by the State Duma: United Russia (main/biggest party), Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, A Just Russia.
-The President has the most power, followed by the Prime Minister who makes mostly in an administrative role. 
-Elections to the State Duma are held every 5 years and it consists of 450 members. The role of this House is approve or dismiss all bills before they are sent to the Federal Assembly. The State Duma also deals with amnesty as well as the appointment of various chairmen to Central Bank of Russia or the Commissioner for Human Rights. Currently the biggest debate in Russia is whether the power of the government should be regional or central. 

Externalities is defined as a cost or benefit that is not transmitted directly through prices. 

Nigeria

How is power divided up?
It is similar to the United States. There are three branches of goverment. There is a bicameral National Assembly consisting of a 360-member House of Representatives and a 109-member Senate. The president heads the executive branch. The executive branch is divided into Federal Ministries, headed by a minister appointed by the President. This is similar to the cabinet in the United States. The judiciary includes a Supreme Court and lower courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. The People's Democratic Party has the majority of seats in both the House of Representatives (260) and the Senate (85). The current President of Nigeria is part of the People's Democratic Party.

How does one gain power?
Power is gained through elections. Elections are through universal suffrage. These elections have not always been fair. Some have been rigged. Since the new constitution was created in 1999, the elections have been more fair and legitimate. Federal ministers in the "cabinet" are chosen by the president. The Senate and the House of Representatives are both are four year terms

Explain the political system.
The legal system is based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law. Nigeria is a federal republic. It has thirty-six states, one federal territory, and 774 municipalities. Power resides in the central government, which controls most of the country’s revenues and resources. Critical sectors include security and the Niger Delta (20%); education (8%); transportation (7%); agriculture and water (5%); and energy (5%).

externalities-when an activity produces costs that are involved with the producer or the user

 

How does one gain power in this country?

The electoral system is not a big part of the Chinese political system, however elections are held at local levels. Rather, delegates to the National People’s Congress are chosen at the provincial level congresses, and from these nominations delegates are appointed to top governmental offices by the Congress. The president himself  is chosen by the NPC, and is term limited to two 5- year terms.

How does power divide in this country?

Power is divided mainly along four levels: the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the judiciary branches, and the President. The NPC is the highest level of state power under the constitution of China, and holds ultimate legislative authority over all the regions in the country. The State Council is the center of executive power in the People’s Republic of China as well as the main body involved in lawmaking. The premier is the head of government in the State Council, which also includes a central bank governor. The judicial sector consists of three types of courts: the Supreme People’s Court, Local Courts, and Special Courts and each deals with more localized sectors of governance. Finally the President holds some power in China, however it is mainly a ceremonial position. The President is the head of the People’s Republic, but does not head the government, rather, he acts under the orders of the NPC and the Standing Committee of the NPC (which has the power to force resignation of the president). The President does, however, have power to proclaim martial law, declare a state of war, and issue mobilization orders once ordered to do so by the NPC.

Explain the political system:

The Chinese political system is based on democratic centralism (internal political organization). This implies that the members of the Communist party are allowed to debate policy, but only majority vote takes effect- it is as Vladimir Lenin said, “freedom of discussion, unity of action”. This system creates a representational power structure in which each region chooses a representative who then work in a domino-effect election of representatives. The Chinese government consists of many different sub-categories, including” the constitutional system, the system of the people’s congress (the major branch), the communist party, the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system, central administration, local administrations, system of the head of state, the system of the civil servant, the election system, and the system of self government in ethnic autonomous areas.

Externalities: the fact of existing outside the perceiving subject.

Three Questions and the Defintion

a/c. How is the power divided/Political System?

-Executive: 

Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI, elected by Assembly of Experts, is the ultimate say in the land

-President: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD, elected by people for four year term, can have two in a row then has to be non-consecutive

-First Vice president:  Mohammad Reza RAHIMI

-Vice Presidents: 8 including the other ones

-Council of Ministers: 22 Cabinet Ministers, selected by Supreme Leader and confirmed by legislative power
-Assembly of Experts: Elected Directly by the people, oversee the Supreme Leader and can remove him from power

-Expediency Council: oversee the other branches and settles legislative issues

-Council of Guardians: makes sure that proposed law is both Constitutional and follows Islamic law

The Supreme Leader is the ultimate power in the land; he can declare war, implement the Constitution, and overall look after the welfare of the State. Local officials are elected by the citizens of the town and are in office for four years. 

Legislative:

-Islamic Consultive Assembly

-unicameral

-290 seats

-elected by popular vote

-four year term

Judicial:

-one over-arching court with four smaller ones

-supervise enforcement of laws

-help shape legislate

-laws have to pass the Islamic tests/be faithful to the religion

b. How does one gain power?

-most people do not go through political parties

-Ansar-E-Hizballah

-have to be Islamic

- although it is said to be free elections, corruption is prominent throughout the country
-have to be close to someone in power or have a religious background

Define Externalities:is a cost or benefit that is not transmitted through prices^[1] and is incurred by a party who was not involved as either a buyer or seller of the goods or services causing the cost or benefi

3 Qs and 1 Def

How does one gain power? 

The President is directly elected by a simple majority of registered voters in the thirty-one states and the Federal District (Mexico City).

How is power divided? 

Similar to the United States, Mexico is divided into three major branches of government:

Executive-President holds 6-year term (sexenio)

Legislative-consists of a bicameral congress (Congreso de la Unión) divided into an upper chamber, or Senate (Cámara de Senadores), and a lower chamber, or Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados).

Judicial-divided into federal and state systems. Mexico's highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, located in Mexico City. The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice is prohibited by the constitution from applying its rulings beyond any individual case.

Explain political system: 

President makes his list in last two years of sexenio, of his candidates for the PRI (Ruling Political Party). One of the unique features of the Mexican presidency has been the highly secretive process of presidential succession. Since the 1930s, Mexico's PRI presidents have enjoyed the right to personally name their successor, a privilege known as the dedazo (tap).

The Mexican legal system is based on Spanish civil law with some influence of the common law tradition.

State government: Mexico is divided into thirty-one states and a Federal District that includes Mexico City, similar to the U.S.'s Washington D.C. Each state has its own constitution, modeled on the national charter, with the right to legislate and levy taxes other than interstate customs duties. State (and local) governments also have executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Local government: The basic unit of Mexican government is the municipality (municipio), more than 2,000 of which were legally in existence in 1996. Municipal governments are responsible for numerous public services, including water and sewerage; street lighting; cleaning and maintenance; public safety and traffic; supervision of slaughterhouses; and the maintenance of parks, gardens, and cemeteries

Define externalities: an effect of a purchase or use decision by one set of parties who did not have a choice and whose interests were not taken into account.

the executive branch

tradition

the communication structure

Family

Law

Social

Education

Money

Culture

Traditions

Language

Communication

relationships

Excited About!

Coming into AP Comparative, I honestly had no idea what to expect.  I had never taken a government centered class and didn't know really if I would like that kind of focus or not.  Fortunately, I think I have already discovered that I am at least fairly interested in the field and I am excited to delve deeper.  Also, it's hilarious when Mr. Wallimann makes fun of other teachers.

Concerns

My greatest concern is that this class will be graded intensely as grading it like an AP tester would would make the class nearly impossible to get an A. I hope that I have what it takes to do well and believe that I will have to do a lot more work for this class than I had anticipated when I originally signed up.

Fascists <3

Nothing excites me more than knowing that 5 days of every 6 I will not only have the opportunity to spend time with my favorite teacher, Mr. Wallimann, but I get to disagree with everything he says and engage in heated debates. It is going to be very fun and entertaining for the entire class. Now on to a more professional note. Through debate I've gotten to know a lot about the inner workings of the US government, but I don't know that much about other countries around the world. I'm more excited than I am nervous or stressed, so this should be a fun year.

   This class instills multiple feelings in me. I am really excited for this class, but I am also slightly nervous about it.  I decided to take this course because of an  interest I have always held towards foreign nations and politics itself. This class was the class that I was excited about going into the school year. However, it is my first Ap course, and I am nervous about the jump from honors to Ap.  I think I am most nervous about taking the test at the end of the year. Even though I do have reservations about this class, ultimately I think it is great opportunity. 

I'm excited for:

I'm excited to learn enough about different governments and how they compare and contrast to be able to contribute something intelligent to a discussion of politics should the need arise.

Thoughts on AP Comp Gov

I'm both excited and nervous for this class. As it is my junior year, maybe the most important year of high school, it was a tough decision to take two Social Studies AP courses. I was up to the challenge though, but I'm nervous that for this class in particular, that I might just absolutely not get a word we are saying for one of the topics. I just want to be able to understand most of the stuff we cover. As with the other AP courses, I don't want to fall behind, so I will try my best to stay on the boat. I believe that this course will really help me with Debate as far as debating about the international topics that may come up in all events at tournaments. This will really help me understand what people are talking about on the news. I guess I am most exicted to learn about what is really out there in terms of politics. I 'm really excited to learn about different governments that are not their own and how they exist in society. Although I have heard that it is recommended to take AP US Gov before AP Comp Gov, I still think this would help understand the United States government a little more in context and prepare for the AP US Gov course if I decide to take it next year. I think this class will be interesting and I'm looking forward to an exciting year.

Similar to my feelings about other AP courses, I find myself between the extremes of excitement and fear while maintaining a few qualities of both. I find the wide variety of governments seen in the world to be very interesting and am quite eager to learn the concepts they are based on. On the other hand, the description of the test increased my worries regarding the course. However, I feel up to the challenge and ready to begin another long year.

-Austin Keating

Thoughts on Comparative Goverment

When I was asked the question what are you excited for and what you are confused about in this class I wasn't entirely  sure what I would say. After pondering it for the majority of the day at school I have come to this conclusion:I am excited to be able to learn about what confuses me. Basically I have realized that I know little about the different forms of government in foreign nations, which does in fact confuse me but at the same time I am really excited to be able to expand my knowledge and be able to take away with me an understanding of foreign government.

This year

I think what I am most excited about learning is how different each country is from the other. To be honest, until this year I didn't realize how little I knew about each country. Even countries I thought I knew about, such as Great Britain, I realized I really didn't. So hopefully this class helps me gain a little more knowledge on the subjects!

What's Ahead...

The emotion I feel is not one, but many and I think that excitement, stress, and confusion sums it up pretty well. I couldn't possibly say that I am only excited, because I am definately confused and stressed about what lies ahead in my senior year. However, I am sure that any confusion will resolve itself soon and leave space for more stress and excitement for the remainder of the year (Let's hope more excitement than stress, but this is school so who knows....). As of right now everything feels like a blank slate still wating to show a picture.

The start of senior year

I am eager to begin this class due to the immense amount of knowledge that will be open to me. Wether I understand it or not, I am still grateful that I have this opportunity at hand and I will make the best of it. This information will prove very beneficial the further I get into my life.

I am excited about learning the different types of governments and how politics and government have shaped the world. I think we are going to learn a lot of information by taking this class that is not only necessary for the test, but also very useful to us as adults in the outside world.

I am excited for this class because I think it will be interesting to learn about the different governments of countries around the world.

Reflection on AP Comparatives First Few Days, Babikian

I am looking forward to this class because I am interested in learning about the world around me. I feel as if I do not fully understand the issues that are occurring in the world, and I hope that this class helps me better understand them. Furthermore, the fact that I do not have to do all the chapter objectives is a big relief. I was a little worried about the amount of work that was required, but that new information has helped ease my mind. I am still apprehensive about the rigor of the class, but it seems, through the class atmosphere, that this class will be a fun yet challenging course. The thing that I am most worried about is taking the AP test in the spring, but I am sure that this course will help me pass the test.

-Colin Babikian