Sociology 442 - Fall 2005
Answer ONE of the following questions:
1. England, France, the USA, and India established democratic political systems through very different historical routes. Using the course text, select any two of these countries. (a) Analyze and compare the key differences in the evolution of their political systems. Pay particular attention to Moore's analysis of social classes and discussion of the relationship between the development of capitalism and democracy. (b) Explain how the selected countries ended up with similar political systems despite their different paths.
2. In some respects, feudal France and Japan had similar class structures. Yet the two countries subsequently developed quite different political systems: democracy in one, and fascism in the other. What were the key similarities and differences between the two countries' class structures? between the historical periods in which France and Japan, respectively, made the transition from feudalism to capitalism? What factors are most important in explaining the different political outcomes in the two countries?