Fast Facts: The Community
Featured Image: The French village of Sainte-Enimie. Credit: Tobi 87. Read more
Category Archives: Political Science
Why was the Cold War a long peace?
What kept U.S.–Soviet disputes from devolving into all-out war? Nuclear deterrence may be the reason. But it also could have to do with the way alliances were set up.
Explorer Explains: Legitimacy
People tend not to accept their rulers without question, at least not according to political science. Instead, the governed expect their government to be legitimate in some way before they play along. That is, it must have good reasons why it should be able to rule over them. Different reasons are given depending on the type of government, however. Read more
Passing leadership to sons great for stabilizing regimes
Primogeniture – the passing of kingship to firstborn sons – spread across Europe from 1000 A.D. and became the norm by 1800. The result: violent power struggles among society’s elite plummeted and Europe’s governments became more politically stable. Read more