Topic Presentation
The field of politics can be described as a complex system with different factors influencing it. Aside from being engaged in international relations, each country faces additional domestic issues. As a result, examples of the developed U.S., transitional Mexico, and developing Iran and India show how complicated legal systems, corruption, and other socioeconomic issues can jeopardize the state’s well-being.
Policy Issues
The countries that will be considered are the U.S., Mexico, India, and Iran. In the case of the U.S., the main policy issues involve immigration, climate change, and healthcare (Salas & Jha, 2019). Then, Mexico is considered a transitioning country, shifting from an authoritarian regime to a democratic system (Kesselman et al., 2019). Nevertheless, the nation struggles with policy issues that involve drug trafficking, corruption, and poverty (Belhabib et al., 2020). As for developing states, the first one, Iran, can be categorized as a nation with policy issues, such as human rights violations and economic sanctions (Jazairy, 2019). The second state, India, faces the challenges of low education levels, increasing poverty, and healthcare issues (Lucci et al., 2018).
The factors that impact these policy issues are those that relate to the political or socioeconomic conditions. In the U.S., the intricacy of the political system leads to the slow implementation of laws, Mexico struggles with corruption, and Iran deals with unrest due to ideology. In contrast, the large territory of India and its fast-increasing population make it complicated to implement policies.
Although the countries’ prospects can be significant, some recommendations remain. As a consultant, I recommend that the U.S. reduce income inequality, make healthcare more affordable, and address climate change issues. Mexico will need to deal not only with the corruption but also with the inefficiency of law enforcement and the legal system. Moreover, Iran should engage in international affairs and restore peace with the global community. Finally, India must build a strong infrastructure and improve all citizens’ living standards.
Political Systems
As for political systems, there are several comparative features of the countries. Regarding interest groups, in the U.S., lobbying and the engagement of such groups play a key role in policy advancement (Kesselman et al., 2019). However, interest groups in the other three countries experience struggles due to political tension and national ideologies.
A similar feature between the countries is a checks and balances system (Kesselman et al., 2019). However, it is not efficient to the same extent between the nations. However, there are differences, such as the features concerning the role of leadership. While in the U.S., leadership is concentrated in the hands of the President, other countries struggle with corruption and instability despite being democratic states (Kesselman et al., 2019).
Furthermore, the party system is integral, with the U.S. having a two-party system and all other states having multi-party systems (Kesselman et al., 2019). The final differing feature is the political form, with the U.S. being a presidential state and India, Iran, and Mexico being parliamentary nations (Kesselman et al., 2019). As a consultant, I recommend that all countries incorporate more policies concerning accountability and transparency.
Course Reflections
Lastly, the course has been quite insightful for me since it provided the elements and meanings of political systems and the intricacies of diplomacy and international relations. On the one hand, I learned about the structures of developed, developing, and transitional countries and their issues through the examples of Germany, France, China, the Russian Federation, and others. On the other hand, I gained a deeper understanding of the checks and balances system and the necessity to hold the state accountable. Overall, I will remember the factors of political systems and economic development.
Examples from the U.S., Mexico, Iran, and India demonstrate how socioeconomic problems, complex legal systems, and corruption problems can endanger the state’s welfare. As a consultant, I would advise all nations to implement more accountability and transparency policies and address current challenges. Consequently, I will use my knowledge concerning the significance of political structures and economic development.
References
Belhabib, D., Le Billon, P., & Wrathall, D. J. (2020). Narco‐Fish: Global fisheries and drug trafficking. Fish and Fisheries, 21(5), 992-1007. Web.
Jazairy, I. (2019). Unilateral economic sanctions, international law, and human rights. Ethics & International Affairs, 33(3), 291-302. Web.
Kesselman, M., Krieger, J., & Joseph, W. A. (2019). Introduction to comparative politics: Political challenges and changing agendas (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Lucci, P., Bhatkal, T., & Khan, A. (2018). Are we underestimating urban poverty? World Development, 103, 297-310. Web.
Salas, R. N., & Jha, A. K. (2019). Climate change threatens the achievement of effective universal healthcare. BMJ, 366, 1-9. Web.