2010 Legatum prosperity index for nations

[Loki]

Okay.

Also, I have those chat logs, do you want me to post them when I'm on that PC?

Furthermore, if you're so sure that discussion with me is impossible because I'm dishonest/stupid/whatever, why don't you just ignore me? I'm just white noise like Alpha or Being or whoever you already have on your list. Why do you persist? After all, this altercation began with you coming at me full-steam.

I must have a really crappy memory then. I might have said that two poor people who live together should be able to live comfortably, but I certainly don't recall saying random poor people should get married just to improve their economic situation.

Because you're intelligent, have interesting views, and are capable of defending them. It's just a shame you don't do it as often as you can. I'm not going to comment about Alpha and Being, but you probably know what I think about them.

Then cross-country polls are a waste of time. Will you do your best to change this type of Political Scientist non-science or pseudo-science, Doctor Loki?

The only reason for these mealy hot button surveys and polls that I can see, is to tell politicians how to run their campaigns, write a speech, or sell a strategy.

You have those only in comparative politics, and they're generally not taken overly seriously by that sub-field. I also wrote a brief paper attacking the use of the main cross-national poll (World Values Survey) in comparative by the way.

[GGT]

[...]You have those only in comparative politics, and they're generally not taken overly seriously by that sub-field. I also wrote a brief paper attacking the use of the main cross-national poll (World Values Survey) in comparative by the way.

Main stream media picks up all these polls. You know that. Plenty of American politics could be called "comparative". It's not just a sub-field, but something taken very seriously. Independents and the Tea Party are two massively important groups in this "sub-field".

Great that you wrote a paper "attacking" cross-national surveys but isn't that a bit like us talking local politics, on an international forum?

[Loki]

Main stream media picks up all these polls. You know that. Plenty of American politics could be called "comparative". It's not just a sub-field, but something taken very seriously. Independents and the Tea Party are two massively important groups in this "sub-field".

Great that you wrote a paper "attacking" cross-national surveys but isn't that a bit like us talking local politics, on an international forum?

It can't...The whole point of comparative politics is to compare the domestic political structures of multiple countries...Independents and the Tea Party are groups strictly in the US, and therefore within the domain of American politics. An exercise in comparative politics would be to compare the Tea Party to some similar group in another country.

Everyone here is meant to minor in a separate sub-field, so we have to be at least semi-knowledgeable about it.

[Nessus]

Because you're intelligent, have interesting views, and are capable of defending them.

Like I said, we both get something out of the fencing matches. I'm sloppy in arguments because I like to get drunk, and I'm not giving that up anytime soon, so this is what you're stuck with!

[Loki]

Like I said, we both get something out of the fencing matches. I'm sloppy in arguments because I like to get drunk, and I'm not giving that up anytime soon, so this is what you're stuck with!

I could put you under house arrest and take away all the booze.

[littlelolligagged]

You and what army, Icky?

[Loki]

The Soviet one.

[littlelolligagged]

They lost to the Finns before, it will happen again.

[Loki]

They won in the end. Twice.

[GGT]

It can't...The whole point of comparative politics is to compare the domestic political structures of multiple countries...Independents and the Tea Party are groups strictly in the US, and therefore within the domain of American politics. An exercise in comparative politics would be to compare the Tea Party to some similar group in another country.

Everyone here is meant to minor in a separate sub-field, so we have to be at least semi-knowledgeable about it.

Ah, by cross-national you meant inter-national!? When I hear/see cross-national it makes me think of things across our nation, coast-to-coast.

Comparative American Domestic Politics doesn't make me think of Canadians either.....that would be cross-continental.

[Loki]

Ah, by cross-national you meant inter-national!? When I hear/see cross-national it makes me think of things across our nation, coast-to-coast.

Comparative American Domestic Politics doesn't make me think of Canadians either.....that would be cross-continental.

Many of the terms were created when the words meant different things to what they mean now. When the term "international relations" was created, the words nation and state were synonymous.

American politics = study of American behavior and institutions
Comparative politics = comparison of domestic political behavior and institutions from multiple states
International relations = relations between states
Political theory = Hobbes, Nietzsche, and stuff.

[GGT]

Many of the terms were created when the words meant different things to what they mean now. When the term "international relations" was created, the words nation and state were synonymous.

American politics = study of American behavior and institutions
Comparative politics = comparison of domestic political behavior and institutions from multiple states
International relations = relations between states
Political theory = Hobbes, Nietzsche, and stuff.

Well then, all that's left is for you to tell us what "state" really means.

[Loki]

A political entity that other entities (particularly the most powerful ones) recognized as being states consider to be a state. I think people already gave up on coming up with criteria for statehood (with some exceptions), as so many existing states don't come close to meeting those criteria.

[Nessus]

They won in the end. Twice.

Because of Jews

[Loki]

Maybe you should import some.

[GGT]

A political entity that other entities (particularly the most powerful ones) recognized as being states consider to be a state. I think people already gave up on coming up with criteria for statehood (with some exceptions), as so many existing states don't come close to meeting those criteria.

How's that work for the United States of America? The most powerful federal union defines the states, because states comprise the most powerful federal union?

[Nessus]

Maybe you should import some.

I'm content with just you, baby

[littlelolligagged]

I'm content with just you, baby

Hey, I thought I was claiming ownership of him.

[Dreadnaught]

You can't have people answer questions about happiness for themselves because it's all relative and subjective. But trying to quantify happiness based on social metrics doesn't really do much to get around the relative and subjective factors that comprise happiness.

Methinks it's an impossible question to answer definitively, except for maybe clusters of nations to agree on some metrics that they want to move in the same direction. Like per-capita income or death-by-influenza.

[GGT]

You can't have people answer questions about happiness for themselves because it's all relative and subjective. But trying to quantify happiness based on social metrics doesn't really do much to get around the relative and subjective factors that comprise happiness.

Methinks it's an impossible question to answer definitively, except for maybe clusters of nations to agree on some metrics that they want to move in the same direction. Like per-capita income or death-by-influenza.

What's this? A mamby pamby American Jew post?

[Loki]

How's that work for the United States of America? The most powerful federal union defines the states, because states comprise the most powerful federal union?

The reason a place like New York and Georgia is called a "state" is because they used to be semi-sovereign political entities and the usage stuck. They're not actually states in the international sense.