Basics Flashcards
Politics
- There process by which the community makes decisions and establishes values that are binding upon its member.
- The struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make up decisions for the larger group.
Institution
an organisation or activity that is self-perpetuating and valued for its own sake.
Freedom
the ability of an individual to act independently, without fear of restriction or punishment by the state or the other individuals or groups in society.
Equality
a shared material standard of individuals within a community, society or country.
What are the necessary factors for Politics to exist?
People, organisations, collective action and power
State
- The organisation that maintains a monopoly of force over a given territory.
- A set of political institutions to generate and execute policy regarding freedom and equality.
What is a state defined by?
- Territory
- People
- Sovereignty
- Legitimacy
- Monopoly on force
- International recognition
Sovereignty
the ability of a state to carry out actions or policies within a territory independently from external actors or internal rivals.
Regime
the fundamental rules and norms of politics, embodying long-term goals regarding individual freedom and collective equality, where power should reside, and the use of that power.
Government
the leadership or elite in charge of running a state.
Country
term used to refer to state, government, regime and the people who live within that political system.
Legitimacy
- A value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power.
- Power that relies on consent.
Strong state
a state that is able to fulfil basic tasks.
Weak state
a state that has difficulty fulfilling basic tasks.
Capacity
the ability to wield power to carry out basic tasks (defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes and managing the economy).
Autonomy
ability to wield power independently of the public; informal, practical ability to act on that independence.
Failed state
a state so weak that its political structure collapse, leading to anarchy and violence.
Society
collection of people bound by shared institutions to define how human relations should be conducted.
Cross-cutting division
a country’s major identity categories do not correspond with each other.
Cumulate division
a country’s major group identities correspond to each other.
Ethnicity
specific attributes and societal institutions to make one group of people culturally different from others.
Nation
group that desires self-government through an independent state.
Nationalism
pride in one’s people and the belief that they have a unique political destiny.
Patriotism
pride in one’s state, with the intend of defending and promoting one’s political system.
Political attitude
description of one’s views regarding the speed and methods with which political changes should take place in each society.
Radicals
dramatic and revolutionary change.
Liberals
evolutionary change through existing institutions.
Conservatives
skeptical of change and supports the current order.
Reactionaries
restoring of institutions of a real or imagined earlier order.
Political ideology
basic values about the fundamental goals of politics or the ideal balance of freedom and equality.
Liberalism
limited state role in society and economics.
individual, political and economic freedom.
low autonomy and capacity state
Communis,
all wealth and property are shared to eliminate exploitation, oppression and the need for political institutions such as the state.
total equality
high autonomy and capacity
Socialism
freedom and equality are balanced through the state’s management of the economy and the provision of social expenditures.
high autonomy and capacity
Fascism
superiority and inferiority of different groups of people + low degree of both freedom and equality to achieve a powerful state.
high autonomy and capacity.
Anarchism
elimination of the state and private property to achieve both freedom and equality for all.
Fundamentalism
religion viewed as absolute and interact, legally enforced to make faith the sovereign authority.
