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Basics Flashcards

1
Q

authoritarian regime

A

Ruled by political elites, not much input from citizens. May be monarchy, dictator, small group, or single party.

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2
Q

bicameral, unicameral legislatures

A

Bicameral = two houses, unicameral = one house.

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3
Q

bureaucratic authoritarian regimes

A

Complete control of activities, manage almost everything in country

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4
Q

bureaucracy

A

Agencies that generally implement gov’t policy.
● Discretionary power, or power to make small decisions in implementing legis/execu decisions.

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5
Q

cabinet coalition

A

Country that has multi-party system with no majority party, several parties join forces and represented in different cabinet posts.

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6
Q

causation

A

The idea that one variable causes or influences another

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7
Q

checks and balances

A

Powers are shared and no branch dominates.

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8
Q

civil society

A

● Voluntary organizations that help citizens organize and define themselves and interests. coinciding/crosscutting cleavages
● Coinciding – likely to be explosive, every dispute aligns same groups against each other.
● Crosscutting – divide society into many political groups, may conflict on one issue but cooperate on another

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9
Q

command economies

A

Government owns almost all industrial enterprises and retail sales outlets.

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10
Q

common law/code law

A

● Common law – based on tradition, past practices, legal precedents set by courts through past rulings
● Code law – based on comprehensive system of written rules (codes) of law divided into commercial, civil, and
criminal codes.

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11
Q

communism

A

● Party controls everything from government to economy to social life.
● Values equality over freedom.

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12
Q

competitive elections

A

Regular, free, fair elections that offer real possibility that incumbent may be defeated

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13
Q

confederal system

A

Spreads power among many subunits and weak central gov’t. conflictual political culture
● Sharply divided on legitimacy of regime and solutions to major problems; threatens to topple regime.

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14
Q

consensual political culture

A

● Accepts both legitimacy of regime and solutions to major problems; tends to agree with gov’t conservatism
● Less supportive of change in general, thinks change may bring unforeseen outcomes
● See state and regime as important sources of order

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15
Q

constitutional courts

A

Serve to defend democratic principles of a country against infringement.

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16
Q

co-optation

A

The means a regime uses to get support from citizens.

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17
Q

corporatism

A

An arrangement in which gov’t officials interact with ppl/groups outside of gov’t before they set policy.

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18
Q

correlation

A

● An indication that causality may be present
● Exists when change in one variable coincides with change in another.

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19
Q

cosmopolitanism

A

● A universal political order that draws its identity and values from everywhere.
coup d’etat
● Forced takeover of government. New leaders by force.

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20
Q

democratic consolidation

A

● Authoritarian regime transitions into a democracy because of a trigger event.
● Process creates a stable political system that is supported by all parts of society
● All institutions and people participate, democracy penetrates everything

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21
Q

democratic corporatism

A

● Interest representation is institutionalized through recognition of state
● Organizations develop institutionalized and legally binding links with state agencies, on behalf of state.

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22
Q

direct democracy

A

Individuals have immediate say over many decisions that gov’t makes.

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23
Q

economic liberalization

A

Limiting power of the state over private property and market forces.

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24
Q

electoral systems

A

Rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.

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25
elites
Those that hold political power
26
empirical data
Factual statements and statistics
27
Fascism
● Does not value freedom or equality, idea that state has the right to mold society and economy ● Has the right to eliminate obstacles, people that might weaken them
28
federal system
Divides power between central gov’t and subunits.
29
first-past-the-post (plurality, winner-take-all)
Winner needs to get more votes than anyone else and wins by plurality.
30
fragmentation
Divisions based on ethnic or cultural identities.
31
Freedom House ratings
Organization that ranks countries with 1 being most free, and 7 being least free.
32
Gini Index
Formula that measures economic inequality in a society.
33
globalization
Integration of social, environmental, economic, and cultural activities of nations resulting from more international contacts
34
GDP, GNP, GNP per capita
● Gross Domestic Product – all the goods and services produced by a country’s economy in a given year ● Gross Nation Product – same as GDP, but includes income citizens earned outside of country. ● GNP per capita – divides GNP by population of country
35
government
Reference to the leadership and institutions that make policy decisions for the country.
36
head of government
Role that deals with tasks of running gov’t.
37
head of state
Role that symbolizes the power and nature of gov’t
38
hypothesis
A speculative statement about the relationship between two or more factors (variables)
39
illiberal democracies
Competitive elections, but missing parts of the liberal democracies (civil liberties, etc.)
40
informal politics
Takes into consideration the ways that politicians operate outside of formal powers and the impact of citizens on policy making
41
initiative
Vote on a policy that is initiated by the people. Proposes a nationwide vote and must collect certain # of sigs.
42
institutions, institutionalized
Stable, long lasting organizations that help turn political ideas into policy. (parties, bureaucracies)
43
Integration
More inclusive of everything
44
interest group pluralism
Pattern of autonomous groups competing with each other and gov’t for influence over state policies
45
judicial review
Mechanism that allows courts to review laws and executive actions for their constitutionality.
46
legitimacy (traditional, charismatic, rational-legal)
● Right to rule ● Traditional – tradition determines who should rule; heritage, myths, legends, descendants ● Charismatic – dynamic personality of leader, usually is short-lived as it stops when leader dies. ● Rational-legal – institutionalized, based on a system of well-established laws and procedures.
47
liberal democracies
● Civil liberties – freedom of belief, speech, and assembly ● Rule of Law – equal treatment of citizens and due process ● Neutrality of the judiciary – checks on abuse of power ● Open Civil Society – citizens lead private lives and mass media operate independently from gov’t ● Civilian control of military – lowers chance of military seizing control of gov’t.
48
liberalism as a political ideology
Places emphasis on individual political and economic freedom.
49
liberalism as an approach to economic and political change
Supports reform and gradual change rather than revolution; belief that polit/econ system can be fixed.
50
linkage institutions
Groups that connect gov’t to citizens (political parties, interest groups, print and electronic media)
51
market economies
● Pure, does not allow for significant control from the central government. ● Private ownership of property, little interference from gov’t regulation
52
marketization
State’s recreation of a market in which property, labor, goods and services can all function in a competitive environment to determine their value.
53
military rule
Nondemocratic rule, military intervenes in politics to solve problems.
54
mixed economies
Market economy that allows significant control from gov’t
55
mixed electoral system
A mix of first-past-the-post and proportional representation.
56
multi-member districts, single-member districts
Multi- for proportional rep, single – first past the post.
57
multi-party system
Usually arises in parliamentary systems that use proportional rep method.
58
nation
A group of people bound together by a common political identity.
59
Nationalism
The sense of belonging and identity that distinguishes one nation from the next.
60
normative questions
Value judgments, ie what something should be like
61
parliamentary system
● Citizens vote for legislative reps, who then select leaders of executive branch. ● Parliamentary sovereignty ● Theoretically, legislature makes laws, etc, but actually, cabinet makes policy ● Two branches of gov’t fused, legislature usually agrees with executive
62
party system
● Help bring together people and ideas to establish the means by which maj can rule. ● Provide labels for candidates that help citizens decide how to vote ● Hold politicians accountable to the electorate and other political elites
63
patronage
Political supporters received jobs for their assistance in getting president elected
64
patron-client system
Provides reciprocal favors and services to their supporters
65
plebiscite
A ballot to consult public opinion in a nonbinding way
66
pluralism
● Power is split among many groups that compete for the chance to influence gov’t decision making. ● Democratic – interest group formation is spontaneous, dialogue between interest groups and states is voluntary.
67
political culture
Collection of political beliefs, values, practices, and institutions that the gov’t is based on
68
political efficacy
Citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political events. High level = belief that gov’t takes input seriously and care about what they have to say, low level = do not believe it is important to vote, ignore gov’t efforts.
69
political elites
Leaders who have disproportionate share of policy making power. political frameworks/institutions
70
political elites
Leaders who have disproportionate share of policy making power.
71
political frameworks/institutions
Structures of a political system that carry out the work of governing
72
political ideologies
Sets of political values held by individuals regarding the basic goals of gov’t and politics.
73
political liberalization
State that progresses from procedural democracy to substantive democracy through democratic consolidation
74
political socialization
How citizens learn about politics, their view of politics
75
politicization of religion
Religion starts to play a role in politics
76
PPP (purchasing power parity)
Takes into consideration what people can buy using their income in local economy (uses GNP)
77
presidential system
● Citizens vote for legislatives reps and executive branch leaders; two branches have separation of power. ● Both state and government role given to one person, president, directly elected by the people.
78
privatization
The transfer of state-owned property to private ownership
79
procedural democracy
Refer to illiberal democracies
80
proportional representation
Multimember districts in which more than one legislative seat is contested in each district. Votes are casted for a party and % of votes receives determines number of seats they get
81
radicalism
Belief that rapid dramatic changes need to be made in existing society, including political system
82
reactionary belief
Protect against change, want to turn back the clock to older times, use violence
83
recruitment of elites
Ways to identify and select people for future leadership positions.
84
referendum
A national ballot called by gov’t on a policy issue; allows public to make direct decisions about policy itself.
85
reform
Change that does not advocate overthrow of basic institutions; changes methods to reach goals
86
regime
The rules that a state sets and follows in exerting its power
87
revolution
Change at a basic level, major revision or overthrow to existing institutions. Affects larger area
88
revolution of rising expectations
Crisis preceded by a period of relative improvement in the standard of living fuels discontent
89
rule of law
Provides for equal treatment of citizens and due process
90
Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilizations”
Primary source of conflict on religious and cultural lines
91
semi-presidential system
● Prime minister coexists with a president who is directly elected by people with lots of power
92
separation of powers
Powers split among branches, they check each other.
93
social boundaries
Separation of people based on social cleavages
94
social capital
The amount of reciprocity and trust that exist among citizens between them and state.
95
social cleavages
Divisions that impact policy making (religion, ethnic groups, races, social and economic classes)
96
social movements
Organized collective activities that aim to bring about or resist fundamental change to society
97
socialism
Values equality and freedom, accept promote private ownership w/strong state regulations.
98
societal corporatism (neo-corporatism)
Interest groups take the lead and dominate the state
99
sovereignty
The ability to carry out actions or policies within borders independently from interference from outside or inside
100
state
The organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory.
101
state corporatism
State determines which groups are brought in.
102
subject activities
Obeying laws, following military orders, paying taxes
103
substantive democracy
Citizens have access to multiple sources of info
104
succession
Process that determines procedure for replacing leaders when they resign, die or no longer effective.
105
technocrats
● Military regime formed ruling coalition that includes military officers and civilian bureaucrats. “third wave” of democratization ● First wave gradually over time, second wave after WWII, third wave characterized by defeat of dictators. ● Factors ○ Loss of legitimacy by both right and left wing authoritarian regimes ○ Expansion of an urban middle class in developing countries ○ New emphasis on human rights by US and EU ○ Snowball effect
106
third world
Economically underdeveloped and deprived nations
107
three-world approach
● United States and allies ● Soviet Union and allies ● Third world nations
108
totalitarianism
Repressive, detested regime; has strong ideological goal, does not necessarily use violence
109
transmission belt”
Convey to members views of party elite.
110
transparency
Government that operates openly and keeps citizens informed.
111
two-party system
More common in plurality election systems, first past the post.
112
tyranny of the majority
Tendency in democracies to allow majorities to neglect rights and liberties of minorities
113
unitary systems
Concentrates all policymaking powers in one central geographic place.
114
advanced democracies
Well established democratic governments and a high level of economic development

Comparative Government (5 decks)

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