Chapter 2 & 3 Terms Flashcards
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a system in which citizens themselves make the governing decisions. Athens in Ancient Greece adopted a system of direct democracy at one point. Citizens of Athens would meet in an open assembly about ten times a year, after a discussion, decisions were made through a vote by those present.
representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of democracy in which citizens elect representatives to the legislature to make decisions on their behalf. Citizens in this system do not directly make the governing decisions, but determine through an election, who makes the decisions on their behalf. An example of a country that practices representative democracy is Canada.
liberal democracy
Liberal democracy is a form of democracy that combines the ideology of liberalism with a democratic system of governing based on representatives. The power and scope of government should be limited, government should abide by the rule of law, and the rights of the people should be protected. Citizens are free to discuss, organize, and act, particularly through a variety of voluntary groups that are not controlled by the state.
democratic deficit
Democratic deficit is defined a substantial level of public dissatisfaction with the performance of democratic governments and politicians. It is exhibited in declining levels of voter turnout, low levels of trust and confidence in government and politicians. In addition, there is increased protest activity and a feeling that ordinary people have little influence on government.
populism
Populism is a perspective that advocates putting power in the hands of the people rather than the elites who control politics and society. It is based on the idea that fundamental differences exist between ordinary people and elites. There is a feeling among populists that elites and “special interests” are out of touch with common people, and are more often than not, corrupt and immoral.
referendum
A referendum is a vote by citizens on a particular issue or proposed law. Referendums can be at the local, provincial, and federal level. Referendums can also be used in some countries to repeal a law that has been passed by a legislative body.
deliberative democracy
Deliberative democracy is a political system in which decisions are made by discussion by citizens rather than by elected representatives alone. It is hoped that through this process, people will become better informed and more active citizens. Ideally, citizens will understand the viewpoints of others, and work together constructively to propose policies that are in the common good.
political ideology
A political ideology is a package of interrelated ideas and beliefs about government, society, the economy, and human nature that inspire and affect political action. Each ideology provides a different perspective that is used to understand and evaluate how the world actually works. Most ideologies also provide a vision of what the world should be like and propose a means of political action to achieve their objectives.
rule of law
Rule of law is the idea that government should act only in accordance with established laws, rather than in an arbitrary fashion. Laws are clear, publicized, and fairly enforced. All persons, and the government itself, should be equally subject to the law.
classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is a form of liberalism that views governments as having the limited purposes of protecting life, liberty and property. Classic liberals favor a laissez-faire economic system. Workers, consumers, and privately owned businesses freely interact in the marketplace without government interference.
reform liberalism
Reform liberalism is a form of liberalism that combines support for individual freedom with a belief that government action may be needed to help remove obstacles to individual development. Reform liberals argue that government should play a role in assisting the disadvantaged through government assistance. Reform liberals also argue that government regulations of business are needed for a variety of purposes, such as protecting the environment.
conservatism
Conservatism is an ideology that emphasizes order, stability, respect for authority, and tradition. It is based on a view that humans are inherently imperfect, with a limited capacity to reason. Conservatives generally favor strong government, strong leadership, and traditional, religion-based moral values.
new right
New Right is an ideology that combines, in various ways, the promotion of free-market capitalism and limited government, and traditional cultural and moral values. Proponents of this view advocate for a hardline approach in international relations – for example, a belief that the United States should take military action against ‘rogue regimes’. The New Right is more critical of government and believes that common people should be in more direct control of decision making.
democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a perspective that socialism should be achieved by democratic rather than revolutionary means. Proponents of this view believe that a socialist society should be democratic in nature with political rights and freedoms respected. Rather than complete state ownership of the means of production, democratic socialists argue for public ownership of key industries, rights to unionize, and generally more worker-employer equality.
fascism
Fascism is an ideology that revolves around nationalism, combined with a strong belief in the naturalness of inequality. In this ideology, individuals owe absolute loyalty to the state, and the state has the right to control all activities in order to promote its interests. It is firmly opposed to both liberal democracy and communism,
