Final. Flashcards
Autocracy.
Rule by one person with unlimited power.
Anarchy.
An ideology that views the state as the key source of oppression and seeks to replace the state with a system based on voluntary cooperation. (Form of society without rulers).
Balance of power.
A situation in which no state is dominant in the global system.
Citizenship and variations in its basis.
The idea that a countries permanent residents are full members of the political community with certain duties and rights.
Civic vs. ethic nationalism.
-Civic nationalism: Nationalism based on the shared political values and political history of those who are citizens of a country.
-Ethnic nationalism: Nationalism based on common ancestry along with the cultural traditions and languages associated with a particular ethnic group.
Coalition government.
A government in which two or more political parties jointly govern, sharing the Cabinet positions.
Checks and balances.
A basic principles of the American presidential system in which each of the three branches of government is able to check the actions of the others so that no individual or institution becomes to powerful.
Cohabitation.
A system of divided government that occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France, whenever the president is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament.
Democratic deficit.
Growing public dissatisfaction with the performance, representation, and responsiveness of governments in liberal democracy.
Deliberative democracy.
A political system in which decisions are made based on discussion by citizens rather than by elected representatives alone.
Executive dominance.
A parliamentary system that places considerable power in the hands of the prime minister and cabinet through their ability to control the House of Commons, particularly in a majority government situation.
Failed state.
A state that is unable to enforce laws, maintain order, protect the lives of citizens, and provide basic services.
Filibuster.
The use of various delaying tactics by those opposed to the passage of a particular piece of legislation.
Governor General.
The person who carries out the duties and responsibilities of the monarch at the national level in Canada. Head of state.
Head of government.
The person who heads the executive side of government and is usually responsible for choosing the cabinet. In Canada, the prime minister is the head of the Canadian government, while the heads of provincial governments are known as the primer.
Head of state.
In a parliamentary system, the head of state is an important but largely ceremonial position, but has the responsibility to ensure that a legitimate government is in place.
Hegemonic party system.
A political system where one party holds power for an extended period of time by winning fraudulent elections.
Dominant-party system.
A political occurrence in which a single political party continuously dominates election results over running opposition groups or parties. Any ruling party staying in power for more than one consecutive term may be considered a dominant party.
Hybrid regimes.
Governing systems that are a mixture of democratic and nondemocratic rule. Typically gain and keep power through electoral fraud, corruption, and legal manoeuvres.
Impeachment.
A process by which a president and other public officials can be removed from office after being accused of criminal behaviour and convicted by a legislative body.
Import-substitution strategy for industrialization.
A model of economic development in which a country establishes high tariffs to protect businesses setting up to manufacture goods are replace imports.
Keynesianism.
The idea that government can smooth both the ups and downs of the free-market economy by stimulating the economy when private business investment is low and cooling the economy when excessive investment is creatine inflation.
Liberal democracy.
A political system that combines the liberal ideas of limited government, individuals freedom, and the rule of law with a democratic system of governing based on the election representatives.
Licensed opposition.
Opposition parties that are allowed to exist, and win legislative seats but that can never take power.
Military dictatorship.
An undemocratic government ran by the military.
Majority government.
The government formed when the prime ministers party has a majority of the members of the House of Commons, thus, a single party forms the government.
Minority government.
A single party governs, but that party does not have a majority of the members in the House of Commons. Thus, a minority government needs to gain the support of one or more other parties to pass legislation and to stay in office.
Mixed member proportional system.
An electoral system in which some legislators are elected to represent particular electoral districts based on gaining the most votes in the district, while others are elected based on the popular vote reviewed by their party.
Nation.
A group of people who share a sense of common identity and who typically believe they should be self-governing within their homeland.
Nation-state.
A sovereign state based on people living in a country who share a sense of common identity as members of a particular nation.
Nationalism.
The idea that the nation-state is the best form of political community, that a nation should have its own self-governing state, and that the interests, culture, and nation should be promoted.
Party dictatorship.
An undemocratic political system that is controlled by one party. The most familiar examples are found in communist political systems.
Party discipline.
The expectation that members of each party will vote in accordance with the position that the party has adopted in caucus.
Plebiscitary democracy.
A form of democracy in which citizens have greater control than in representative democracy through the use of such devices a referendums, citizens, initiatives, and recall elections.
Prerogative powers.
Powers of the monarch that have not been taken away by parliament. These are also known as reserve powers.
Prime ministerial government.
The view that the prime minister has become the dominant member of the political executive, rather than among equals in the cabinet.
