Final Exam Flashcards by Ilyes Vachon

What is an ideology ?

A set of interrelated ideas about governments, society, economy, human nature that affect political action.

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What are the benefits of an ideology ?

Consistenet talking, necessary to politics

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What are the drawbacks of an ideology?

Uncompromising, associated with terrorism and used to justify horrors.

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What is the tematic approach ?

compare what ideologies says about specific themes, like human nature, economy.

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What is a political party ?

Organizations that compete to mobilize voters to elects their candidate to piblic office and to control the goverment.

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What definies Liberalism ?

Agaisnt arbitary rule of kings
Freedom centered
Rule of law and limited goverment are values.
Separation of religion and laws
Free market

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What are the 3 strands of Liberalism ?

Classical
Reform ( market regulations, Gov more involved)
Neo-Liberalism : reduction in gov. intervention, less taxes.

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What definies Conservatism ?

Agaisnt rapid change
Skeptical of human nature ( like Hobbes )
Goverent keep order, security and national unity
Old customs and religion
Individual responsibility

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What are the two types of conservatism ?

Classical

- The New Right ( Weaking of the state, military foreign policy, Traditional values)

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What definies Socialism ?

Agaisnt hardships
Cooperation and egalitarian
Common ownership
Breaking monopolies, keeping agri. ( no free market)

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What is the other type of socialism ?

Social democracy : Focus on equality within the capitalist framework

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What is facism ?

Inequalities, nationalism, strong leader, emotions more than reason, military values, corporate state economy etc

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Three main types of regime ?

-Democracy and non-democracy and hybrid

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What is the definition of democracy ?

Rule by and for the people

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What are the five features of democracy ?

1: Political pluralism
2: Accountability
3:Transperency
4:Rule of law
5 : Popular participation

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What is a regime ?

A set of rules in a state that define how decisions are made

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What is political pluralism ?

Plurality of groups that can yeild power ( leadership, persuasions, inducement )
Non gov. organisation, media, political parties.

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What are the 3 features of the rule of law ?

There is a body of law, known to all
Laws apply to everyone
Laws apply to the gov.

What are the main features of accountability ?

-Check and change the gouverment

What are the two types of accountability ?

1 : Vertical accountability : citizens have direct oversight of the gov. ( questions during parliament )
2 : horizontal accountability : Institutions have direct oversight on the different branches of gov.

What is transperency and what is it linked to ?

Acces to info on gov activity. Necessary for accountability and political pluralism.

What is popular particapation ?

Any citizen can vote.

What is a non-democracy ?

A authoritarian : Arbitary rules, rules are for the rulers, rule is based on coercion and fear, common good is decided by a resticed number of people.

What are the features of a totalitarian system ?

“All within the state, nothing outside the state nothing agaisnt the state.”

Official ideology ( ex: comm)
Single mass party
Monopoly of communications
Party controls all means of armed combat
Economy is planned and controlled.

Different types of non-democracy

- Absolute monarchies - Personal dictatorship - Party dictartorship - Military dictatorship - Theocratic dictatorship ( country run by religious elitist)

What is a constitution ?

- Fundamental rules and principles by which a state is governed - Supreme law - Liberal ideology heritage - Rule of law - Rights and freedom

What are the three roles of a constitutions ?

- Establishes fundamental rules and principles - Determines which institutions cans make laws and governing decisions - Sets the government relationship between the goverment and the people

What are the 3 types of formats of a constitutions ?

- Codifiers (formal text) - Conventions (traditions) - Unwritten principles

What is a provisions ?

Elements of a constitutional documents. Each sections performs a distinct function within the document

What are the 4 provisions ?

- Preamble ( Basic values + goals) - Governing instituions (seperation of power, levels of goverment etc) - Rights and freedom (basic freedom, political freedom, notwithstanding clause, reasonable limit clause) - Amending formula ( allow change in constitution.)

Who does a central goverment take decision for ?

A whole country

What is power distributions ?

Specific power arragments between levels of government.

What are the 3 power distributions?

- Unitary system (Central is supperior, they grant power to provincial and local gov, uniformity of laws ) - Federal system : Derive power from the constitution. No hierachy. Good for large countries. Limit gov. power. - Confederate system : Fully gov. states, thehy can leave the union)

What is concurrent policy areas ?

Shared legislative powers between central and provincial gov.

What is a parliamentary system ?

Form of government / system of governance adopted by some democracies, comes from UK

What are three features that makes canada different from the uk ?

- Federal system ( distribution of power) - Charter of rights and freedom - Can have written constituion, not UK

What are the three branches of gov ?

- Executive = execute laws ( Prime minister and cabinet) Introduce most bills to the parliament - Legislative = makes laws (Members of parliament) - Juridical = adjudicates laws

Who chose the executive ?

Gov general : among the legislative.

Who's the head of state in Can ?

Head of the executive and legislative branch : Queen and governor general

What's the governor general's job ?

- Dissolve parliament at least each 4 years - gives royal assent to the bills - ensure that there is a prime minister - acts on adivce of the prime minister

Who appointes the cabinet members ?

The prime minister

Parliament is ?

Linked to the legislative branch, allows accountability, has 2 chambers : house of commons and senate

House of commons ?

- one member each district, | - Control executive with confidence vote

Senate?

-Senators are appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister They passe laws first voted by the house of commons