Glossary! Flashcards
Electorate
All the people in an area with the legal right to vote in an election.
Direct Democracy
When citizens directly participate in the decision-making process.
If residents of a town wanted to decide how to allocate a portion of the town’s budget for a new community park instead of leaving this decision to elected officials, the town would organise a town hall meeting.
Representative Democracy
Citizens elect individuals to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf
Voter Turnout
Refers to the percentage of eligible voters who participate in an election by casting their ballots
Formula for Voter Turnout
calculated by dividing the number of people who voted by the total number of eligible voters x100
Apathy
A lack of interest, enthusiasm, or motivation among individuals or a population as a whole when it comes to participating in political activities or engaging with political issues.
Real-life example of political apathy can be seen in…
low voter turnout during local elections.
Hapathy
When people are generally content and see no need to push for political change
Referendum
A direct vote in which the citizens of a country or a specific region are asked to express their opinion or make a decision on a particular political, legal, or public policy issue.
Devolution
A political process in which a central government transfers certain powers, responsibilities, and decision-making authority to regional or local governments within a country.
An example of devolution
Scottish Devolution (1999): In 1999, the United Kingdom Parliament passed the Scotland Act, which established the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Brexit
Portmanteau which refers to the United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to leave the European Union.
Lobbying
Organised effort by individuals, groups, or organisations to influence government officials, legislators, or policymakers in order to shape, promote, or oppose specific policies, laws, regulations, or government decisions.
Petition
A formal written request or appeal, typically signed by a group of individuals or members of the public, that is presented to a person, organisation, or government authority to express a specific demand, opinion or request for action.
Pressure Group
An organised collection of individuals, organisations, or entities that actively works to influence public policies, government decisions, or specific issues within society.
Pluralism
A concept that describes a diverse and open society in which multiple groups, organisations, and individuals with varying interests, values, and beliefs coexist and participate in the political and social decision-making processes.
Elitism
Philosophy that holds that a society or system should be governed or controlled by a select group of individuals or organisations considered to be the most knowledgeable, capable, or deserving, often to the exclusion or marginalisation of the broader population
Constitution
A fundamental and supreme legal document or set of principles that establishes the framework for the governance and organisation of a country, state, or organisation.
Constitutionalism
The principle that a government’s powers should be limited and constrained by a written constitution that outlines the rules, structure, and rights within a count.
Rule of Law
Rule of law means that everyone, including the government, is subject to and accountable under the law.
Scrutiny
The close and detailed examination, monitoring, or oversight of government actions, policies and decisions.
Oversight
The process by which a governing body supervises and reviews the activities, actions, and decisions of another branch or entity within the government.
Reform
The process of making significant changes or improvements to existing laws, policies, inequalities, or inadequacies within a political system or society.
Political Party
An organisation which exists to achieve particular public policy objectives by having members elected to Parliament.
Political Spectrum
A conceptual framework that illustrates and categorises the range of political beliefs, ideologies, and positions that individuals and groups hold on various political issues.
Left
A range of political ideologies and positions that advocate for progressive, egalitarian, and socially inclusive policies.
Right
Range of political ideologies and positions that advocate for conservative, traditional, and often market-oriented policies.
Centre
A position or ideology that falls between the left-wing and right-wing political spectrums.
Think Tank
A research organisation or institute that conducts in-depth research and analysis on various political, social, economic, and policy-related issues.
Supreme Court
The highest judicial body within a country’s legal system.
supreme court example UK today
Lord Reed( Lord Robert John Reed) serves as the President of the Supreme Court. He has been a Justice of the Supreme Court since 2012.
Sovereignty
The supreme and independent authority of a governing body to govern itself, make and enforce laws, and control its own territory without interference from external entities.
Adversarial Politics
A political system or environment characterised by a competitive and confrontational approach to decision-making and governance.
Consensus Politics
Striving to find common ground and building broad agreement on important issues rather than intense disagreements.
Give an example where parties had resorted to consensus politics
The Conservative Party, led by David Cameron, and the Liberal Democrats, led by Nick Clegg, entered into a coalition government after no single party won an outright majority in the House of Commons.
Backbencher
A member of a legislative body which may have less influence in policy making compared to senior or frontbench politicians.
Salisbury Convention
A political convention/understanding in the United Kingdom that pertains to the relationship between the House of Commons (the lower house of Parliament) and the House of Lords (the upper house) in matters of legislation.
Select Committees
Specialised committees within a legislative body, such as a parliament or congress, responsible for specific areas of government oversight, investigation, and policy review.
Name a select committee
The House of Commons’ Health and Social Care Committee during the COVID-19 pandemic played a crucial role in scrutinising the government’s response to the pandemic and assessing the impact of its policies on public health and social care.
Legitimacy
The perceived or accepted right and authority of a government or governing institution to exercise power and make decisions on behalf of a society or a political entity.
Mandate
The authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election.
Manifesto
Concise statement or document that outlines the goals, principles, and intentions of a political party.
FPTP
Stands for “First-Past-The-Post,”- a simple voting system where the candidate who receives the most votes in an election wins, even if they don’t have the majority of all votes
Government
The administrative and governing body of a country or political entity.
Federalism
A system of government in which power is divided and shared between a central (national) government and smaller, regional governments.
Unitary
A system of government in which all key powers and authority are concentrated at the national or central government level.
Entrenchment
The act of safeguarding or protecting certain provisions, laws, or principles (constitution)
in a way that makes them difficult to change or remove.
Codified
A set of rules, laws, or a constitution has been organised and written down into a single, formal document
Uncodified
A system or framework in which the fundamental rules, laws, and principles of government are not organised into a single, formal written document.
Statute Law
Laws that are created and enacted by a legislative body, such as a parliament or congress, through a formal legislative process.
Conventions
Established and widely accepted practices, norms, or unwritten rules that guide the behaviour and interactions of political actors, institutions, and governments.
