Lecture 6

Question 1

Executive

Answer 1

The political institution responsible for overseeing the execution of laws and policies, and most often associated with the idea of national leadership.

Question 2

Leadership

Answer 2

The capacity to lead by motivating or inspiring others to achieve common goals, ideally voluntarily and willingly but otherwise by threats and force.

Question 3

Head of state

Answer 3

the figurehead or ceremonial leader of a state, who may be elected or appointed, or may inherit the position (monarch)

Question 4

Head of government

Answer 4

The elected leader of a government, who comes to office because of the support of the voters who identify with their party and platform

Question 5

Republic

Answer 5

A political system in which all members of the government are either elected or are appointed by elected officials. In other words, there is no monarchs

Question 6

Presidential executive

Answer 6

An arrangement in which the executive and the legislature are separately and directly elected and have separate powers and responsibilities

Question 7

Separation of power

Answer 7

An arrangement in which executive, legislature and judiciary are given distinct but complementary sets of power, such that none can govern alone ad that all should, ideally govern together.

Question 8

parliamentary executive

Answer 8

An arrangement in which the executive emerges from the legislature, remains a member of it, remains accountable to it and must maintain a working legislative majority in order to remain in office.

Question 9

Coalition government

Answer 9

An arrangement in which the government is formed through an agreement involving two or more political parties which divide government posts between them

Question 10

Cabinet

Answer 10

A body consisting of the heads of the major government departments. Sometimes known as a council of ministers. More important in parliamentary than in presidential systems.

Question 11

Semi-presidential executive

Answer 11

An arrangement in which an elected president co-exist with an appointed prime minister and separately elected legislature.

Question 12

Cohabitation

Answer 12

An arrangement found in a semi-presidential systems when the presidency is held by a member of one party and the legislature is controlled by another party

Question 13

Authoritarian executive

Answer 13

A presidential executive or monarch whose powers fece few constitutional or political limits

Question 14

Legislature

Answer 14

A multi-member representative body which considers public issues, shapes laws, represents voters and augments the work of executives

Question 15

Descriptive representation

Answer 15

The idea that legislators should look like the larger group of people that they represent in terms of gender, class or ethnicity for example

Question 16

Collective representation

Answer 16

The idea that legislators should represent the interests of all voters, not just those in the district that elected them

Question 17

Vote of confidence

Answer 17

A vote in a legislature on the question of its confidence in the government to lead. If lost, it normally requires the resignation of the government

Question 18

Censure motion

Answer 18

A vote in a legislature designed to indicate disapproval of a government or a specific member of the government for a stated reason

Question 19

Recall

Answer 19

A popular vote on whether an elected official should be removed from office during normal tenure

Question 20

Impeachement

Answer 20

The removal from office of a sitting president (or other officials such as government ministers or judges) through a vote in the legislature

Question 21

Unicameral or bicameral

Answer 21

Terms referring to the number of chambers in a legislature

Question 22

Weak bicameralism

Answer 22

This arises when the lower chamber dominates the upper, providing the primary focus for government accountability

Question 23

Strong bicameralism

Answer 23

This occurs when the two chambers are more balanced, as in federations with presidential executives

Question 24

Model of representation

Answer 24

A mean for understanding the way in which elected officials represent the interests of their voters and districts

Question 25

Elite theory

Answer 25

The theory that power in society is wielded by a minority, whose members have advantages that may be based on wealth, age, race, gender, education or some combination of these

Question 26

Gendered institution

Answer 26

A body that operates with formal rules and informal conventions which, intentionally or unintentionally, advantage men over women

Question 27

Co-option

Answer 27

The process by which leaders encourage political movements or opponents to become part of the governing system, thereby neutralizing opposition

Question 28

Consultative authoritarianism

Answer 28

The idea that legislatures in authoritarian regimes are used by leaders to give a sense that the regime is prepared to listen to its critics and opponents

Question 29

Presidential executive- strengths and weaknesses

Answer 29

Strengths:
The fixed term provides continuity, avoiding instability of coalitions
Winning an election requires candidates to develop widespread support
Presidents provide a symbol of unity
Involves a separation of powers, thus encouraging a limited government.
Weaknesses:
-Only one party can win

Question 30

Features of parliamentary government

Answer 30

Majority government - one party wins clear majority and the leader normally becomes prime minister. (Britain).
Coalition government - no one party wins a clear majority, obliging two or more parties to govern together. (Denmark, Germany)
Minority government - no party wins majority and agreement among them is hard to reach, leaving one party to govern as a minority (if more then minority coalition).
Cabinet - rarely as strong as in presidential executives. Main point of contact between the executive and the bureaucracy.

Question 31

Subtypes of semi-presidentialism

Answer 31

Premier-presidential: president is elected in a vote and selects a prime minister who heads a cabinet, legislature has sole power to dismiss the prime minister and the cabinet. Finland, France, Poland.
Presidential-parliamentary: president is elected in a vote, but the prime minister and cabinet answer to the president and legislature.