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PoliSCI > Mid Term > Flashcards

Mid Term Flashcards

1
Q

What is the State Of Nature

A

An epistemology by John Locke to decide who should rule.
It states all humans are :
Naturally equal,
Naturally rational,
Have naturally imbued rights

It is important because it laid the foundation for the concept of a social contract that we know in politics today.

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2
Q

What is Natural Law?

A

Reason, and a series of Principles and “Natural Rights”

It is important because it is the foundation of the origins of justice, rights in governance.

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3
Q

What are Natural Rights

A

The right to liberty, self preservation, property.

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4
Q

John Locke?

A

English philosopher who is well known for his idea of the State of Nature.

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5
Q

Social Contract

A

The idea that only the minimal amount of liberty should be given to the government. In return, the government is to protect Life, Liberty, Property.

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6
Q

John Stuart Mill

A

British Philosopher known for his contributions to liberalism, and the Harm Principle.

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7
Q

Divine Right of Kings

A

The case for most of human history when political authority was determined by god

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8
Q

Tyranny of the Majority

A

A problem with democracy where the majority could harm minority groups’ rights and freedoms.

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9
Q

Harm Principle

A

The only reason for restricting someone’s freedom is to prevent harm from others.

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10
Q

What are constitutions

A

Legal documents that defines the rights and freedoms of citizens.

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11
Q

What is Constitutional framework

A

System established by a constitution that outlines how a government operates and defines the relationship between the state and its citizens.

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12
Q

What is the Presidential System?

A

Form of government where the executive branch is separate from the legislative branch.

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13
Q

What is the parliamentary system?

A

A system of government where the executive branch is dependent on the legislative branch and vice versa

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14
Q

What is the System of mutual dependence?

A

A system where the Legis. branch and Exec. branch depend on each other. This means the executive branch must maintain the confidence of the legislative branch

We study this in class because it is part of our parliamentary system in Canada, and consequently plays a major role in our electoral system as well with the vote of non-confidence.

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15
Q

System of mutual independence?

A

A system where the legis. branch and exec. branch are independent from each other. This means the executive branch doesn’t have to maintain the confidence of the legislative branch and there are no votes of non-confidence.

We study this in class because it is the system many countries around the world use, and it is relevant in comparing our system with that of fellow countries.

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16
Q

Party Discipline?

A

Party discipline is how strongly elected representatives feel compelled to vote with their parties. Party discipline is present in systems such as that of mutual dependance due to representatives not wanting to experience of non-confidence.

We study this in class because it is a significant aspect of our parliamentary system and the basis of the legislation of a lot of our bills.

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17
Q

Vote of No Confidence

A

The vote of non confidence is a vote that occurs when the legislative branch has a vote to see if it still has confidence in the executive branch. If the vote of non confidence is lost by the government, this results in an election and dissolution of the parliament.

We study this in class as it is a significant part of our parliamentary system.

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18
Q

Legislative Branch

A

The branch of government of 338 elected representatives and an appointed senate, responsible for making, debating, and passing laws.

We study this in class because it is a vital branch of our government and is a center piece for a lot of the subjects covered in poli sci.

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19
Q

Executive Branch of government

A

The executive branch of government is the branch responsible for implementing and enforcing laws. It is the branch where we find the Prime minister and the cabinet among others.

We study this because the executive branch is affected by many other subjects we study such as the system of mutual dependence.

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20
Q

Problem of Representation

A

Our FPTP system has a problem of representation where since the candidate with the plurality of votes in a riding wins, which casts aside possibly a majority of voters in that riding. It is argued that this constitutes a problem of representation in our system.

We study this because it is relevant to our electoral system. It is a rationale behind why we could change our electoral system to other systems we study such as PR.

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21
Q

Electoral Quotient

A

The electoral quotient is the idea that with a certain formula, every constituency should be roughly the same population. It is used to determine the ridings/how many candidates per region based on population.

We study this because it is important for us as students to understand the ridings aren’t randomly selected, there is a logical method.

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22
Q

Brokerage Parties

A

Parties that aim to appeal to a broad range of groups, in hopes of gaining their support. They do this by focusing on unifying issues that resonate with a wide range of voters.

We study this because it is important to distinguish the nature of certain parties to understand more about the function of political parties.

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23
Q

The Liberal Party

A

Is one of the 2 parties in Canada that have ever been in power, and is also one of the oldest. It is a party that has historically been center to left oriented.

We study this because it has both historically and contemporarily been an important party for Canada.

24
Q

The Conservative Party

A

Is one of the 2 main parties in Canada to ever be in power. Being one of the oldest parties, it has been historically center to right oriented.

We study this because it has both historically and contemporarily been an important party for Canada and a subject of a lot of terms studied in this political science class.

25
Q

The Green Party

A

Is one of the newer parties in Canada, focused on mainly environmental issues. It hasn’t been very successful in gaining a lot of power but has been a consistent presence across the country.

26
Q

The Bloc Quebecois

A

Is a separatist party from quebec that stands for the separation of Quebec from Canada and traditional Quebecois values. It is a relatively newer party that has had constant support from Quebec.

27
Q

NDP

A

Standing for New democratic party, this party was established to stand for the working class, unions, farmers, etc. It originated in the prairies and has had a large amount of support in recent years.

28
Q

CCF

A

The Co operative commonwealth federation is the predecessor to the NDP, originating in the prairies in 1932, it stood for and was created by farmers, unions, and generally the working class that had a big presence in the west.

29
Q

Classical Liberalism

A

A political and economic philosophy tied to philosophers the likes of John Locke that traces its roots back to the 16th and 17th century, it constitutes individual liberty, small government, and the rule of law.

We study this in class because it is the foundation of much of western civilization.

30
Q

Tommy Douglas

A

He was a Canadian politician, first leader of the ccf, and is credited for social reforms such as universal healthcare, a system that is known across the country today.

We study him in class because of his large impact on the social framework we know today.

31
Q

Pan-Canadianism

A

It was a period of time in political candian history of aiming to appeal to all canadians, trying to create a unified canadian identity. During this period of mass immigration under Pierre Trudeau, there was effort to appeal to every culture

This is studied because it is a part of what constitutes the canadian identity and political landscape today. Multicultural.

32
Q

Social Gospel

A

A Christian intellectual movement that promotes the application of christian ethics to social issues. The social gospel was a factor within the CCF’s many social reforms.

It is studied because it was a contributor to many of the programs

33
Q

Labrador

A

Labrador serves as a prime example of the riding voter discrepancy. It has a small population and therefore voters there have a more impactful vote.

It is relevant to the

34
Q

Courtenay-Alberni

A

is a riding consisting of multiple cities to make a population around the average riding mark. It has a strong left to center presence.

It is the location of NIC Comox

35
Q

Edmonton Wetaskiwin

A

Its a riding where the population far exceeds that of a normal riding, therefore rendering the vote quite drowned out.

36
Q

Electoral District

A

Geographically defined area represented by a member of a legislated body The people living in an electoral district vote to elect one or more representatives to represent their interests in a parliament, congress, or other governing body.

37
Q

Single Member Plurality

A

Electoral system in which voters elect a single representative to send to the legislative body. The Candidate who recieves the most vote wins. meanwhile the other votes are wasted.

38
Q

Proportional Representation

A

is an electoral system designed to ensure that the number of seats a party wins in a legislative body is directly proportional to the percentage of votes it receives in an election.

39
Q

Single transferable vote

A

is a proportional representation electoral system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. It is designed to achieve proportional representation while maintaining a connection between voters and their representatives. STV is used in multi-member districts, meaning that each district elects more than one representative.

40
Q

Mixed member proportional

A

is an electoral system that combines elements of both (FPTP) and* (PR). The goal of MMP is to retain the direct link between voters and their local representatives, while also ensuring that the overall composition of the legislature reflects the proportion of votes each party receives.

41
Q

Cabinet

A

Decision-making body in the executive branch consisting of ministers appointed by the Prime minister.

42
Q

Coalition government

A

is formed when two or more political parties agree to work together to govern, typically because no single party has won a majority of seats in a legislature after an election. In a coalition, parties come together to share power and jointly form a government, with members from different parties often holding key government positions, such as ministerial roles.

43
Q

Two round presidential Elections

A

A Two-Round Presidential Election (also known as runoff voting or second-ballot system) is a type of electoral system used to elect a president where two rounds of voting may take place if no candidate wins an outright majority in the first round. This system is designed to ensure that the winning candidate has the support of a majority of voters.

44
Q

Two round legislative elections

A

A Two-Round Legislative Election is an electoral system used to elect members of a legislature, such as a national parliament, where two rounds of voting may occur if no candidate (or party) wins an outright majority in the first round. It is similar in structure to the two-round presidential election system, but is applied to elect individual representatives or parties to a legislative body.

45
Q

Dissolution

A

Dissolution refers to the formal termination or disbanding of a legislative body, most commonly a parliament or legislature, typically leading to new elections. It is a key feature of parliamentary systems and occurs when the head of state or government dissolves the legislative body, effectively ending its current session and calling for fresh elections to form a new one.

46
Q

By election

A

A by-election (or special election) is a type of election that is held to fill a vacancy that arises in a legislative body between general elections. This vacancy can occur due to various reasons, including the resignation, death, or disqualification of a sitting member of parliament (MP) or legislator.

47
Q

Public funding of elections

A

Public funding of elections refers to financial support provided by the government to political parties or candidates to help cover the costs associated with running for election. The aim of public funding is to promote fair electoral competition, reduce the influence of private donations, and ensure that candidates from various backgrounds can participate in the political process.

48
Q

Referendum

A

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and decide on a specific legislative or policy issue. This process allows citizens to express their views on important matters, and it is often used to gauge public opinion on issues that may not be easily resolved through the regular legislative process.

49
Q

Chameleon Parties

A

Chameleon parties refer to political parties that are characterized by their ability to adapt their policies, ideologies, or platforms to appeal to different voter groups or changing political landscapes. This flexibility often allows them to attract a diverse range of supporters, but it can also lead to perceptions of inconsistency or opportunism.

50
Q

Reform Party

A

The Reform Party of Canada was a political party active from 1987 to 2000. It was founded with the aim of addressing issues related to government accountability, fiscal responsibility, and democratic reform. The party emerged in response to a growing discontent among Canadians regarding the perceived ineffectiveness and corruption of established political parties, particularly the Progressive Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.

51
Q

Canadian alliance party

A

The Canadian Alliance was a federal political party in Canada that existed from 2000 to 2003. It was formed through the merger of the Reform Party of Canada and various disaffected members of the Progressive Conservative Party. The Alliance aimed to unify the right-leaning electorate in Canada and provide a cohesive alternative to the Liberal Party, which had been dominant in Canadian politics during the late 1990s.

52
Q

Run-off election

A

A run-off election is a secondary election held to determine a winner when no candidate achieves the necessary threshold of votes to win in the initial election. This process is often used in elections where a majority is required for victory, ensuring that the winning candidate has broad support among the electorate.

53
Q

Vote swapping

A

Vote swapping is a strategic electoral practice where voters agree to exchange votes in order to achieve a more favorable outcome in an election. This technique is often used in systems where multiple candidates are running, and voters seek to prevent a less desirable candidate from winning by coordinating their votes.

54
Q

Wasted votes

A

Wasted votes refer to votes that do not contribute to the election of a candidate. This term is typically used in the context of electoral systems where a candidate needs to achieve a certain number of votes to win. Wasted votes can include votes cast for losing candidates, as well as votes cast for winning candidates that exceed the number needed for victory.

55
Q

False majority

A

A false majority refers to a situation in which a candidate or party wins a majority of seats or votes in an election without actually receiving a majority of the total votes cast by the electorate. This can occur due to the nature of the electoral system, the distribution of votes among candidates, or the presence of multiple candidates or parties.

56
Q

Brazilian Election 2022

A

he 2022 Brazilian presidential election was a significant political event that resulted in the election of Lula as President of Brazil, defeating the incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro in a highly polarized and contentious race.

57
Q

Battleground Ontario

A

Battleground Ontario refers to the pivotal role that the province of Ontario plays in Canadian federal and provincial elections, particularly in the context of its diverse electorate and significant number of parliamentary seats.

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