Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Political Parties > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

What is a political party?

A

Organization for purpose of putting people in public office, grew out of extension of franchise in 18th + 19th centuries and developed into mass parties from elite cadres
Formal-legal entities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

5 functions of political parties

A
  • Recruit and train leaders
  • Aggregate demands into platforms
  • Intermediaries between government and citizens
  • Formation of policy
  • Provide legitimacy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

5 types of political party

A
  • Pragmatic (catch-all like Canadian liberals)
  • Ideological (can be hard to win votes, good in one party states)
  • Interest party (single interest like BQ)
  • Personal (based around a leader like Gaullists, may or may not survive past leader)
  • Movement party (movement that becomes party like Congress in India)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

3 types of party system

A

One-party
Two-party (also 2.5 like Canada w/ NDP)
Multi-party

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Major cleavages in British politics

A

Elitism (differences in schooling, etc)
Class (somewhat leveled post-war due to unions, welfare state)
Religion (less so today exc in NI where protestants control power over 1/3 catholic)
Racism (esp with immigration in Brexit)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

British political culture

A

Relatively deferent to authority and few violent protests
Fairly materialistic
Fairly high satisfaction in democracy
Fairly high interest and participation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

British ideology

A

Fairly centrist and follow neo-liberal ideas since 1980s, strong individualism, some collectivism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

British electoral system

A

3-5 years election (changing to every 5)
FPTP, HoC made of 650 people
Scottish and Welsh assembly turnouts low

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

British voting issues

A

Focus on party + platform over individual (exc for PM)
Local elections every 3 years
Parliamentary sovereignty strong and little direct democracy
Increasing voter volatility with decreasing party loyalty
Declining class voting and low gender voting differences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Recent UK elections

A

Labour in power 2001-05, Conservatives 2010-Present with other in opp, lib dem strong sometimes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

UK Conservatives

A 
Old party that governs most of time, elitist but strong middle class backing
Under Thatcher changed from paternal collectivism to neo-liberalism)
Historically pragmatic (may be changing)
Internal affairs elitist and divided over Brexit
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

UK Labour

A

Started during WW1 out of old Liberal Party, linked with organized labour although influence has declined recently
Party of working class, largely built welfare state post-WW2
Split between socialists and social-democrats, generally avoided Marxism
3rd way under Blair, revert under Corbyn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

UK Alliance/Lib Dem

A

Remnants of old Liberal Party and moderate Labour supporters in 80s who didn’t like leftward shift –> form Alliance in 1983-87, become centrist Lib Dem in 1992
Declined in 2015-17, pro-EU and pro-PR
Clegg deputy PM in 2010

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

UK regional parties

A 
SNP (Scottish separatism)
Plaid Cymru (Welsh separatism)
Sinn Fein (IRA Catholics)
Dem unionist (major NI protestant party)
Ulster unionist (moderate NI protestant)
Social Dem Labour (moderate NI Catholics)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

UK interest groups

A

Generally weaker due to party whipping, many lobby EU in Brussels, sometimes consulted for policy as quangos (quasi-autonomous gov orgs)
Weak social movements but growing interest group activity overall

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

UK constitution

A

Unwritten, based on convention and parliamentary supremacy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

UK monarchy

A

Symbolic head of state who gives Royal Assent (not denied since 1707), names PM (can be interesting in minority), ceremonial functions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

UK PM

A

Head of gov, usually leader of biggest party who appoints cabinet, creates committees, can dissolve parliament and call election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

UK cabinet

A

20-25 chosen ministers who are more independent of PM than in Canada
Based on solidarity (opposing views should resign), responsible for bureaucracy and propose legislation with PM

20
Q

UK HoC

A

HoC originally to represent commoners, 650 seats from which executive is drawn
PM can be very strong via imposing party discipline
Holds gov accountable (no confidence) and debates issues

21
Q

UK HoL

A

Old chamber that used to have 1200 mainly hereditary peers, now 804 with only 90 hereditary
Unable to kill HoC bills since 1911 and can only delay for a year (month for budget) since 1949
Recent push for elected chamber

22
Q

UK judiciary

A

No formal judicial review due to parliamentary sovereignty
SC highest since 2009 (before was Lords), decisions can be overturned by majority of HoC
Affected by EU supremacy, UK bill of rights based on EU rights convention
SC can force amendment of some legislation and overturn some executive actions

23
Q

UK bureaucracy

A

Called “Whitehall”, headed by cabinet and non-partisan

Has been cut back recently

24
Q

UK local government

A

Have different levels of authority based on region and control things like schools, housing, police, etc
Number greatly reduced in 1972

25
Q

UK regional government

A

Assemblies with some taxation power and education, culture, housing, tourism, local gov jurisdiction since 1999 with more powers devolved recently
Growing number of sovereignty supporters in all regions

26
Q

How do French view the state?

A

Something that represents the general will, above partisan and special interests
Undivided and centralized unitary state

27
Q

French political culture

A

Fairly deferent but always bubbling anti-authoritarianism and issue-based political activism
Occasional violent protest but most satisfied with democracy
Growing tensions between secularists and Muslims

28
Q

French political ideology

A

Strong left/right split traditionally that is closing somewhat, strong individualism but also traditional family values and collectivist notions like welfare state

29
Q

French electoral system

A

Typically high turnout
Election every 5 years with runoff vote (if no majority after first election then second one featuring candidates with 12.5% of vote)
577 in national assembly, Senate elected every 3 years by gov officials
Runoff replaced by PR in 1986 but returned

30
Q

French voting issues

A

Strong party affiliation and voting based on religious lines
Little gender voting, candidate personalities very important
Referendums common and lots of municipalities = many local and regional elections

31
Q

Recent French elections

A

Flips back and forth between Gaullists and Socialists from 1965-2012, On The Move (Phllippe + Macron) win 2017

32
Q

French Moderate Right

A

Gaullists (called Republicans today), formed by DeGaulle to defend 5th Republic
Favors strong government but progressive on issues like welfare state (although since 1980s more neoliberal)
Supports EU, success helmed by Chirac and Sarkozy since 1974

33
Q

French Center

A

Was called Union for French Democracy - centrists who weren’t members of DeGaulle’s party but cooperated with him
Policies similar to Gaullists and won in 1974 under Pres Giscard
Weakened in 2002 and weak today (now called New Center w/ very few seats)

34
Q

French On The Move

A

Macron’s party founded in 2016, based around his charisma and won in 2017

35
Q

French Socialists

A

Less radical than Communists (split in 1920) but maintained Marxism until 1980s
Support EU and mixed economy, welfare state
1980s became centrist but since more left, won in 2012 but collapsed 2017

36
Q

French Communists

A

Strong party in 4th republic (less so now esp since 1991) that wants French communism, usually cooperates with Socialists and views role today as keeping them to left (Left Front)

37
Q

French Far Right

A

National Front formed by Le Pen in 1970s, admires Vichy regime
Diminishing neo-fascism but opposes immigration and EU, led by Marine Le Pen today who is more charismatic and moderating
Gained lots of strength recently

38
Q

French interest groups

A

Strong under 4th republic but little access today
Big groups are labour, farmer’s and employer’s associations (low union rate however)
Low neo-corporatism (coordination between companies and state policy)

39
Q

French constitution

A

Popular written and conventional constitution

40
Q

Weakness of 4th republic

A

Powerful lobby groups and factionalized legislature led to many governments (20+) in just over a decade

41
Q

French President

A

Elected directly for 5 year terms (was 7) who is head of state and usually gov
Has emergency powers, usually initiates legislation and appoints + presides over Council of Ministers
Can dissolve assembly, send back bills or refer them to court

42
Q

French PM + Council of Ministers

A

Usually from largest party in the National Assembly, beholden to Pres unless different party
More powerful than Pres and shares executive power if of different party (co-habitation from 1986-88, 1993-95 and 1997-02)
CoM heads departments
Can be fired by Pres or via forced election or non-confidence by National Assembly

43
Q

French National Assembly

A

Elected directly for 5 years (577 deputies)
Holds gov accountable via censure
More muted than UK HoC and has strict party discipline, has weak policymaking powers (gov can pass many bills alone) compared to other EU countries and weak committees

44
Q

French Senate

A

348 elected by local + regional officials
Can reject or amend NA bills but non-binding and can be passed again
Strong movement to abolish

45
Q

French courts

A 
Constitutional Court (9 judges for 9 year terms by Pres and NA, Senate leaders)
Can declare proposed laws unconst and executive acts (limited judicial review)
Activist and partisan court that only deals with issues brought by Pres/legislative
46
Q

French bureaucracy

A

Strong civil service usually loyal to gov, politicized with bureaucrats chosen by ministers
Lots of elite graduates and highly hierarchical, less accountable compared to UK

47
Q

French territorial politics

A

22 regions, 96 departments and 36k municipalities elected by people
Have control over roads, housing, welfare (not education)
pre-1981 had to answer to appointed prefect who had the real power but have had more autonomy since (still lack fiscal power and appointed commissioners with authority)
Increased decentralization rejected despite strong willed local mayors who sometimes are also national politicians

Political Parties (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions