Political Dimensions Flashcards
Authoritarianism
The enforcement or advocacy of strict authority at the expense of personal freedom. A system of government where authority is given to a specific group, and they make laws and rules to ensure security despite the will of the people.
Dictatorship
A form of government where there is one dictator (leader) that controls the rest of the population. This individual or small group has very few laws above them.
Single Party State
When only one political party has really ever had government power. Other parties cannot run against them.
Elitism
The idea that there is one element of society that is better than the rest. Usually people or families that always have political power.
Manufactured Crisis
Suppression of Dissent
Elimination of Opposition
Propaganda
Media and messages that are used to influence people and their opinions. The most effective propaganda is done without citizens realizing.
Censorship
- Blocking certain media, news or information
- People do not have access to all of the information that they should
Indoctrination
- When people are taught certain (potentially false) information
- Control of the information that is presented
Controlled/Forced Participation
- The idea that citizens are only allowed to participate in society in ways the government wants them to and approves of
Scapegoat
- When certain individuals or groups are blamed for all of the faults of a society
- Tyrants will use scapegoats to get their people to believe them and blame others
Kulaks
- Originally, Kulaks were prosperous land owners in the Soviet Union
- After the revolution, Kulaks were people who employed individuals to work on their land
Holodomor
- A genocide in Ukraine initiated by Joseph Stalin
- Stalin wanted to prove that collective farming was not going to change, and he wanted to show that he was in charge
- Over 7 million people were killed
Treaty of Versailles
- The treaty that ended the first World War
- A lot of the treaty was against Germany and forced Germany to take the blame for the war, so in a sense it led to Hitler and the Nazi’s
Weimar Republic
- The time period in Germany after WW1
- For the first time ever it was a liberal democracy
Fascism
- A far right political ideology
- Totalitarianism, authoritarianism, dictatorship
Aryan
- The ‘elite’ race of being pure German
Anti Semitism
- Prejudice against Jewish people
Citizenship
- The status of being a citizen in a country
Freedom
- A guaranteed right in a country that gives people freedom and protection where they live
Justice
- The idea that people get what they deserve
- Being fair
Popular Sovereignty
- A government that is almost controlled by the population in a sense
- People get to vote for representatives
- The government is responsible for the people and the will of the people
Representation by Population
- The number of members in the legislative assembly is based on population
Constitutionalism
- The idea that a constitution should be used
- There is a fundamental set of rules that must always be adhered to and obeyed
First Past The Post
- The largest portion out of the majority wins
- Does not need a majority of the votes, just needs more than the other groups
Proportional Representation
- An electoral system
- The country is divided into smaller sections
- Everyone ranks the representatives they like the most from first to last
- People are elected based on the the selections
- More accurately reflects the will of the people
Caucus
- When members of a legislative body from the same party have a meeting
Adversarial System
- A judiciary system where the judge decides what is fair
Responsible Government
- A government responsible for the will of the people
- Responsible to other members of government
- A group of elected representatives that form a Cabinet
Majority Rule
- The group with the most member or decision with the most votes wins
Presidential (Congressional) Democracy
- When there is one leader, typically a president responsible for the executive branch
Checks and Balances
- When different levels of government can stop other branches from having too much power
- Congressional governments
Fundamental Freedoms
- Freedom of conscience and religion
- Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication
- Freedom of peaceful assembly
- Freedom of association
Apathy
- Lack of interest
- Would impact democracy because citizens would not take their role in the government
Individual Rights
- Rights that benefit individuals
- Ex. Everyone is equal under the law
Universal Rights
- Rights or freedoms that people are entitled to by nature
Parliamentary Democracy
- No clear separation between executive branch and legislative branch
- Executive branch is dependant on support from the legislative branch
