Political Dimensions Flashcards
Why do political systems/governments exist?
To administer and regulate populations. Exhibit differing degrees of citizen involvement and freedom
Referendum
Asking of a political question to an electorate for direct decision by general vote. Legally binding (plebiscites are not)
Characteristics of parliamentary governments
No clear separation between legislative and executive branch. Executive branch is fused with and dependent upon the legislative branch
Members of the executive are drawn directly from the legislative branch and are completely dependent upon the legislative branch for authority
What happens if the executive loses majority support in the legislature?
Government will fall, elections will be held to select a new executive
Responsible government
Government is responsible to Parliament
Checks and balances in a presidential democracy
Congress can make laws, President can veto them
President can veto laws, Congress can override a President’s veto
Congress can make laws, courts can declare those laws to be unconstitutional
Constitution
System or code that establishes the rules and principles by which an organization is governed
Recognizes important citizen rights that limit how the state may exercise its power and authority
Takes precedence over all other laws. Other laws that are inconsistent are declared unconstitutional and have no legal force
No politician or institution is above the principles and norms as defined by the Constitution
Constitutional Monarchy
Executive government and authority is vested in the Canadian monarchy
Most powerful branch in Canada
House of Commons
Only part with elected members
Must approve all legislation by majority vote
Elite theory of democracy
A small minority, consisting of members of the economic elite and policymaking networks, holds the most power - and that this power is independent of democratic elections
Lobbying
Form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agencies or judiciary
Tyranny of the majority
The will of a majority population group exclusively prevails in a system of government, it results in the potential for tyranny over minority groups
Vision
Rallying call to embrace a new future - based on security, economic gain, nationalism, unity
Propaganda
Persuasive technique that uses media to create support for the regime. Purposefully fosters glorification of the leader, cult of leadership
Controlled participation
Citizens are key participants in staged events designed to show mass support of the dictatorship
Indoctrination
Purposeful contrived program to promote acceptance and obedience, targeting youth groups and the education system
Censorship of the media
State control of information. Used with propaganda and indoctrination to control and manipulate information
Secret police
Use of agents, informants, militia, and the army to foster fear and terror when required in order to control the citizenry
The purge
Elimination of real or perceived enemies of the state - unfair courts
Use of scapegoats
Redirecting popular discontent towards a particular group or groups of people
Single party state
No political opposition is tolerated. Conformity to the demands of state is required and achieved through coercion
Radical totalitarianism
Soviet Union
Change desired is a move toward the far left
Classless society with state ownership of property and a complete rejection of political and economic traditions of the past
Reactionary totalitarianism
Nazi Germany
Change desired is a move toward an idealized past and an acceptance of economic inequality - some people are naturally better than others
New Economic Policy
Brought back some aspects of capitalism on a temporary basis, in hopes of stimulating the economy
Peasants could own farmland and decide what to produce, small businesses could buy and sell products
Implemented because Lenin realized the country couldn’t be transformed as quickly as the government hoped
Created rich kulaks, which undermined the ideal of a classless society
5-year plans
Called for industrial production to increase by about 20% per year in various industries
Government implemented collectivization, where farms became food-producing factories with production quotas
Kulaks, prosperous land-owning peasants, were scapegoats. Those who didn’t give up their property voluntarily were arrested, deported, or executed. BlaHmed for all hardships
Holodomor
Famine in Ukraine
Seen as a success by Stalin’s government because peasants learned who their master is
Great Purge
Period of political repression, where Stalin convicted and executed citizens and senior party members and high-ranking officials
People were arrested for counterrevolutionary activities or political reasons
Mikhail Gorbachev
Introduced Perestroika (economic restructuring) to revitalize a stagnant Soviet economy by promoting better planning, introducing new technologies, and allowing small businesses to operate on free market principles
Glasnost (openness) was introduced to improve communication between state and society to get support for Perestroika. Glasnost made the Soviet people aware of inefficiencies and corruption of communism and more demanding of reform
Nuremberg Decrees
German Jews and other targeted peoples were methodically identified, concentrated in ghettos, and denied all civil and social rights
Kristallnacht
A night during which Nazis terrorized Jews with uncontrolled outbursts of murder, rape, and pillaging
Jews were held responsible and forced to pay huge sums in reparation
Final Solution
Nazi policy for extermination of Jews in concentration camps
War communism
Instant transition to a command economy with the immediate abolish of private property
Extremely unproductive and unpopular
Sturmabteilung (SA)
Paramilitary arm of the Nazi party
Part of Hitler’s popularity came from his promise to quell chaos and lawlessness, which was mostly caused by the SA
Germany’s economy under the Nazis
Managed/command economy
Permitted private enterprise but didn’t support free enterprise
Nazi command for the production of war goods over the demand for consumer goods
Night of the Long Knives
Purge (elimination of opponents within your own party)
Members of the SA were killed by the SS (Hitler’s bodyguards) on Hitler’s orders
Eliminated opposition within his own party, helped him gain support from the regular German army
