QUIZ 1 : GENERAL VOCAB pt 1 Flashcards
Authoritarianism
The belief that people should submit to authority figures and laws, regardless of how unfair they may be or whether doing so will restrict their freedom
Bureaucracy
a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives.
Bicameral
having two main sides of a parliament
Checks and Balances
factors inside a political system or organization that work to maintain justice and prevent a single group from holding all the power
Civil Liberties
Freedom from unjustified meddling in one’s affairs by people or the state
Civil Society
a political organization that controls chaos in society by enforcing laws that prevent people from hurting one another
Civil Rights
the rights that each and every member of a society is entitled to, regardless of their gender, race, or religion, ex : the right to vote, fair treatment, and employment
Coup d’etat
is the sudden, violent overthrow of a government by a small group, usually the political or military elite, with the aim of toppling the current administration. The phrase is French and means “blow against the state” or “stroke of state.”
Communism
system of social organization where everyone contributes and where the community owns all property
Confederation
an alliance made up of countries, that have teamed together to support one another
Democratization
the process of making a nation or an organization more democratic
Devolution
transfer of authority from a local government/authority to a central government/authority
Direct Democracy
the people make decisions about policies without the help of elected representatives.
Executive Branch
branch of government responsible for public affairs and upholding laws
Fascism
an extreme right-wing political ideology that supports a powerful national government, aggressively raises one’s own nation or race above others, and opposes any kind of opposition
Federalism
commitment to and acceptance of a federal form of governance
Government
the group of people who are responsible for controlling a country or a state
Head of State
the leader or president of a country or state
Head of Government
the leader of the group of people who are responsible for controlling a country or a state
Illiberal Democracy
explains a style of government where “formally democratic procedures hide nondemocratic practices.”
Imperialism
a system where one nation rules over other nations, frequently after winning a battle with them
Indirect Democracy
When citizens choose representatives to enact laws on their behalf.
judiciary
the judges of a country/ state, when they are considered as a group
Judicial Review
the ability of a nation’s courts to review decisions made by the government’s branches
Legislative Branch
The House and Senate, often referred to as the Congress.
Military Junta
is a government lead by a committee of military leaders
Liberalization
the reduction of governmental controls in economy in return for increased involvement by private organizations.
Liberal Democracy
an elected government cannot discriminate against specific individuals or groups when it administers justice and protects basic rights
Nation-state
sovereign state of which most of the citizens are united by factors which define a nation, such as language or common descent.
Nationalization
the process which a business or industry is placed under government ownership and management
Parliamentary System
the head of state gets democratic legitimacy by commanding the support of the majority of the legislature.
Patron-Client System
a mutual arrangement between a person that has authority, social status, wealth, or some other personal resource (patron) and another who benefits from their support or influence (client).
Political Culture
how culture impacts politics.
Political Efficacy
a level at which the general public believes it is within their power to alter the government and that they are capable of doing so.
Power
the ability to control people or things
Politics
the actions involved in getting and using authority in public life and having the ability to influence choices that have an impact on a nation or a society
Privatization
the process of selling a company or sector of the economy to remove government ownership
Presidential System
is a type of government where a head of state is in charge of an executive branch that operates independently of the legislative branch in systems that apply the division of powers.
Proportional Representation
refers to any election system where the elected body reflects the proportionate representation of an electorate’s subgroups
Referendum
an occasion when all the people of a country can vote on an important issue
Regime
a method or system of government, one that has not been elected in a fair way
Republic
a country that is governed by a president and politicians elected by the people and where there is no king or queen
Rule of Law
is a system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment
Socialism
a political and economic theory of social organization which believes that production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Separation of Powers
a constitutional legal theory that maintains the separation of the three departments of government (legislative, executive, and judicial)
Sovereignty
total authority to run a nation
State
a country seen as a unified political entity under one government
Theocracy
leadership of a nation by religious figures
Totalitarianism
the idea that a one-party political regime has total authority over the people
Unicameral
has a single primary legislative body in a parlimant
Unitary System
kind of government system in which a single power (central government) controls the whole government.
