Regime Types Flashcards
What is a democracy?
A democracy is a political regime in which government is based on a fair and open mandate from all citizens of a community
What is the significance of a democracy?
The significance of a democracy lies within the impact it has on on governance, rights, political participation, economic development, and peace. It serves as a subject of analysis for researchers seeking to understand the functioning of political systems and the consequences of different governance models such as representative (members of a community elect people to represent their interests and need to make decisions affecting the community) or social democracy (the system seeks to combine the principles of democracy with social and economic equality
What is a Liberal Democracy?
indirect democracy based on limited government as the constitutional protection of individual rights, including freedom of assembly, property, religion, and speech. The emphasis on individual rights is crucial because it provides a standard against which other political systems can be measured
Place a high value on transparency and accountability through the checks and balances of government. This regime-type contrast with forms of political violence and authoritarian transitions in non-democratic systems underscores the significance of peaceful conflict resolution in comparative politics
What is a social democracy?
A political system and ideology that seeks to combine the principles of democracy with those of social and economic equality it advocates for a mixed economy where both private and public sectors co-exist. A strong welfare state ensures that citizens have access to essential services they value individual rights and freedoms while recognizing the government’s role in promoting social welfare and essential services
What is the significance of a social democracy?
Provides a framework for balancing the benefits of a market-driven capitalist economy with the need to address social inequalities and ensure economic security for citizens. The emphasis on welfare state governments can examine how different countries implement, welfare and how effective it is.
What is an authoritarian regime?
A regime based on an established system of authority opposed to consent, a political system in which government is controlled by a ruling elite, without an open mandate from citizens, who are denied equal rights. A political regime based on submission to the authority of ruling elites limited political pluralism, centralized political control, intolerance of opposition, and human rights abuses
What is the significance of an authoritarian regime to the study of comparative government?
Significant due to the constraint that it places on human rights such as civil, economic, political, and social rights as there are no checks and balances within the government, and the power is concentrated within one person or one political group. Often associated with internal and external conflicts
What is a dictatorship?
A political system in which a leader or ruling elite uses a combination of repression and loyalty to remain in power.
What is autocracy?
A form of authoritarianism but they are not all autocracy. Means ‘rule-by-one’. It is a form of authoritarianism in which the regime is governed by one person who usually exercises power without reference to anyone else
Usually governs with the support of the military or at least a small faction of the military to oppress the population this is an extremely important part. Corruption is very high because there is no one to check the power
What is totalitarianism
A political system in which all institutions and activities (public or private) are subject to total state control and in which no individual rights or privileges are formally recognized
Rare in occurrence and sustainability
There are very often debates (levels of repression, ex. after Stalin many people in the USSR disagreed with the levels of oppression)
Communism
A regime type in which power is controlled and manipulated by a single political party, which provides only token opportunities (if any) to the opposition”
Began with the Russian revolution
In practice does not support checks and balances prioritizes socioeconomic rights - basic rights being taken care of at the expense of civil and political rights
Belief in the importance of socio-economic rights
What is a military government?
Also known as military rule it is a regime type where the military makes up the government or has overthrown the government via a coup
Military leaders control the government and civilians
Typically involves the suspension of all other key political actors governing based on military principles of hierarchy and the absence of negotiation
What is an authoritarian Monarch?
A regime type in which a monarch wields power over a state and in which all other institutions of a government are marginal. Should not be confused with the limited powers of a constitutional monarchy
