Studying Politics: An Introduction to Political Science Flashcards
political authority
power that someone has because it has been agreed that they have a legitimate right to that power/to make certain decisions (ex. the prime minister has political authority)
coercion
power over; the threat or use of violence to control a group/population (often associated with authoritarianism)
influence
power to do something, for personal or collective gain
legitimacy
most of the people in the state believe that the current government has the right to the authority they wield
political science
the study of the institutions and behaviours associated with the way groups make decisions (on a larger scale)
politics
the making of common decisions for a group of people through the exercise of power by some members of the group over other members
Power
the ability of someone/a group to impose their will on someone else/another group, to get their own way, or to get what they want
4 aspects of politics
- Formal (gov’t)
- Informal (citizen participation)
- History (gives context to current issues)
- Ideas
democratic deficit
perceived gap between the theoretical principles of democracy and the actual practice of democracy
the senate
“chamber of second sober thought” often criticized bc they are not elected and sometimes do controversial things
political culture
public attitude towards gov’t (from values, understandings, principles)
political socialization
processes through which attitudes towards and knowledge of political matters are passed on within a society
agents of political socialization
people or institutions that convey political attitudes and values to others in society
third form of power
people not knowing what their real interests are, uninformed citizens
political representation
the interests, values, goals of citizens are rep. w/in the political system, especially the executive & legislature.
