Test on UK and Democratic Regimes

Question 1

Democracy

Answer 1

A political power exercised either directly or indirectly by the people through participation, competition, and liberty.

Question 2

Liberal Democracy

Answer 2

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty. Rooted in the ideology of liberalism, with emphasis on individual rights and freedoms.

Question 3

Republicanism

Answer 3

A political system that emphasizes the separation of powers within a state and the representation of the public through elected officials.

Question 4

Separation of Powers

Answer 4

The clear division of powers among branches of government and the provision that specific branches may check the power of other branches.

Question 5

Direct Democracy

Answer 5

In direct democracy, the public participates directly in governance and policy making. Direct is historically found in small communities such as Athens.

Question 6

Indirect Democracy

Answer 6

Indirect democracy is characterized by the public participating indirectly through its elected representatives and is the prevalent form of democracy found in the modern age.

Question 7

Civil Society* (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 7

Civil society can be defined as organized life outside the state, sometimes called “the art of association.” Civil society is a fabric of organizations, not necessarily political, created by people to help define their own interests, whatever they may be. Under the right circumstances, these organizations serve as a vehicle for democratization by allowing people to articulate, promote, and defend what is important to them.

Question 8

Democratization

Answer 8

Structural government transition from an authoritarian government to a more democratic political regime, or political changes moving in a democratic direction.

Question 9

Executive

Answer 9

The branch of government that controls the state

Question 10

Head of State vs Head of Government

Answer 10

The head of state is a role that symbolizes and represents the people, both nationally and internationally and embodies and articulates the goals of the regime. The head of government deals with more everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing domestic policy.

Question 11

Legislature

Answer 11

Typically viewed as the body in which national politics is considered and debated. Charged with making or at least passing legislation.

Question 12

Bicameral vs Unicameral Systems

Answer 12

Bicameral systems are legislatures that contain two houses, and unicameral systems only have one. Small countries are more likely to have unicameral systems, though the majority of liberal democracies are bicameral.

Question 13

Federalism (p 183) (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 13

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional or state government(s). Federal states typically rely on an upper house to represent the interests of certain geographic subunits, so that members are able to oversee legislation particularly relevant to local policies.

Question 14

Rule of Law (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 14

The sovereignty of law over the people and elected officials. Constitutional power is central to maintaining it, and it is often associated with the judicial branch, which is typically an important component in upholding law and maintaining its adherence to the constitution.

Question 15

Explain how a Parliamentary System works (HUGE AP CONCEPT: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 15

Parliamentary systems are systems in which the head of state and government are assigned to two separate branches. Parliamentary systems comprise two basic elements, first, prime ministers and their cabinets come out of the legislature, and second, the legislature is also the instrument that elects and removes the prime minister from office. Political power and roles are divided between heads of government and state. In a parliamentary system, the public does not directly elect the leader, and that task is instead given to the parties.

Question 16

Vote of no confidence

Answer 16

A vote in parliament of no confidence in the prime minister that, when answered in a majority, can successfully and relatively easily remove the current prime ministers.

Question 17

Explain difference between Parliamentary systems and Presidential systems

Answer 17

Presidential systems are systems in which the heads of state and government are combined into one office, unlike a Parliamentary system, where government and state are kept apart. Presidential systems are also a fixed-term process, as opposed to Parliamentary systems. Presidential leaders are also elected by the public, and cannot be removed by a vote of no confidence. All of this is the opposite in the Parliamentary. The president is able to choose a cabinet.

Question 18

Semi-Presidential Systems

Answer 18

Semi-Presidential systems consist of a directly elected president and indirectly elected prime minister sharing power. The President helps set policy, while the Prime Minister executes it. The President also manages foreign policy. Which holds more power depends on the country.

Question 19

Constituencies

Answer 19

A geographical area that an elected official represents. All democracies divide their populations geographically into a number of electoral districts or constituencies.

Question 20

Single Member District (SMD) (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 20

An electoral district with one seat. In SMD systems, electoral constituencies are single member districts, which means that each constituency has only one representative. In plurality-based SMDs, the candidate who receives the most votes—whether a majority or plurality—wins the seat. In SMD systems, the votes cast for other candidates are effectively wasted—that is, if a candidate for whom a vote is cast does not win, his or her votes do not count toward any other candidate’s electoral bid. The SMD system’s “winner take all” approach can amplify the political power of some parties while weakening the political power of others.

Question 21

Proportional Representation (PR) (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 21

An electoral system in which political parties compete in single-member districts; voters choose between parties, and the seats in the district are awarded proportionally according to the results of the vote. It is quite different from SMD and attempts to decrease the number of votes that are wasted, thus increasing the number of parties in the legislature, relying on MMDs.

Question 22

MMD

Answer 22

An electoral district with more than one seat

Question 23

Initiative

Answer 23

A national vote called by members of the public to address a specific proposal.

Question 24

Civil Rights (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 24

The promotion of equality.

Question 25

Civil Liberties (HUGE AP TERM: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 25

The promotion of freedom.

Question 26

What is the relationship between a middle class and democracy (see p 179)

Answer 26

According to modernization theory, the middle class is essential for democracy because of the fact that it is a significant segment of the population with the economic resources necessary to advance and demand their own rights.

Question 27

Why does democratization take place in some cases and not others? (See p 181 and beyond)

Answer 27

There are multiple reasons why democratization takes place in some cases and not others. All of these many factors, such as culture, international relations, economy and more, play a role in whether or not the country experiences democratization.

Question 28

List at least two benefits and two drawbacks, each, for Parliamentary systems and Presidential systems.(HUGE AP QUESTION: LEARN THIS ONE WELL)

Answer 28

Parli: Legislation is usually passed and the leader is more easily removed, but the public has no role in selecting the leader and the public may have less control of legislation.
Pres: Leader is directly elected, and can draw on a national mandate, but it is likely to achieve a divided government, and the president is hard to remove from office.

Question 29

Brexit

Answer 29

The British exit from the European Union in 2016.

Question 30

Margaret Thatcher (and policies)

Answer 30

Conservative prime minister from 1979-1990, used neoliberal policies that were rather unpopular and she ended up resigning.

Question 31

Conservatives (Tories)

Answer 31

One of the United Kingdom’s two largest parties, in government since 2010.

Question 32

Labour Party

Answer 32

One of the United Kingdom’s two largest parties. Since 2010, it has been the party in opposition of the Tories.

Question 33

Tony Blair (and policies)

Answer 33

Labour party prime minister from 1997 to 2007, who softened the rough edges of Thatcher’s neoliberalism and created what is now known as the Third Way.

Question 34

Third Way

Answer 34

A political compromise between the Labor and Conservative party that embraces the free market.

Question 35

David Cameron (and policies)

Answer 35

Conservative prime minister from 2010 to 2016, resigned following the Brexit referendum, which he campaigned against.

Question 36

Boris Johnson (and policies)

Answer 36

British prime minster and member of the conservative party who was instrumental in the UK’s departure from the European Union. PM from 2019 to 2022.

Question 37

Common Law

Answer 37

Legal system based on local customs and precedent rather than formal legal codes. this

Question 38

Magna Carta

Answer 38

The 1215 document signed by King John that set the precedent for limited monarchical powers.

Question 39

Parliament

Answer 39

The United Kingdom legislature.

Question 40

House of Lords

Answer 40

Upper house of the UK legislature, whose reform is currently being debated. Represents the aristocracy.

Question 41

House of Commons

Answer 41

Lower house of the UK legislature. Represents the needs of the lower nobility and the merchant class.

Question 42

“Hung Parliament”

Answer 42

An election result in which no political party wins a majority of seats, such as the 2010 or 2017 elections.

Question 43

Prime Minister

Answer 43

Head of government

Question 44

Commonwealth

Answer 44

Organization that includes the United Kingdom and most of its former colonies.

Question 45

Liberals (Whigs)

Answer 45

Historically, England’s first oppositional party, was one of the UK’s main two parties until the early 20th century.

Question 46

The Crown

Answer 46

Refers to the British monarchy and sometimes the state or head of state.

Question 47

MP

Answer 47

An individual legislator in the House of Commons.

Question 48

Vote of no confidence

Answer 48

Vote as a legislature whether or not to continue to support the current prime minister. Depending on the county, this can result in new elections or forcing the prime minister to resign.

Question 49

House of Lords

Answer 49

Upper house of the UK legislature, whose reform is currently being debated. Represents the aristocracy.

Question 50

Life peers

Answer 50

Distinguished members of society that are appointed into lifetime spots in the House of Lords.

Question 51

Hereditary Peers

Answer 51

Aristocratic family members with seats in the House of Lords.

Question 52

Liberal Democratic Party

Answer 52

Centrist third party in the United Kingdom and junior member of a coalition government from 2010 to 2015.

Question 53

Jeremy Corbin

Answer 53

In 2015, the Labour Party was led by Jeremy Corbyn, a left-wing socialist loved by party loyalists but unsupported by many MPs from his own party. However, Labour’s substantial losses in the 2019 elections prompted Corbyn’s dismissal and his replacement in 2020 by Keir Starmer.

Question 54

Nigel Farage

Answer 54

Outspoken leader of the UK Independence Party until 2016 and member of European parliament.

Question 55

Trades Union Congress

Answer 55

A confederation of the UK’s largest trade unions.

Question 56

Quangos

Answer 56

Quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations that assist the government in making policy.

Question 57

What relation does the UK have to the Commonwealth?

Answer 57

The UK is a member of the Commonwealth along with 52 other countries including most of it’s former colonies.The commonwealth tries to maintain some of the trading and other aspects that were common when England was under imperial rule.

Question 58

What relation does the UK currently have with the EU?

Answer 58

The UK left the EU with Brexit in 2016.

Question 59

How is the UK’s political regime unique among the world’s democracies? Be sure to use “majoritarian” in your answer.

Answer 59

The UK’s regime is very distinguishable because of it’s majoritarian system, or unchecked power of a majority in parliament. During past years this has slightly declined but it’s still very prominent in the UK’s political regime.

Question 60

Explain why a Prime Minister may have more power and easier rule than a President.

Answer 60

The prime minister is head of government, and may experience less legislature lock than a president, since they can more easily pass laws and carry out action. A president has less power over the legislature and has to go through many layers of government before they can pass a law themselves.

Question 61

basic electoral system in the UK

Answer 61

The UK is an SMD, with two parties called Labour and Conservative. Minor devolution has occurred with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Question 62

What is the POLITICAL ECONOMY of the UK?

Answer 62

The UK was practically the original model for liberalism, and remains a liberalist country. However, there have been some changes to UK liberalism in recent years. With Thatcher, there was an unpopular shift to Neoliberalism, which has dissolved slightly but has remained present.