Unit 1 AOS 1: Power and Ideas Flashcards
Political System
is the formal and informal political process by which decisions are made concerning the use, production and distribution of resources in any given society.
Formal Politics
The dominant framework when considering the nature of politics and is centered around leading figures/personalities who and can dominate the 24 hour news cycle.
States
States are the dominant structure by which almost the whole world (with few exceptions) is organized. Think of the ‘state’ as a ‘country’.
The state is the central actor in global politics.
Actor
An individual, group or entity that plays a social, political, economic, or cultural role within a particular system. Actors can operate in a domestic setting, and opposition parties, special interest lobby groups all the media.
Social Contract
An understanding, or mutual agreement, between the state and its citizens that the citizen will give us some level of individual freedom in exchange for protection. Including Security, Freedom, Order, Justice, Welfare
Informal Politics
Informal politics is everywhere. Informal politics shapes the way governments work. The gap between the impact of government policies and their stated intentions is often due to informal politics.
the difference between formal and informal politics
While informal politics runs so much of the ‘show’, formal politics
– the more visible sphere of debates in parliament, political parties and campaign speeches, demonstrations etc.– gets most of the headlines. Both kinds of politics are interacting and functionally inseparable
in a political system.
The three levels of the Australian government
Federal, state parliaments and local councils
Representative democracy:
A political system where people vote for other citizens in free and fair elections, to act on their behalf in the legislative branch.
Representative government:
A political system where the legislative and executive functions are carried out by citizens who have been elected to make decisions on behalf of the people.
Constitutional monarchy:
A political system with a hereditary monarch, whose powers are defined by a constitution.
Federalism:
A system of government in which law-making powers and responsibilities are constitutionally divided between essential, national government and a series of state or regional governments. Example: Australia and the USA.
Separation of powers:
The principle that the three branches of government, the legislator, the executive and the judiciary, should be kept independent and act without interference from each other as means of decentralising and preventing abuse of power.
Federal politics - Strategic pursuits
Particularly at a federal level, almost all states frame their national interests around 4 key strategic pursuits:
1. National security
- Economic prosperity
- Regional relationships
- International standing
Glo-calisation
An intertwining of the global and local sphere. The line between local and global has blurred
Power
The ability to make others do what you would have them do
Tangible power
power that you can see, that is physical
Intangible power
power that you cannot see, but can feel the effects of
Can we define power?
The capabilities, mechanisms and resources that an actor has at their disposal
to successfully fulfil their aims.
The capacity of an actor to achieve their aims by influencing, enforcing or
controlling the actions of others
Political power
Refers to the use of a state’s internal political machinery to exert influence over the actions of others.
For example, legislation, executive orders, white papers
Hard power:
An actor’s capacity to use force, in order to coerce others to achieve its aims.
Soft power:
An actor’s capacity to use appeal/attraction, in order to co-opt others to achieve its aims.
Authority:
The basis or source of legitimate political power.
Legitimacy:
Political power that is broadly accepted by the population, usually based on its granting through democratic or transparent means.
