Unit 1 Outcome 1 Terms Flashcards
Institution
An established framework for structuring and regulating certain aspects of human social life
Political Significance
Importance, impact or relevance of a political event, action, decision or actor within the context of a particular society, government or political system
Factors affecting political significance and influence and exert power: (8)
History
Sociology
Geography
Economics
Law
Psychology
Ethics
Communication
Power
The ability to influence outcomes within a system
Political actors
Individuals, groups, institutions or entities that participate and influence the political processes that determine which decision policies and actions are taken
Political Interest
Desires, motivations and goals that both shape and drive the behaviours of political actors
Capacity
The potential or ability to do something or influence an outcome
Policy
An agreed-upon set of ideas of a plan for how a government or other group will respond in particular situations, typically expressed in statements, laws or other rules
Conservative
Things to do with people’s human rights
Entity
Organisations for a particular cause or purpose
Examples for what entities are for (5)
- Religion
- Government
- Education
- Progressions
Social purpose
State
Both a political community and territorial entity. They are the primary actors and entities in global politics.
Nation
A community of people based on a particular identity, having common bonds with history, ethnicity and religion. Nations can be fluid, overlapping and contested concepts.
Sovereignty
The legitimate or widely recognised ability to exercise effective control over matters in a particular area, or within particular borders
Country
Any distinct part of the world, maybe state, nation or other political entity
developed country
has a mature and sophisticated economy, usually measured by gross domestic product (GDP) and/or average income per resident
developing country
countries that have not achieved a significant degree of industrialization relative to their populations, and have, in most cases, a medium to low standard of living
First World
Wealthy and developed states
Third World
Poor and developing states
Individualism
Puts the individual at the centre of society and prioritises individual autonomy
Pluralism
Perspective that recognises and values diversity. Allows for many different groups, parties and ideologies to coexist and participate in political processes
Hegemony
Capacity of a superpower state to dominate the global political order
Laissez-faire
Governments preferring not to intervene in or interfere with the workings of markets
BRICS countries
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
What is special about BRICS
Are growing quickly and have sought to developed alternative approaches to those favoured by the West
Pragmatism
Concerned with solid and measurable results
What are the five characteristics of a state>
- a permanent population
- defined territory
- a functioning government
- the ability to engage in relations with other states
- international recognition from other sovereign states
Legitimacy
Perceptionthat an act, actor, group or instituition is justified in its exercise of power. THought to transform power into authority.
Authority
The degree to which the uses of power by particular actors are considered rightful or legitimate
degree, uses of power -> rightful or legitimate
Federalism
System of government where power is divided between a central national government and more geographically dispersed subnational governments that administer smaller regional or local jurisdictions
Political Perspectives
The ways in which political actors see and understand their interests, which are influenced by their ideas, values, experiences and contextual factors
Separation of power
Distribution of power to govern between 3 branches of government; each of the branches is independent and has the ability to block the other to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful
Political Stability
A political system’s ability to maintain things as they are, and/or where decisions and changes do not substantially affect the current distribution of power among actors within that system
Responsible Government
Expectation that executive governments must be answerable to parliaments, and that their decisions and actions must be exposed to public scrutiny
Participation
Range of activities through which people might develop and express their opinions and preferences regarding social, political, economic or organisational matters
Popular sovereignty
A state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people.
Parliamentary Sovereignty
Parliament having the right to make, amend or repeal any law within the limits of the constitutions.
