Unit 1 updated Flashcards
Principles of Individualism 🧍
P → Private Property
R → Rule of Law
I → Individual Rights and Freedoms
C → Competition
E → Economic Freedom
S → Self Interest
Principles of Collectivism 👥
P → Public Property
R → Responsibility (Collective)
I → Interest (Collective)
N → Norms (Collective)
C → Cooperation
E → Economic Equality
Philosophers of Liberalism ✍️
- Adam Smith (Father of Capitalism)
-Thomas Hobbes (Authoritarianism)
- John Locke (Constitution + Democracy)
-Montesquieu (Separations of Branches)
- Karl Marx: Private Property (Dictatorship of the Workers)
-John Stuart Mill (Freedom →No Harm)
- Jeremy Bentham (Max Happiness for Most People > Utilitarian)
- David Ricardo (*Fair Wages)
Laissez-faire
Economy would regulate itself if left alone
Economic Control vs Economic Freedom
Economic Control
- left-wing
- public enterprise
- socialism
- collectivism
Economic Freedom
- right-wing
- private enterprise
- capitalism
- individualism
Political and economic spectrum
Left Wing
- Revolutionary
- Radical
- Support change
Right Wing
- Counter Revolutionary
- Reactionary
- Resist change
Socialists vs Liberals vs Conservatives
Socialists (Center Left)
- believe that the government has a significant role in controlling vital industries and agencies
Liberals (Center)
- believe government has a role in shaping a better shaping a better society
Conservatives (Center right)
- believe the role of government should be limited
Lobbying
Attempt to influence government policy through speeches, meetings etc
Affiliations
Supporting political party who’s values are similar to the lobby group
Single Member Constituency and single vote
- Each voter gets one vote, candidate with the most votes in each area wins
- The party with the most winners overall forms the government
- Canada, Great Britain, India, USA
Single member constituency and second ballot
- Each voter gets one vote, a candidate must have more than half the votes to win
- If no one gets more than half, the top two candidates have second election
- Egypt, France, Iran
Preferential voting
- Voters list candidates in order of preference
- If no candidate gets more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated
- The eliminated candidate’s votes are then redistributed based on the next preference on the ballots
- This process continues until one candidate has more than 50%
Proportional Representation
- Seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes a party receives
- Voters vote for a party, not a specific candidate
- Most common system in world
- Voter preference is more accurately reflected
Parliamentary Democracy 🇨🇦
- Key feature: Relationship between the Legislative and Executive branches of government*
- Responsible government
- For a new law to become official, the whole parliament has to agree on it*
- There are two big roles: head of state (Monarch) + head of government (PM)*
2 parts of the parliament:
- One is elected by the people
- The other can be chosen in different ways.
Presidential 🇺🇸
- Key Feature: Checks and Balances (All branches are separate, unlike parliamentary, where the Legislative and Executive branches more interconnected)
- Power is evenly distributed among branches
- Each has its own areas of responsibility
Responsible government
The government has to explain its actions to the parliament. If the parliament doesn’t have confidence in the government, they will call an election
The Presidential System of Branches 🏛️
Executive
- Head of State/Head of Government
- Directly elected by citizen voters
- Appoints the cabinet
- The president can veto legislation coming from the legislative branch
- Power to enforce and administer laws
Legislative
- Elected directly by voters
- Lower (House of Representatives)
- Upper (Senate)
- Together can override the veto made by the president
- Power to make laws
Judicial
- Appointed by the President
- Interprets the laws
- Can declare legislation unconstitutional
- Power to interpret laws
-USA Political System
Congressional/Presidential Democracy
- Key Term: Checks and balances (branches have divided power) (Montesquieu)
- Republic - ALL representatives are elected
- In a republic, leaders (including the President and members of Congress) are ALL elected by citizens
- This system is designed to reflect the will of the people
Constituencies (Ridings) 🗣️
- Representation By Population (For every 100,000 people → 1 Riding)
- Only one person to represent the party in each riding
- First past the post (Whoever gets the most votes wins, doesn’t need to have majority)
💡 First past the post SIMPLIFIED:
- Candidate A: 40%
- Candidate B: 35%
- Candidate C: 25%
Candidate A has the most votes, but they don’t have the majority (Over 50%).
Often leads to many people in the riding not being represented by the person they selected (60% of voters didn’t want Candidate A)
Party Discipline
- Every MP must strongly support + agree with their party’s ideology. (it’s not uncommon for individual MPs to have slightly different views or priorities than their party)
- MP’s need to take in to consideration the people they represent too.
- If there is a discrepancy between the party’s stance and the people they represent. MP’s will usually vote with the party instead of the people (Will of the people?)
Illiberalism
A governance system undermining civil liberties and political freedoms while maintaining democratic structures (e.g., elections). Characteristics include restricted freedom of speech, media control, and selective law enforcement.
Example of Illiberalism - Soviet Union
Abolished political plurality, controlled life through the secret police, and executed millions during the Great Purge
Example of Imposed Liberalism - Post-WWII Germany
Allies imposed democracy, de-Nazified society, and restructured economy via the Marshall Plan, leading to stability and prosperity.
Example of Imposed Liberalism - Post-WWII Japan
US-led occupation introduced democratic principles and a new constitution, transforming Japan into a stable democracy with a thriving economy.
Contemporary Illiberalism - Hungary
Centralized power, weakened judiciary, and restricted media freedom under an “illiberal democracy” framework emphasizing national sovereignty.
Contemporary Illiberalism - Turkey
Curtailed freedoms, imprisoned journalists, and centralized executive power, especially post-2016 coup attempt.
Impact of Illiberalism on Citizens
Limited freedoms, restricted access to unbiased information, weakened rule of law, constrained civil society, reduced political competition, and frequent human rights abuses.
Example of Imposed Liberalism - Post-2001 Afghanistan
US-led efforts to establish democracy faced challenges like conflict, corruption, and Taliban resurgence, leading to limited success.
Example of Imposed Liberalism - Post-2003 Iraq
US invasion led to democratic reforms but faced violence, sectarian conflict, and political instability, with mixed outcomes.
Authoritarian
Repressive (restraining personal freedom) which allow weak legislatures to exists, limited democratic institutions
Totalitarian
Control all aspects of society as well as the individual
Authoritarianism
Power is concentrated in the hands of a few or one person, often with a cult of personality.
Oligarchies
Government where power rests with a small elite segment of society, such as powerful families.
One Party State
Only one political party forms the government.
Techniques of Authoritarian Systems
Include propaganda, indoctrination, use of force, direction of popular discontent, and controlled participation.
Propaganda
Controlling media and indoctrinating citizens to strengthen government support.
Indoctrination
Systematic teaching to strengthen popular support for the government.
Use of Force
Strong military and secret police to maintain control
Controlled Participation:
Allowing limited, controlled citizen participation
Totalitarianism Features
Cult of the leader, extreme ideology, single-party organization, mass mobilization, secret police, central control of organizations, use of terror and violence.
Nature of Totalitarian Regimes
Radical regimes like the Soviet Union aim for a classless society, while reactionary regimes like Nazi Germany emphasize hierarchy and elitism.
Mass Mobilization & Indoctrination
Aggressive warfare and indoctrination to keep people mobilized.
Use of Secret Police
Control citizens and maintain order.
Rise of Totalitarianism in Russia
Events like Bloody Sunday and the Russian Revolution led to the establishment of the USSR under Lenin and Stalin.
Bloody Sunday
Workers’ protest led to a massacre, sparking the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution
Bolsheviks under Lenin overthrew the government to establish a communist state.
Land, Peace, and Bread”
Bolshevik slogan promising reform and revolution.
Treaty of Versailles
Imposed harsh penalties on Germany after WWI, leading to economic and political instability
Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler’s failed coup attempt leading to his imprisonment
Enabling Act of 1933
Granted Hitler full legislative powers, establishing his dictatorship.
Nuremberg Laws
Laws institutionalizing racial discrimination against Jews
Munich Agreement
Attempt by France and Britain to avoid war by conceding Czechoslovakia to Germany.
The Holocaust
Systematic extermination of Jews and other groups by Nazi Germany.
End of WWII
Allies closed in on Germany, leading to Hitler’s suicide and Germany’s surrender in 1945.
