Vocab 1 Flashcards
The study of comparison of domestic politics across countries.
Comparative Politics
Use of the scientific method for analyzing and finding the similarities of political systems between and among countries.
Comparitive Method
Cause and effect; when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable.
Causal relationship
Claims that assert a particular value judgement either instead or in addition to factual, evidence-based assertions.
Normative statement
Factual claims that are based on demonstratable evidence alone.
Empirical statement
Study through statistical data from many cases.
Quantitative method
Study through an in-depth investigation of a limited number of cases.
Qualitative method
Institutions usually based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear.
Formal institutions
Institutions with unwritten and unofficial rules.
Informal institutions
The total dollar value of all goods and services produced within a country’s borders.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
A measure of economic inequality.
Gini index
A statistical tool that attempts to evaluate the overall wealth, health, and knowledge of a country’s people.
Human development index (HDI)
A statistical tool that attempts to estimate the buying power of income across different countries by using prices in the United States as a benchmark.
Purchasing power parity (PPP)
The fundamental rules and norms of the political system that determine how power is acquired and used, such as authoritarianism and democracy.
Regimes
The ability of a state to carry out actions and policies within a territory independently of external actors and internal rivals.
Sovereignty
A regime that concentrates power in an authority that is not responsible or accountable to the public.
Authoritarianism
An arrangement that divides or shares power on a permanent or constitutional basis between a central or national government and regional governments.
Federalism
An arrangement that concentrates political power at the central or national level of government and provides very limited or impermanent powers to regional levels.
Unitary governments
Ranks countries “by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.” This is usually defined as an “abuse of entrusted power for private gain.”
Corruption perception index
Measures countries’ performance across eight different factors. Constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice.
Rule of law index
Measures that rate of freedom in choosing government officials and civil liberties within a country.
Democracy index
A system of government by the whole population with an emphasis on principles of classical liberalism, including protection of rights and freedom of expression.
Liberal democracy
A form of democracy in which the people may vote directly on matters of policy rather than only elect representatives.
Direct democracy
A type of government where voters choose representatives to make laws on their behalf.
Indirect democracy
A value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power.
Legitimacy
