PLSC Final

Failed State

A state-like entity that cannot coerce or successfully control the inhabitants of a given territory.

State

An entity that relies on coercion and the threat of force to rule in a given territory.

Nation

A group of people who share a common identity, such as language, religion, ethnicity, or shared history.

Nationalism

An ideology emphasizing loyalty and devotion to a nation or nation-state, prioritizing such obligations over other interests.

Nation-State

A state in which a single nation predominates and the state’s boundaries are connected to that nation.

Democracy

A government in which supreme power is vested in the people, exercised directly or indirectly through representation.

Autocracy

A system of government where absolute power is held by a ruler.

Dictatorship

A form of government in which a single person or small group holds absolute power without accountability.

Government

The set of people who run the state or have authority to act on its behalf.

Regime

The rules, norms, or institutions determining how the government is organized and how decisions are made.

Operationalization

Translating abstract theoretical concepts into concrete measures and indicators.

Robert Dahl

A political theorist who classified political regimes based on contestation and inclusion.

Contestation

The extent to which citizens can organize into competing groups to press for desired policies.

Inclusion

Who gets to participate in the democratic process.

Continuous Measure

Tracking each occurrence of behavior over a specific period.

Dichotomous Measure

Measurement with two mutually exclusive and exhaustive possible values.

Classic Modernization Theory

Argues economic development is likely to lead to the emergence and survival of democracy.

Traditional Society

A community governed by long-standing traditions and resistant to change.

Modern Society

Society characterized by advancements since the late 18th century, including technology and urbanization.

Survival Story (Przeworski)

Predicts democracies are more likely to survive as countries develop and become wealthier.

Credible Commitment Problem

A situation where individuals cannot make credible promises or threats.

Foreign Aid

External assistance that can reduce state dependence on citizens and reinforce dictatorships.

Primordialist Argument

Culture is objective and inherited, unchanged by political interaction.

Constructivist Argument

Culture is constructed or invented, requiring a democratic culture for democracy to prosper.

Cultural Modernization Theory

Economic development produces cultural changes that ultimately lead to democratic reform.

Constitution of Medina (622 AD)

Established rights for citizens of different faiths, protecting religious practices.

Max Weber

A sociologist who related protestantism to capitalism and emphasized delegated responsibilities for efficiency.

Samuel Huntington

Political theorist who wrote about civilian-military relations and the clash of civilizations.

Clash of Civilizations

Thesis that cultural and religious identities will be the primary sources of conflict post-Cold War.

First Wave of Democratization

Occurred from 1825 to 1925, with 33% of countries being democracies.

Second Wave of Democratization

Happened from 1945 to 1960 after the defeat of Nazi Germany and Italian dictatorship.

Third Wave of Democratization

From 1974 to 1995, marked by the collapse of dictatorships, with 48% of total countries being democracies.

Bottom-Up Transition

A process where the people rise to overthrow an authoritarian regime.

Top-Down Transition

A process where ruling elites introduce reforms leading to democratic transition.

External Imposition

A transition where external forces impose democracy.

Collective Action

When a group works together to achieve a common goal or objective.

Free Rider Problem

When individuals benefit from a public good without contributing to it.

Public Good

Commodities or services available to all, essential for societal functioning.

Monarchic Dictatorship

An autocracy where power is based on family and kin networks.

Military Dictatorship

An autocracy where power is maintained through the armed forces.

Civilian Dictatorship

Where the dictator gains power without military support.

Dominant-party Dictatorship

A system where a single party dominates political access and policy control.

Personalist Dictatorship

One where the leader retains personal control over policy despite party or military support.

Electoral Authoritarianism

Democratic institutions that superficially exist but follow authoritarian principles.

Dictator’s Dilemma

The contradiction where repression keeps a dictator in power but distorts societal support perceptions.

Corruption

When public officials take illegal payments for benefits to individuals.

Kleptocracy

Corruption organized by political leaders for personal enrichment.

Selectorate Theory

Characterizes governments based on the size of the selectorate and winning coalition.

The Winning Coalition

Group of supporters whose backing is essential for victory.

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency to overreport good behavior and underreport bad behavior.

Preference Falsification

The phenomenon where the true level of societal support is obscured.

Liberalization

The process of loosening government controls.

When does democratic transition end?

Marked by the consolidation of democracy, where norms and institutions are embedded and accepted.

Soft-liners versus hard-liners

Factions within regimes; soft-liners support change, hard-liners resist it.

Arab Spring

A series of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East and North Africa starting in 2010.

Gorbachev and his role in the fall of the former Soviet Union

Resigned but then became critical of Russian leadership and campaigned for social democracy.

Protest participation in East Germany

Protests in 1989 that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany.

Why do authoritarian leaders pursue liberalization?

To maintain control, improve the economy, and manage external pressures.

Presidential Democracy

A government that does not depend on legislative majority for existence.

Parliamentary Democracy

A government that depends on a legislative majority for existence.

Semi-Presidential Democracy

A government requiring a legislative majority and a popularly elected head of state.

Vote of Confidence

A parliamentary procedure expressing support for the government.

Vote of NO Confidence

A procedure expressing disapproval for the government.

Principal-Agent (Delegation) Problem

Conflict of interest between a principal delegating authority to an agent.

Delegation

Selecting a person to represent a group in political assemblies.

Principal

The foundational truth or proposition for a belief system.

Agent

An individual acting on behalf of a government.

Prime Minister

Chief executive and head of government in a parliamentary democracy.

President

Chief executive and head of state.

Minority Government

Formed by a party that does not have a majority in the legislature.

Policy-Seeking Politician

A politician focused on shaping policy.

Office-Seeking Politician

A politician interested in the benefits of office.

Sincere Vote

A vote reflecting the voter's true preferences.

Strategic Vote

Voting intended to achieve a favorable outcome rather than reflecting a first choice.

Coalition

A temporary alliance between political parties to achieve a common goal.

Formateur

The designated individual to form a government in parliament.

Informateur

Examiner of potential coalitions who lacks political ambition.

Ministerial Responsibility

The concept that cabinet ministers should be accountable for their ministry's actions.

Minimal Winning Coalition

Coalition with no parties unnecessary for legislative majority.

Least Minimal Winning Coalition

Minimum winning coalition with fewest surplus members.

Majoritarian Electoral System

System where the most votes win.

Proportional Representation (PR) Electoral System

System allocating legislative seats based on vote proportion.

Single-Member District Plurality (SMDP) System

System where most votes in a district win.

Alternative Vote

Preferential voting system where candidates are ranked and eliminated until a majority is found.

Two-Round System (TRS)

Candidates elected in a second round if not achieving an absolute majority in the first.

Single Nontransferable Vote (SNTV)

One candidate-centered vote in a multi-member district.

List PR System

Voters choose parties, and seats are allocated based on the vote proportion.

Electoral Formula

Method determining how votes translate into seats.

Quota

Minimum numbers or percentages required for specific group representation.

Divisor

Number used for allocating seats based on vote proportion.

District Magnitude

Number of representatives elected in a district.

Electoral Threshold

Minimum votes needed for representation.

Natural Threshold

Minimum votes required based on seats and total votes.

Formal or Legal Threshold

Specific minimum percentage of votes for party representation.

Closed Party List

Voting system where parties are selected, not individual candidates.

Open Party List

Voting system allowing selection of parties and individual candidates.

Single Transferable Vote

Voting system allowing ranking candidates from one district.

Political Party

A group including office holders and those obtaining and keeping them.

Party Systems

Structure and organization of political parties in a political system.

Single-party System

System where one party is legally permitted to hold power.