Comparative politics insitutional veto players

Veto player

an individual or collective actor whose agreement is essential for any policy change

Institutional veto player

veto player generated by a country's constitution

Partisan veto player

veto player generated by the way the political game is played

Judiciary

That department of government which administers the law relating to civil and criminal justice.

Constitution

A written plan of government

Judicial review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

Codified constitution

A constitution that consists of a full and authoritative set of rules written down in a single text.

Uncodified constitution

A constitution that has several sources, which may be written or unwritten.

Rigid constitution

one that is entrenched, requiring more demanding amendment procedures

Flexible Constitution

one that can be amended more easily, often in the same way that ordinary legislation is passed

Concrete review

Judicial review that allows the constitutional court to rule on the basis of actual legal disputes brought before it

Abstract review

Judicial review that allows the constitutional court to rule on questions that do not arise from actual legal disputes

Supreme Court

the highest federal court in the United States

Constitutional court

A federal court authorized by Article III of the Constitution that keeps judges in office during good behavior and prevents their salaries from being reduced. They are the Supreme Court (created by the Constitution) and appellate and district courts created by Congress

Judicial restraint

A judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislatures

Judicial activism

An interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)

Common law

A legal system based on custom and court rulings

Civil law

A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.

Religious law

based on the officially established rules governing the faith and practice of a particular religion

Sub-National Governance

second level of government or to a third level

Multilateral governance

Mandated to represent the interests of all their member countries. The list of global governance issues addressed by multilateral bodies is long: human rights, human development, labor, health, peace, conflict, disarmament, communication, finance, and environment.

Unitary system

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

Regional government

an area-wide structure for local governance, designed to replace multiple jurisdictions

Deconcentration

the redistribution of the population from cities to suburbs and surrounding areas

Delegation

The assignment of new or additional responsibilities to a subordinate

Devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

Devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

Federation

A formal association containing many individual groups or countries

Asymmetric federalism

A system where power is devolved unequally across the country and its constituent regions, often the result of specific laws negotiated between the region and the central government

Dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

Cooperative federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

Subsidiarity

The moral principle that large organizations or governments should not interfere with, or take over, responsibilities that can be administered by individuals and local organizations, but rather should support them, always with a focus on the common good.

Quasi federalism

A political system that is legally unitary, but is politically increasingly federal due to the devolution of significant powers to regional bodies

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

Federal system

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

Federal system

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments