AP COMP GOV VOCAB

Welfare State

A system where the government plays an active role in providing social welfare programs and services for its citizens

Rentier State

A country that relies heavily on income from external sources, such as natural resources or foreign aid, rather than its own productive activities

Federal System

A form of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional or state governments

Common Law

Legal systems that rely on court decisions and precedents as the primary source of law, rather than solely on written statutes or regulations

Catch All Parties

Political parties that aim to appeal to a wide range of voters by adopting moderate positions on various issues

Head of State

Represents a country symbolically both domestically and internationally; they embody national unity, perform ceremonial duties, and often serve as a figurehead for the country

Head of Government

The person who holds the highest executive authority in a country's government. They are responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the government, implementing policies, and making decisions on behalf of the country

Post Materialism

A shift in values and priorities from materialistic concerns, such as economic stability and physical needs, to non-materialistic concerns like self-expression, quality of life, and environmental issues

Neoliberalism

An ideology that emphasizes free markets, limited government intervention in the economy, privatization, deregulation, and individual freedom

Party System

The ways in which political parties organize themselves and compete for power within a country's political landscape

Coalition Government

An arrangement where multiple political parties come together to form a governing body, often due to no single party gaining an outright majority in the legislature

Authority

The legitimate right to exercise power

Legitimacy

whether citizens accept the government's right to rule

Fragile States Index

Ranks countries based on indicators such as security threats, economic decline, human rights violations, and social unrest

Globalization

the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of countries through the exchange of goods, services, information, and ideas on a global scale

Privatization

the transfer of ownership or control of public assets (such as companies, services, or infrastructure) from the government to private entities

Private Capital

the umbrella term for investment, typically through funds, in assets not available on public markets

Government change

The replacement of individual leaders or political parties in a state, not necessarily a change in political system

Multinational corporations

large companies that operate in multiple countries, conducting business activities across national borders

Informal Political Participation

A type of citizen participation observed through everyday practices and daily activities in the public sphere

Social Movement

collective efforts by a group of individuals who come together to bring about social, political, or cultural change

Referendum

a direct vote in which the entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular issue or policy

Dominant Party System

political systems in which one political party consistently holds power over an extended period

Interest Group

organized associations of individuals or organizations that seek to influence public policy by promoting their shared interests and concerns to policymakers

Corporatism

a political system where various interest groups are organized into a single body that represents their interests and plays a role in decision-making

Neoliberal Economic Reform

Market-oriented reform policies, such as privatization and austerity measures

Institutions

the established structures and organizations that shape and govern political systems

Regime

the fundamental rules that control access to and the exercise of political power

Democratization

the process of transitioning a government or society from an authoritarian or non-democratic system to one that is democratic, where power is held by the people and there are free and fair elections

Theocracy

a political system based on religious authority

Freedom House

Organization that studies democracy around the world and ranks countries on a 1 to 7 freedom scale, with countries given a 1 being the most free and those given a 7 being the least free

Traditional Legitimacy

when a government bases their rule on ideological beliefs or tradition

Transparency

how open and accessible a government is with its processes, actions, and decision-making

Gini Index

used to measure income inequality within a society; calculates the distribution of wealth or income among the population, with higher values indicating greater inequality

Bicameral legislature

a legislative body that consists of two separate chambers or houses

Unicameral legislature

a type of legislative body that consists of a single chamber or house

One-Party State

a political system where only one political party is legally allowed to exist and hold power

Unitary System

A system of government where powers are divided between a central authority and regional or state governments, each having their own areas of jurisdiction

Political Cleavages

Internal divisions in society based on political culture, behavior, and values which cause tensions and conflicts in politics

Populism

a political approach that seeks to appeal to ordinary people by presenting themselves as champions against an elite or establishment

Pluralism

a political system characterized by multiple competing interest groups that freely express their views and compete for influence over policy decisions

Single Peak Association

interest groups that have close ties with a particular political party or ideology

Coercion

the act of using force or threats to make someone do something against their will

Multi Party System

political systems in which multiple political parties compete for power and representation

Nationalization

an ideology that emphasizes loyalty, devotion, and pride towards one's nation or ethnic group

Resource Curse

the phenomenon where countries rich in natural resources, such as oil or minerals, often experience negative consequences like economic instability, corruption, and social inequality instead of benefiting from their resource wealth

Coup d’etat

an illegal and often violent seizure of power from a government, typically carried out by military forces or other internal factions within a country

Individualism

a political and philosophical ideology that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual and their rights to personal freedom

International Organizations

formal institutions composed of multiple states or actors that work together to address global issues or promote cooperation among member nations

Charismatic Legitimacy

a form of authority where the right to rule is based on the personal qualities and charisma of the leader, inspiring loyalty and devotion in followers

Government

the specific group of people and institutions that hold and exercise political power within a political system

Military Regime

a type of government that is controlled by military officials who have seized power through force

Judicial Review

the power of a court to determine whether laws and actions by the government are constitutional

Sovereignty

the supreme authority and power of a state to govern itself without interference from external forces

GDP Per Capita

GDP divided by the population of a country, providing an average measure of economic well-being per person

Nation

A large group of people who share common characteristics such as language, culture, history, or ethnicity

Illiberal democracy

a form of government where elections take place but there are significant restrictions on individual rights, limited checks on executive power, and weak rule-of-law institutions

Socialism

an economic and political system in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned or regulated by the community as a whole, aiming to achieve greater social equality and reduce income disparities

Runoff Election

electoral system with a second round of voting between the two candidates who got the most votes the first time

Civil Service

individuals who work for governmental agencies or departments, providing administrative support and implementing policies on behalf of elected officials

Political Ideology

sets of beliefs and values that shape individuals' views on how a society should be governed and organized

Two-Party System

A political system in which two major political parties dominate the electoral landscape and consistently win a majority of seats in the legislature

Formal Political Participation

A type of citizen participation involving any activity a citizen engages in to influence their government

Supranational Organizations

international institutions that have authority over member states, making decisions that affect all members

Political Culture

the attitudes, beliefs, values, norms, and expectations that shape citizens' behavior towards politics within a particular country or society

Single Member District

an electoral system in which each geographic district elects only one representative to a legislative body

First-Past-The-Post/Plurality

a voting system where candidates with the most votes win, regardless of whether they have a majority or not

Fascism

an authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, extreme nationalism, suppression of opposition, and strong control over society

Causation

a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables where changes in one variable directly result in changes in another variable

Proportional Representation

an electoral system in which seats in a legislative body are allocated based on the proportion of votes each political party receives

Political Efficacy

an individual's belief in their ability to understand and influence political events

Electoral System

the rules and procedures that determine how elections are conducted, including how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats

Import Substitution Industrialization

a development strategy where a country focuses on producing goods domestically instead of importing them from other countries

Rational-legal Legitimacy

a form of political legitimacy where authority is derived from a system of well-established laws and procedures

Democratic Consolidation

the process by which a newly established democracy becomes more stable and institutionalized over time

Civil Society

the formal and informal organizations that are not part of the state apparatus but operate in public

Democracy

a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who exercise it directly or through elected representatives

Authoritarianism

Regimes characterized by restricted, unfair, and uncompetitive elections, limited societal autonomy from state control, minimal citizen political participation, corrupt and unaccountable governance, and adherence to Rule by Law rather than Rule of Law

Rule of Law

the principle that all individuals and institutions are subject to and accountable to the law, which is fairly applied and enforced

Civil Rights

protections against discrimination based on characteristics such as race, gender, religion, or nationality

Civil Liberties

fundamental rights and freedoms granted to individuals by law, typically protected by a constitution or bill of rights

Rule by Law

using law as a tool of political repression and enforcing it unequally on the parties

Corruption Perceptions Index

measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in different countries

Austerity measures

Policies implemented by governments to reduce government spending, increase taxes, and cut public services in order to address budget deficits or economic crises

Totalitarian Government

A political system where the state holds absolute power and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life

GDP Growth Rate

measures the change in the GDP of the country in comparison to an earlier period

Correlation

a statistical relationship between two variables where changes in one variable are associated with changes in another variable

Multi Member District

electoral systems where more than one representative is elected from each geographic constituency

Grassroots Movement

collective actions or initiatives that emerge from the bottom-up, driven by ordinary people who share a common goal or cause

Communism

Belief in a stateless, classless, and moneyless society. This is accomplished with the abolition of private property with eventual near-total governmental control of the economy.

Social Cleavages

Belief in a stateless, classless, and moneyless society. This is accomplished with the abolition of private property with eventual near-total governmental control of the economy.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

the investment made by a company or individual from one country into another country. It involves the establishment of business operations or acquiring ownership in foreign companies

GDP

the total value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders during a specific period. It measures the economic output and growth of a nation

Mandate

an authoritative command or instruction that grants a leader or governing body the power to act on behalf of the electorate

HDI

an indicator that measures the overall development level of countries based on factors such as life expectancy, education levels, and income per capita

State

a national-level group, organization or body which administers its own legal and governmental policies within a designated region or territory

Regime Change

complete transformation of the political system from one type to another

Revolution

sudden and significant change in the political, social, or economic structure of a country

Corruption

the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain or the misuse of public resources by individuals in positions of authority

Devolution

the transfer of power and decision-making authority from a central government to regional or local governments within a country