Untitled Flashcards Set

Legitimacy

The acceptance of authority by citizens, believing it is right for a person or body to exercise power.

Political Culture

The attitudes and beliefs held communally by a people that form the basis for their political behavior.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals internalize and develop their political values, ideas, attitudes, and perceptions through various agents of socialization.

Types of Political Culture

Three types include Parochial, Subject, and Participant cultures, each suited to different political systems.

Malapportionment

When the amount of seats elected in a district is not proportional to the population.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

First past the post system

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, typically leading to two dominant parties.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system where the number of seats in parliament is proportional to the number of votes received.

Duverger's Law

An observation that single-ballot plurality-rule electoral systems favor a two-party system.

Coalition Government

A government formed by multiple political parties who must compromise to achieve a majority.