Important Terms for Flashcards - ISS 325

These flashcards cover essential terms and concepts related to revolutions, political movements, and key historical figures in modern history.

unstable equilibrium

A state in which a system is in a tense balance that is prone to change.

5 revolutionary factors

Key elements that contribute to revolutionary change, including, popular discontent, elite discontent, unifying motions, state crisis, and unstable equilibrium

structure vs. culture/agency

The debate in sociology regarding the influence of social structures on individual behavior versus the role of individual agency.

Comintern

The Communist International, an organization aimed at encouraging world communism.

anti-colonialism

A political movement against colonial rule and imperialism.

gentry

A social class that is often referred to as the landed aristocracy or upper class.

peasants

Agricultural workers who own or rent small pieces of land.

mandarins

Bureaucrats in the Chinese Imperial examination system.

Confucianism

A philosophical system based on the teachings of Confucius emphasizing morality, family loyalty, and social harmony.

Qing Dynasty

The last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912.

treaty ports

Ports in China that were opened to foreign trade under unequal treaties.

Sun Yatsen

A Chinese politician and revolutionary, known as the 'Father of Modern China'.

Chinese Republican Revolution

The 1911 revolution that ended over two thousand years of imperial rule in China.

May Fourth Movement

A cultural and political movement in China in 1919 that promoted nationalism and modernization.

Guomindang

The Nationalist Party of China founded by Sun Yatsen.

Chinese Communist Party

The founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China.

semi-feudal, semi-colonial

A term describing China’s socio-political structure during foreign domination.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China and leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

Chiang Kaishek

Leader of the Guomindang and the Republic of China after Sun Yatsen.

White Terror

A period of violent repression against suspected communists in the 1920s China.

Red Army

The military force of the Chinese Communist Party, later known as the People’s Liberation Army.

Long March

A strategic retreat by the Red Army to evade the Kuomintang forces.

Yan’an Base Area

The stronghold for the Chinese Communist Party during the Chinese Civil War.

Mao Zedong Thought

The political theory and ideas of Mao Zedong that underpin Chinese communism.

War of Resistance against Japan

The Chinese struggle against Japanese invasion and occupation from 1937 to 1945.

Chinese Civil War

The conflict between the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party from 1927 to 1949.

People’s Liberation Army

The combined military forces of the People's Republic of China.

people’s democratic dictatorship

A term used by Mao to describe the political system in China.

enemy of the people

A term used in communist discourse to describe perceived threats to socialism.

Resist America, Aid Korea

A slogan promoting China's support for North Korea during the Korean War.

Agrarian Reform Law

A 1950 law aimed at redistributing land from landlords to peasants.

struggle session

A public meeting where individuals were subjected to criticism and humiliation.

agricultural cooperatives

Organizations formed by farmers to pool resources and efforts.

collectives

Large farms operated collectively by farmers in communist systems.

re-education

A process designed to indoctrinate individuals to adhere to communist ideologies.

New Marriage Law

A law enacted in China in 1950 that aimed to improve women's rights.

work unit (danwei)

A specific organization in China that provided employment and various social services.

First Five-Year Plan

A program launched in 1953 designed to transform China’s economy.

Great Leap Forward

An economic campaign from 1958 to 1962 aimed at rapidly transforming China into a socialist society.

people’s communes

Collective farming units established during the Great Leap Forward.

Great Chinese Famine

A period of mass starvation in China between 1959 and 1961.

capitalist tendencies

Behaviors or trends that align with capitalist market principles.

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

A socio-political movement initiated by Mao Zedong from 1966 to 1976.

Red Guards

Youth organizations that played a significant role during the Cultural Revolution.

four olds

Old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas targeted during the Cultural Revolution.

Third World

Countries that were formerly colonized or economically underdeveloped.

Qajar Dynasty

The ruling dynasty in Iran from the late 18th to the early 20th century.

Twelver Shia Islam

The largest branch of Shia Islam, which recognizes twelve Imams.

ulama

A body of scholars recognized as having specialized knowledge of Islamic law and theology.

bazaaris

Merchants or traders in Iranian bazaars.

Anglo-Persian Oil Company

A British company established to develop oil resources in Iran.

Iranian Constitutional Revolution

A revolution in early 20th century Iran that established a constitutional monarchy.

patronage / rentier state

A state that depends on the income derived from natural resources rather than production.

Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

The last Shah of Iran before the Islamic Revolution.

Tudeh

The Iranian Communist Party that emerged in the late 1940s.

National Front

A coalition of nationalist groups in Iran during the early 1950s.

SAVAK

The secret police organization in Iran under the Shah.

White Revolution

A series of reforms launched by Mohammad Reza Shah aimed at modernizing Iran.

orthodox/fundamentalist/modernist Shiism

Different movements within Shia Islam, reflecting various interpretations of Islamic teachings.

Ayatollah Khomeini

The leader of the Iranian Revolution who established the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Freedom Movement

A political movement in Iran advocating for democratic changes.

Mujahideen

Guerrilla fighters in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

Fedayeen-e Khalq

A militant organization opposed to the Shah in Iran.

Resurgence Party

The political party established by the Shah in the 1970s to consolidate power.

Jimmy Carter

U.S. President known for his involvement during the Iranian hostage crisis.

komitehs

Local committees formed for revolutionary and social governance in Iran.

Black Friday

The day an estimated 84 protesters were killed in Iran on September 8, 1978.

pasdars

Islamic Revolutionary Guards in Iran.

Provisional Revolutionary Government

A temporary government established after the fall of the Pahlavi regime.

Islamic Republic Party

The political party founded by supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran.

Islamic Revolutionary Council

The governing body of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard

The military branch responsible for protecting the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Constitution 1979

The constitution established following the Iranian Revolution.

U.S.-Iran hostage crisis

A diplomatic standoff in which 52 American diplomats were held hostage in Iran from 1979 to 1981.

SAVAMA

The Ministry of Intelligence in Iran, formed post-revolution.

Iran-Iraq War

A prolonged military conflict from 1980 to 1988 between Iran and Iraq.

Ministry of Islamic Guidance

The government body responsible for cultural and religious affairs in Iran.

Theda Skocpol

A sociologist known for her work on social revolutions.

social revolution

A significant, rapid transformation of societal structures.

rentier absolutist state

A state that relies on external rents and has centralized autocratic governance.

resource mobilization

Strategies used to gather resources for social movements.

The Queen and I

An autobiographical account of Farah Pahlavi, the last Queen of Iran.

Farah Shahbanu Pahlavi

The last empress of Iran and wife of Muhammad Reza Shah.

nonviolent revolutions

Movements advocating for change without the use of violence.

civil resistance

Nonviolent action taken against oppressive regimes.

Ferdinand Marcos

Former President of the Philippines known for his dictatorial rule.

Cory Aquino

The first female president of the Philippines, known for her role in the People Power Revolution.

People Power Revolution

A nonviolent revolution in the Philippines that led to the ousting of Ferdinand Marcos.

Muslim Brotherhood

A transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt.

Hosni Mubarak

Former President of Egypt who ruled for nearly 30 years.

April 6th Youth Movement

A youth-led group that highlighted social justice issues in Egypt.

January 25th Revolution

A series of anti-government protests in Egypt that led to Mubarak's resignation.

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

Current President of Egypt who came to power after the military coup in 2013.

neoliberalism

An economic theory promoting free-market capitalism and reducing government intervention.

new social movements

Collective actions that differ from traditional labor movements, focusing on new societal issues.

Augusto Pinochet

A Chilean military dictator known for his authoritarian regime.

Sebastián Piñera

President of Chile known for his economic policies and reforms.

Chilean social revolt

A series of protests and social movements in Chile aimed at political and economic reforms.

Territorial Assemblies

Local governing bodies established during social movements for greater representation.

Constituent Assembly

A deliberative body tasked with drafting or revising a constitution.