Chapter 6: Democratic Regimes

Democracy

A political system where the power resides fundamentally with the people.

Participation

Democratic functions that involve the public. Elections, voting, etc.

Competition

The struggle between differing political parties and ideologies.

Liberty

Freedom from government control or interference.

Liberal Democracy

A democratic system that actively promotes participation, competition, and liberty.

Direct Democracy

A democratic system where the public rules directly, not through representatives.

Indirect Democracy

A democratic system where the public has power through elected representatives.

Executive Branch

The branch that carries out the laws and policies of the state.

Head of State

The leader that symbolizes and represents the people and the goals of the regime. Their duties often involve foreign policy and waging war. This role is generally the president or monarch.

Head of Government

The leader that carries out the everyday tasks of policy making with a cabinet. This role is generally the prime minister.

Legislature

The branch that is the body of national policy that makes and passes legislation.

Bicameral System

A legislature with two houses, an upper and lower. The upper house exists to check the power of the lower house.

Unicameral System

A legislature with one house. Smaller countries are more likely to have this system.

Federalism

A system of legislature in which the upper house is responsible for smaller geographic subunits.

Rule of Law

The sovereignty of the law over all people, including elected officials.

Constitutional Court

A federal court that rules on legislative compatibility with the constitution.

Judicial Review

The ability of justices to decide the constitutionality of laws.

Concrete Review

A judicial system where courts can only consider constitutionality when it comes up in specific court cases.

Abstract Review

A judicial system where courts can rule on constitutionality without specific cases.

Prime Minister

An elected leader appointed by the legislature, not directly by the people. They are generally elected by the party with the most seats and can be voted out easily by a vote of no confidence.

President

An elected leader appointed by the public who can draw on the support of the public for legislature. They serve as a symbol of the nation. They can appoint their own cabinet and minority parties generally are given little power in their government. They cannot be easily removed from office until their term limit is up.

Presidential Parlimentarism

A semi-presidential system where the president has more power over the prime minister.

Premier Presidentialism

A semi-presidential system where the president has less power over the prime minister.

Contituencies

Geographic areas represented by an elected official. Differences in demographic concentration and population change power dynamics within them.

Single Member District (SMD)

An electoral system where the representative with the most votes is chosen. It is more likely to be dominated by larger parties because people are less willing to waste their votes on smaller parties that are less likely to win the ticket. Individual voters are more invested in the individual they are electing.

Proportional Representation (PR)

An electoral system where people vote for parties instead of people, and parties get a proportional number of seats based on percent of the vote. It is more likely to have a variety of parties because people don't feel like they are wasting their votes on smaller parties. Parties seek to cater to more specific minorities instead of the general population.

Multimember Districts (MMDs)

Districts where there are more than one legislative seat per district.

Mixed Electoral Systems

An electoral system where both Single Member District voting and Proportional Representation voting are used in tandem with each other. This gives voters the option to split their vote between separate parties and representatives.

Referendum

A policy voted on directly by the public and initiated by the government.

Initiative

When citizens independently collect signatures to challenge a national policy.

Civil Rights vs. Civil Liberties

The first emphasizes equality while the second emphasizes freedom.