[APCG] Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments

not finished, up to topic 1.5 sources of power & authority

Political System

Comprises of the laws, ideas, and procedures that address who should have authority to rule and what the government’s influence on its people and economy should be

Think how people and government making policy is organized.

vs. Regime [Political system is the entire organization/machinery, regime is more specifically about type/rules of authority and control; political system is more stable over generations]

Inputs

The demands or the requests of the population for change OR the support for laws and policies

Linkage institutions

Organizations that are not a part of the government but that connect citizens to their policy-makers.

Ex: media and news, political parties, interest groups.

State institutions

Organized government bodies responsible for responding to linkage institutions, making public policy, create and enforce laws, and deliver public services.

Outputs

Laws, services, and public policies created to address the demands of society/the population.

Power

The ability to control or direct the behavior of others through coercion, persuasion, or leadership.

Authority

The legal right of a government to exercise power on behalf of society.

vs. Legitimacy: authority is the “right” to use power, and legitimacy is the belief that the government has that right.

Legitimacy

The belief of a citizen or the population that the government has the legal and moral authority to exercise power and make decisions on behalf of society.

Sovereignty

The absolute power of a state to exerise power over its own territory

vs. Authority: authority is within a system and can be checked, whether by other people or an institution, while sovereignty is absolute; sovereignty is held by parliament or the people and state as a whole.

State

a political entity that uses governing institutions, possess a permanent population, and can exercise control over a defined territory without external influence/international recognition.

Nation

a group of people with shared commonalities such as race, language, ethnicity, region, political identity, and aspirations.

A state can be multi-national.

Regime

The political system of a state as defined by its system of authority and control

vs. political system: political system is the whole machinery/structure of people and organizations, regime focuses on the rules of control and type of authority

Nationalism

common political identity in a nation

change in government

change in fundamental leadership/leadership of executive branch

ex: president, prime minister.

change in regime

change in fundamental ideals/norms in establishing ogverning rules

ex: authoritarian to democratic

authoritarian regimes

a system of government where power is vested in a small group of people who exercise it over the population without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

factors that help determine authoritarian vs democratic

1. Rule of Law vs. Rule by Law: whether leaders are constitutionally-bound; whether laws benefit leaders

2. Degree of state influence on press/media

3. Degree and practice of free and fair elections

4. Degree of transparency in policy-making

5. Degree of citizen participation in government

Types of authoritarian regimes

1. Illiberal democracy or hybrid regime

2. One party state

3. Theocracy

4. Totalitarian government

5. Military regime

illiberal democracy/hyrid regime

system of government where elections take place but are not fair or free; there is a high degree of state influence of the media and low citizen participation in policy-making

ex: Russia

one-party state

system of government that is dominated/controlled by one political party

ex; China

theocracy

system of government where a religious leader is the most dominant/a very dominant figure in government, and many decisions are made based on religion

ex: Iran

totalitarian regime

system of government where the government has total control over not only governmental decisions but also citizens’ private lives.

military regime

system of government where military leaders are in control of the government and runs the country

ex: Mexico before 2000

Democratization

The process of transition from an authoritarian regime to a democratic regime that aims to achieve different targets.

Targets of democratization

• increase competition and fairness of elections

• protect civil rights and liberties

• more citizen participation in government decision-making

• universal suffrage for adult citizens

• equal treatment of citizens

• greater governmental transparency

• establishment of the rule of law

democratic consolidation

the process by which a country matures in terms of election rules, protection of civil liberties, and separation of power to a degree where it is unlikely to revert to authoritarianism unless there is external shock.

Key sources for power and authority

1. constitution

2. military forces

3. population support

4. political parties

5. religions

Sources of power & authority: UK

• house of commons and prime minister

• constitutional reforms that devolved power