Political Science Study Guide: Resource Curse, Regime Types & Key Concepts

This set of flashcards covers key concepts, definitions, and theories related to regime types and the resource curse in Political Science.

Nation

A community bound by shared identity such as language, ethnicity, culture, or historical memory.

State

A sovereign political-legal entity with territory, population, government, and recognized independence.

Nation-State

The idealized alignment of one nation within one sovereign state.

Illiberal Democracy

A political system where leaders are chosen through elections but where liberal rights and institutional checks are systematically eroded.

Competitive Authoritarianism

A hybrid regime positioned between full democracy and full authoritarianism, with formal democratic institutions that are violated to maintain power.

Resource Curse

The paradox whereby countries rich in natural resources experience worse political and economic outcomes than resource-poor countries.

Rentier Effect

Oil revenues allow governments to fund themselves without taxing citizens, breaking the accountability link.

Repression Effect

Oil wealth funds large security forces and patronage networks, enabling rulers to suppress opposition.

Modernization Effect

Oil wealth does not generate the middle class or workforce that typically drives democratization.

Guyana and the Resource Curse

Guyana's case illustrates the risk factors for the resource curse due to weak institutions and ethnic divisions.