Midterm Study Guide Unit II: Democracy and Non Democratic Regimes

Democracy:

Where authority is based on the will of the people

Liberal Democracy:

promotes competition, participation and liberty. Emphasizes individual freedoms. 

• Causes: competition within political parties, participation running for office, liberties speech, press, and religion.

Participation:

 the way citizens interact with their government 

Illiberal/Hybrid Democracy:

Rule by elected leadership with questionable legitimacy. Hybrid regimes mix authoritarian and democratic practices. Elected officials use the electoral process to stay in power. AUTHORITARIAN REGIME WHERE ELEMENTS OF DEMOCRACY ARE PRESENT.

Consolidated Democracy:

The gradual change from an authoritarian government to a democratic one. 

Indicators of Democracy:

• Free, fair, frequent elections.

• Peaceful transitions of power/altern power, press freedom/ independence, protections of civil liberties, participation through voting, running for office.

• Transparency of government actions, civil society is apparent, independent judiciary,

• Competitive multi-political parties, political rights, rule of law,

• Separation of powers, checks and balances,

Civil Society

Role of society in the past stressing the importance of public organization. 

Nondemocratic Regimes

one party, theocratic, military, monarchy, personal rule

One party:

 only allows one party to run for government office. 

Theocratic:

Governments in which religious leaders run the government; no separation of church and state. 

Military Rule:

Where the military intervenes in government and tries to stabilize a failing state due to violence or unrest. 

Monarchy/ Personal Rule:

rule by a single leader with no clear regime or rules constraining that leadership. 

Authoritarianism vs. Totalitarianism:

Where decisions are made by political elites, with little to no input from citizens whereas Totalitarianism believe in an absolute and repressive government that makes all their decision towards a political idea (often resented or despised by citizens) 

Democratic Government

Executive: head of state/head of government, legislative, judicial

Executive:

 the branch that carries out the law and policies of the state

Head of State:

The chief public representative of a country who may also be the head of government 

Head of Government:

The office and the person occupying the office charged with leading the operation of a government.

Judicial Review:

The mechanism that allows courts to review laws and executive actions their constitutionality. 

Rule of Law:

All individuals, groups, including government are subject to the law.

Independent judiciaries:

 judges are not subject to pressure and influence and are free to make impartial decisions based solely on fact and law.

Proportional representation:

votes cast for parties, seats divided among parties on basis of shared vote, more smaller parties. 

First Past the Post/Winner Takes All:

 is a voting system where candidates with the most votes win, regardless of whether they have a majority or not.

Single Member District:

votes cast for individuals candidate with the largest share wins seat or majority, fewer and larger parties. 

Plurality

 Where power is split among many groups competing to influence the government's decision making. 

Majority:

 a candidate or party that receives more than 50% of the total votes cast in an election,

Four L’s of Authoritarianism:

• limited political participation,

• limited autonomy of society from state control,

• limitations placed upon political opposition

• little political accountability or transparency.

Proportional Representation:

electoral system in which political parties compete in multimember districts; voters choose between parties and the seats in the district are awarded proportionally according to the results of the vote.

Mixed Electoral Systems:

 an electoral system that uses a combination of single member districts and proportional representation. 

Two Party System:

 In a two-party or two-plus-party system, only two parties hold power.

Multi-Party System:

 In a multiparty system, three or more parties are electorally competitive and/or hold power.

Referendum:

  A national vote called by a government to address a specific proposal 

Initiative:

A national vote called by members of the public to address a specific proposal. 

Coercion & Surveillance:

refers to the act of using force or threats to make someone do something against their will. Surveillance is invasion of privacy and always watching (Big brother MUAHAHA) 

Co-optation

the process where those in power appropriate ideas or people from a social movement as a tactic to dismantle the movement

Corporatism

The method through which business, labor, and other interest groups bargain with the state over policy. 

Clientelism:

refers to a political system where politicians exchange goods, services, or favors for the support and loyalty of individuals or groups.

Patrimonialism:

 the system of government in which the ruler treats the state as his personal property.