2.2

Liberal Democracy

A system with free and fair elections that provides citizens with a wide array of civil rights and liberties based on majority rule.

Authoritarian State

A system without free and fair elections where civil rights and liberties are restricted.

Totalitarian State

A type of authoritarian state where the government has total control over nearly all aspects of citizens' lives.

Illiberal Democracy

A system where elections may be marred by fraud, and the state protects some civil rights while restricting others.

Rule of Law

A principle where government officials are subject to the same laws and penalties as citizens, ensuring no one is above the law.

Rule by Law

A situation where the law is applied arbitrarily, and government officials are not subject to the same rules as citizens.

Democratic Systems

Political systems where citizens can control leaders and institutions through free and fair elections.

Transparency

The ability of citizens to know what the government is doing, including access to information about government revenues and spending.

One-Party State

A political system where a single party controls the government, and other parties are not allowed to win elections (e.g., China).

Personalist Regime

A political system where decisions are made at the whim of the executive, who rules based on personal power.

Military Regime

A system where leadership is controlled by high-ranking military officials, often following a coup.

Theocratic Regime

A political system based on religious rule, such as Iran's.

Electoral Authoritarian Regime

A regime where opposition parties exist but are manipulated by the ruling party to maintain power (e.g., Russia).

Cooptation

A strategy used by authoritarian regimes to secure political support by offering citizens benefits and official positions.

Democratization

The process of transitioning from an authoritarian to a democratic regime, often triggered by significant events.

Democratic Consolidation

The development of stable democratic institutions and protections of civil liberties, making a return to authoritarianism unlikely.

Two-Turnover Test

A criterion for consolidated democracy where one party wins an initial election, followed by a different party winning a later election.

Democratic Backsliding

A decline in the quality of democracy, including decreased citizen participation and accountability, potentially leading to authoritarianism.

Protection Against Backsliding

Measures democracies can take to safeguard against declines in democratic quality, such as fair election rules and checks on government.