AP Comparative Government Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key vocabulary and concepts in AP Comparative Government.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data. Information about quantities, and therefore numbers. Quantitative data is data that can be counted or measured; all values are expressed in numbers.

Qualitative Data

Data observed through the senses.

Empirical Theory

Theory based on real-world observations and explanations.

Normative Theory

Statements containing subjective or moral judgments about what should be. Normative theories express value-based preferences, like what specific group deserves certain rights or privileges, or what ought to be. They cannot be proven or disproven with data because they are based on people's opinions and values. They contrast descriptive or empirical statements that seek to describe or explain the world as it is.

Independent Variable

Variable whose variation does not depend on that of another.

Dependent Variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Correlation

Describes a relationship/association between two or more variables

Causation

A cause and effect relationship in which one variable controls the changes in another variable.

GDP

Gross Domestic Product - the total market value of all final goods and services produced annually in an economy.

GNP

Gross National Product - the sum of all goods and services produced in a nation in a year - Includes income citizens earn outside the country

GNP per capita

divides the GNP by the population of the country

PPP

Takes into account what a person can buy using their income in the local economy.

Gini Index

A mathematical formula that measures the amount of economic inequality in a society

Civil Liberties

Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens

Civil Rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

Political Liberty

The principle that citizens in a democracy are protected from government interference in the exercise of a range of basic freedoms, such as the freedoms of speech, association, and conscience.

HDI

Human Development Index, measure of quality of life using factors like life expectancy, literacy, access to clean water, income, etc.

CPI (Corruption Perception Index)

Measures amount of corruption in society

Failed State Index

Government has lost the ability to provide the most basic needs to its citizens.

Democracy

A system of government in which citizens exercise supreme power, acting either directly on their own or through elected representatives.

Advanced Democracies

The countries have well-established democratic governments and a high level of economic development (Great Britain and the USA).

Communist

Command system, government owns the means of production, economic decisions are made by central government, and government provides extensive social programs for population.

Post-Communist

A term describing the period of political and economic transformation or transition in former communist states located in parts of Europe. Social democratic but with limited funding (Eastern/ southeastern europe).

LDC (Less Developed Country)

A country that has low levels of average wealth, industrialization and modernization and often high levels of population growth and people employed in agriculture.

Authoritarian Regime

A system of government in which the state exercises broad control over the lives of its citizens.

Hybrid Regime

A system of government with both democratic and authoritarian elements.

Presidential System

A system of government in which the legislative and executive branches operate independently of each other - a form of government headed by a president who is elected by the people for a limited term of office and whose powers are balanced by an elected legislature - president is directly elected - a system of checks and balances and separation of powers exists -gridlock is a common problem

Parliamentary System

Legislature makes laws, controls finances, appoints and dismisses prime minister - No separation of powers-prime minister and cabinet are leaders of the majority party in the legislature - Separation in the executive branch exists between a head of state and head of government.

Semi-Presidential System

A legislative-executive system that features a prime minister approved by the legislature and a directly elected president - prime minister coexists with a president who is directly elected by the people who holds a significant degree of power.

Parliamentary Sovereignty

The doctrine that grants the legislature the power to make or overturn any law and permits no veto or judicial review.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

Totalitarianism

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.).

Pluralism

The theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation - A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

Democratic

Ruled by the people. In a democracy, citizens elect representatives to make and carry out laws.

Legitimacy

The right to rule, as determined by their own citizens

Traditional Legitimacy

Rests upon the belief that tradition should determine who should rule

Charismatic Legitimacy

Based on the dynamic personality of an individual leader or small group.

Rational-Legal Legitimacy

Based on a system of well established laws and procedures

Liberal Democracy

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights

Illiberal Democracy

A governing system in which, although elections take place, citizens are cut off from knowledge about the activities of those who exercise real power because of the lack of civil liberties.

State

An area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government with control over its internal and foreign affairs.

Sovereignty

The supreme and absolute authority within territorial boundaries.

Nation

A politically organized body of people under a single government

Regime

A government in power; a form or system of rule or management; a period of rule

Head of State

The role of the president as ceremonial head of the government - a role that symbolizes the power and nature of the regime.

Head of Government

The executive role that deals with the everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing policy.

Patron-Client System

Powerful government officials deliver state servicing policies and access to power in exchange for the delivery of political support. - Provides reciprocal favors and services to their supporters.

Coup d'etat

A sudden overthrow of the government by a small group - once they take control, military leaders often restrict civil rights and liberties - blows to the state

Reform

Want to change some of the methods that political and economic leaders use to reach goals that the society generally accepts

Revolution

Implies change at a more basic level, and involves either a major revision or an overthrow of existing institutions - impacts more than one area of life. examples are American Revolution and French Revolution.

Radicalism

Belief that rapid, dramatic changes need to be made

Liberalism

Supports reform and gradual change

Conservatism

Tends to see change as disruptive and they believe it brings unforeseen outcomes

Reactionary Beliefs

Opposes revolution and reform, but they also find the status quo unacceptable (turn back the clock)

Substantive Democracy

A type of liberal democracy where citizens have access to multiple sources of information

Procedural Democracy

A form of democracy that is defined by whether or not particular procedures are followed, such as free and fair elections or following a set of laws or a constitution - when democratic procedures are in place but have significant restrictions on them.

Third Wave of Democratization

Characterized by the defeat of dictatorial or totalitarian rulers from South America to Eastern Europe to some parts of Africa.

Market Economy

Right to own property is accepted - industry is owned by private individuals - competition and profit not controlled by the government -less centralized.

Command Economy

An economic system in which the government controls a country's economy - right to own property is restricted - all industry is owned by government - competition and profit are prohibited - more centralized.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale - Actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope.

Integration

A process that encourages states to pool their sovereignty in order to gain political, economic, and social clout.

Political Liberalization

Increasing citizen rights and liberties and minimizing government supervision of society/individuals

Economic Liberalism

An ideal that suggests that people are happiest and economy thrive most when governments minimize their regulation, monitoring, and control over the work we do and the kinds of goods we buy & sell.

Marketization

Describes the state's re-creation of a market in which property, labor, goods, and services can all function in a competitive environment to determine their value.

Multinational Corporation (MNC)

A large business organization operating in a number of different national economies; the term implies a more extensive form of transnational corporation.

Interest Group

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy.

Social Movement

Refers to the organized collective activities that aim to bring about or resist fundamental change in an existing group or society tries to influence political leaders to make policy decisions.

Grassroots Movement

A movement driven by the politics of ordinary citizens - a group of people organizing at the local or community level, away from political or cultural centers.

Electoral System

A set of rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.

Two-Party System

An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections - rare (ex. united states).

Multiparty System

A system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition (alliance for combined action) - usually arises in countries with strong parliamentary systems.

Interest Groups vs. Political Parties

An interest group, or a collection of people with the shared goal of influencing public policy, are different from political parties in that they do not run their own candidates for office, and they typically seek more specific policy goals than parties.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference.

Political Socialization

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs - the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions.

Corporatism

An arrangement in which government officials interact with people and groups outside the government before they set policy.

Single Peak Association

Represents each societal interest.

Transparency

Operates openly by keeping citizens informed about government operations.

Catch-All Parties

Political parties that are flexible on their ideological positions and aim to attract support from a broad range of interest groups and voters

First Past the Post

An electoral system in which individual candidates compete in single member districts; voters choose between candidates and the candidate with the largest share of the vote wins the seat.

Proportional Representation

Voting is arranged in multimember districts. Voters cast votes for parties and seats are divided among parties on the basis of percentage of overall vote. This usually results in a multi-party system.

Single-Member District

Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

Multi-Member Districts

Electoral system in which more than one legislative seat is contested in each district

Mixed System

Voting is arranged in a combination of multi-member and single-member districts. Voters cast votes for individuals and parties. Some seats are filled by winners in plurality races, while others are filled by party. A mixed system results in an in-between number of parties.

Political Institutions

Structures of a political system that carry out the work of governing.

Challenges to the Nation-State

Large regional organizations such as the European union will replace the smaller state units as basic organizational models - fragmentation: forces that tear tear the world apart: loyalties based on ethnicity, language, religion, or cultural identity.

Bureaucracy

Consists of agencies that implement government policy, depends on whether they exists in a democracy or authoritarian regime: - Democracies: bureaucracies usually have discretionary power, which allows them to make small decisions that influence policies, they are usually appointed (source of stability) - Authoritarian: The head of government exercises control over bureaucratic activities, receive jobs through patronage (loyalty or favors).

Legislature

A group of people who have the power to make laws.

Executive

The person who runs the government and sees that the laws are carried out.

Unitary System

System of government that gives all key powers to the national or central government.

Confederal

A system of government where power is located with the independent states and there is little power in the central government.

Federal

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Supranational

Having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments.

Devolution

Reaction to centrifugal force - tendency to decentralize decision making to regional governments.

Cabinet

Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president - group of officials who head government departments and advise the President.

Unicameral

An adjective describing a legislative body with one chamber (one house).

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses.

Political Culture

A patterned and sustained way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out - an overall set of values widely shared within a society.

Political Ideology

A more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue

Linkage Institutions

Groups that connect the government to its citizens, such as political parties, interest groups, and print and electronic media.