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UK VS USA Political System
Ballot
A piece of paper that lists all the options that can be voted for (same as ballot paper).
Ballot box
The container that is used to hold all the used ballot papers.
Ballot paper
A piece of paper that lists all the options that can be voted for (same as ballot).
Big government
A description of government that is believed to be too much by some.
Bill
A draft form of a law before it has been approved by a vote.
Bipartisan
Something that is supported by politicians from two different political parties.
By-election
An election that happens in-between regular elections.
Campaign
The contest between politicians to be elected.
Candidate
A person who wishes to be elected via a vote.
Caucus
To meet together to select a candidate to represent a political party.
Capitalism
A political and economic system where the people rather than the state own items.
Challenger
A person who hopes to beat someone in an election.
Checks and balances
The different parts of the American political setup that ensures power is distributed appropriately.
Coalition
When two or more political parties work together to form a government.
Communism
A political belief in which the state owns everything, a form of socialism.
Congress
The elected part of the USA government.
Conservative
A UK right-wing political party or a member/supporter of that party; supporting right-wing political beliefs.
Constituency
The area of a country that is represented by a certain elected official.
Constituent
A person that votes in a specific area for a certain group of candidates.
Constitution
The document that states the basic laws that govern a country.
Convention
A gathering of the members of a political party.
Coup d’etat
An illegal change of government, often using force and often done by the military.
Debate
A conversation between people where they try to convince others that they have the correct beliefs.
Delegate
A person who is chosen or elected to attend an event to represent a larger group of people.
Democracy
A political system where the population of a country votes for the people that will lead them.
Democrats
A USA left-wing political party or a member/supporter of that party.
Dictator
A leader of a country that was not elected and uses force to stay in power.
Dictatorship
A political system where one person (or group of people) has absolute power and there are no elections.
Dissolution
To end something so it is separated into its parts, e.g., the dissolution of parliament.
Elect
To choose someone using a vote.
Election
The process of voting to select winners to fill a political position.
Electoral register
The list of everyone who lives in an area and can vote in an election.
Electorate
The group of people who are allowed to vote in an election.
Fascism
A political system that is based on a strict government with set levels.
Federal
The government at the national level as opposed to local level government, especially in the USA.
First past the post
A voting system where the candidate with the most votes is the winner and the losing candidates get nothing.
Government
The group or political party that is in charge of a country or area.
Head of State
The person who leads and represents a country.
House of Commons
The lower part of the British parliament where the elected politicians debate and vote.
House of Lords
The upper part of the British parliament where elected and non-elected politicians debate and vote.
House of Representatives
The lower part of the USA congress where elected politicians debate and vote.
Houses of Parliament
The building that holds the Houses of Commons and Lords in the United Kingdom.
Incumbent
The person that currently holds a (political) office.
Independent
A candidate or elected person who is not a member of a political party.
King
A male head of state in a monarchy.
Labour
A UK left-wing political party.
Landslide
A victory that is very large.
Law
A one of the rules that people must follow when they are in a country, or the complete set of rules that the people must follow.
Leaflet
A small piece of paper that has information printed on it.
Left-wing
To support socialist beliefs or to believe in promoting public welfare.
Legislation
The process of forming new laws.
Liberal
A person who believes in progress and protecting civil liberties.
Lobby
To try to persuade someone, often a politician, to
Majority
To have more than half of something
Manifesto
A document that states what a political party or government will do
Marxism
To follow the beliefs of Karl Marx that communism is the best political party
Member of Parliament
A person who is elected to a parliament
Minister
A politician that has a specific job in the government
Monarchy
A system where the head of state is a king or queen
Nominee
A person who has been selected to stand for political office
Non-elected
An official who has a permanent job and does not have to stand for election
Opinion poll
survey in which a random group of people are asked their views
Opposition
The political party that is in a minority and does not form the government
Parliament
The place in certain countries where the politicians meet to debate and vote
Party
A group of people with the same beliefs, e.g., political party
Patriot
A person who loves their country
Policy
A plan that a government or political party will follow when in government
Poling station
The place that people go to vote
Political
To be related to politics or politicians
Political party
A group of people with the same political beliefs
Politician
A person who has been elected to represent a constituency or someone involved with politics
Politics
The process of choosing a leader for a country, and them leading the country
Poll
A survey in which random people are asked their views
Postal vote
A vote that can be cast using the post rather than visiting a polling station
President
The head of state in a republic
Primary
A first selection where members of a political party chose the person to stand in an election
Prime Minister
The person who leads the government in a country with a parliament
Propaganda
Information that supports or dismisses a topic that maybe at least partially untrue
Proportional representation
A voting system in which parties get seats related to their total number of votes
Pundit
A person who is an expert and often works for the media
Queen
A female head of state in a monarchy
Referendum
A vote by the population of a country about a specific topic or piece of legislation
Regime
The collective group of people responsible for running a country
Republic
A system where the head of state is a president
Republican
A USA right-wing political party or a member/supporter of that party
Right-wing
To support conservative beliefs or to believe in limited government
Run
To contest an election
Seat
A position in an elected body that is reserved for the specific winner of each constituency
Senate
The upper part of the USA congress where elected politicians debate and vote
Socialism
A political belief that the state or country should own everything
Socialist
Supporting socialism
Speaker
The person who leads and ensures the functioning of a body of politicians
Spin
To show information so that only positive or negative parts can be seen
Spin doctor
A person who can spin information to hide the true meaning
State
A single independent country. The organizations and people that run a country. A subdivision of a larger country
Turn-out
The number or proportion of the total that can do something
Vice President
The deputy to a president who will become the head of state if the president can no longer do the job
Vote
To take part in an election by selecting a candidate
Whip
A politician with the job to ensure the other politicians in the party do as they are told to do
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