Comp Gov. Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments Terms pt. 3

Suffrage

means that every citizen above a certain age is legally eligible to vote.

Civil Rights

is the protection of groups of citizens from discrimination by the government or other individuals

Civil Liberties

is an individual’s protection against abuse of powers by the government

Corporatist system

government created and supported interest groups (typically for labor groups, business owners, and agricultural workers) that become the government’s preferred linkage institutions for citizen participation

Pluralist system

system where power is shared among many groups and organizations, allowing different interests and voices (like businesses, unions, and citizens) to compete and influence government decisions

Democratic electoral systems

accommodate ethnic diversity and increase multiparty competition with rule adjustments, including gender or cultural quotas, proportional representation, and changes in vote thresholds and district boundaries.

Gender quotas

are rules or policies that require a certain percentage of political candidates or government positions to be held by women (or another gender) to promote equal representation in politics.

Democracy

is a system of government where power comes from the people, and leaders are chosen through free elections with citizens having rights and freedoms.

Illiberal democracies

are governments that hold elections but limit citizens’ rights and freedoms, such as restricting the press or controlling the courts, so democracy only exists on the surface.

One-party states

political systems where only one political party is allowed to hold power, and all other parties are either banned or have no real chance to compete in elections.

Theocracies

are governments ruled by religious leaders or based on religious laws, where political authority is closely tied to a specific faith or religion.

Totalitarian governments

are political systems where the state has complete control over all aspects of public and private life

Authoritarianism

is a system where power is held by one ruler or a small group, and citizens have little political freedom or influence over government decisions.

Hybrid regimes

combine elements of democracy and authoritarianism, where elections and some democratic institutions exist, but the government still uses authoritarian practices to keep control.