Political Parties and Democratic Systems

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering political parties, democratic systems, electoral processes, and related concepts.

Political Parties

Organizations formed by groups of people with similar political ideologies to contest elections and gain political power.

Factions

Small groups within legislative bodies that share similar interests and perspectives.

Cadre Party

A political party that derives its members from a relatively small and committed group of people.

Mass Party

A political party that seeks to gain and mobilize large numbers of voters.

Electoral-Professional Parties

Parties that focus primarily on winning elections and employing marketing experts.

Conservative Party (Canada)

Canada's first organized political party, favoring smaller government and lower taxes.

Liberal Party (Canada)

Political party advocating for free trade and limited government, emphasizing provincial rights.

New Democratic Party (NDP)

Political party with roots in labor and socialist movements, supporting social equality and environmental regulations.

Bloc Québécois

Political party favoring Quebec independence, contests seats only in Quebec.

One-Party System

A political system where only one party is allowed to exist and hold power.

Competitive Party System

A political system found in democracies where multiple parties compete for power.

Two-Party System

A political system dominated by two major political parties.

Multi-Party System

A political system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government offices.

Ideology

A set of beliefs or philosophies that guide the behaviors and policies of political parties.

Direct Democracy

A political system where citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

Indirect Democracy

A political system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

Gerrymandering

The practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor a particular party.

Compulsory Voting

A system in which citizens are required by law to participate in elections.

Simple Plurality System

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes is elected.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system where parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes received.

Liberal Democracy

A political system that combines representative democracy with liberal principles.

Democratic Deficit

The gap between democratic ideals and the practice of democracy.

Plebiscitary Democracy

A form of democracy where citizens have direct control over public policy through referendums.

Deliberative Democracy

A form of democracy that emphasizes discussion and deliberation in decision-making.

Non-Democratic Government

Political systems where the bulk of the population has no practical say in governance.

Totalitarian Systems

A form of government that seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

Authoritarian Regimes

Political systems characterized by concentration of power and limited political freedoms.

Military Dictatorships

Political regimes where military leaders hold substantial power.

Hybrid Regimes

Political systems that are partially democratic but do not fully meet democratic criteria.

Political Development

Characteristic change in the ability of a state to govern and fulfill its roles.

Economic Causes of Regime Breakdown

Factors such as modernization and economic deterioration that can lead to the collapse of political regimes.

Civil Society

Organizations and associations that operate independently from the government.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators.

Legitimacy

The rightful authority to govern, acknowledged by the governed.

Political Institutions

The structures and mechanisms of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of individuals.

International Relations

The study of the interactions between countries and how they affect politics.

Collective Security

A security arrangement where states agree to respond collectively to threats.

International Anarchy

The lack of an overarching authority in international relations; sovereign states operate independently.

Humanitarian Intervention

Intervention in the affairs of a sovereign state to relieve suffering.

International Political Economy (IPE)

The study of the interaction between international politics and economics.

Marxism

A socioeconomic ideology that critiques capitalism and advocates for a classless society.

Nationalism

An ideology that emphasizes the interests of a particular nation or ethnic group.

Economic Interdependence

The mutual reliance between economic units in a global market.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

International body regulating trade between nations.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International organization that aims to foster global monetary cooperation.

World Bank

International financial institution that provides loans and grants for development projects.

United Nations (UN)

An intergovernmental organization founded to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

A court established to prosecute individuals for international crimes like genocide.

Peacekeeping Operations

Military or humanitarian missions aimed at maintaining peace and security.

Peacemaking

Intervention to establish peace through military force.

Peacebuilding

Efforts to support the reconstruction of societies and provide stability after conflict.

Security Dilemma

A situation where measures taken by one state to increase its security causes insecurity in another.

Geopolitical Strategy

The planning and management of a state's foreign policy in consideration of geographical factors.

State Capacity

A state’s ability to implement decisions effectively and enforce laws.

Political Representation

The activity of making citizens' voices, opinions, and perspectives present in public policy.

Electoral Accountability

The responsibility of elected officials to act in the interests of their constituents.

Social Equality

The state of equal access to resources and opportunities among individuals.

Affirmative Action

Policies that aim to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself, free from external interference.

Democratic Consolidation

The process by which a new democracy matures, in a way that means it is unlikely to revert to authoritarianism.

Referendums

Direct votes in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on particular proposals.

Citizens Initiatives

Process allowing citizens to propose legislation or constitutional amendments.

Recall Elections

A procedure through which voters can remove an elected official from office.

Censorship

Suppression of speech, public communication, or other information.

Political Culture

The set of shared beliefs, values, and norms that influence political behavior.

Participation Rates

The percentage of eligible voters who participate in elections.

Voter Apathy

Lack of interest among voters in participating in elections.

Political Campaigning

The process of promoting candidates and their proposed policies to the electorate.

Election Watchdog

Organizations that monitor elections to ensure fairness and transparency.

Voting Systems

Methods used to calculate votes and allocate seats during elections.

Democratic Norms

Principles and practices that characterize a democratic political system.

Voter Registration

The process by which eligible voters sign up to participate in elections.

Electoral Malpractice

Any unlawful act during the electoral process that undermines its fairness.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a vote in an election.

Legislation

Laws enacted by a governing body.

Political Party Systems

The way in which political parties are organized and interact within a political framework.

Constitutional Monarchy

A system of governance where a monarch's powers are limited by a constitution.

Democratic Rights

Rights that guarantee participation in the political process.

Social Movements

Collective efforts to advocate for social change.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the constitution to elect the President and Vice President.

Political Advertising

The use of media to promote candidates and their positions, influencing voter opinions.

Governance

The process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented.

Policy Making

The process of creating laws and regulations by governments.

Rights of Minorities

Legal and human rights designed to protect the interests of minority groups.

Civic Engagement

Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.

Public Policy

The principles that guide government action in addressing public issues.

Social Contract Theory

The theory that individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to form societies and to accept certain obligations to one another.

Legislative Authority

The power vested in the legislature to make laws.