AP Gov Unit 1 - Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments

Empirical data

Fact-based information from observation or experimentation

Normative statement

A value or opinion statement that cannot be proven or disproven

Qualitative data

Information that is difficult to measure, including sources such as speeches, political cartoons, and maps

Correlation

Exists when there is an association between two or more variables

Causation

Difficult to determine in comparative politics due to numerous variables potentially influencing political policies

Human Development Index (HDI)

A summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development, including life expectancy, schooling, and income

Gross domestic product (GDP)

The market value of goods and services produced over a certain time in a country

GDP per capita

Reflects the size of the national economy in comparison with the population size

GDP growth rate

Shows the rate of national economic expansion

Gini index

Shows income inequality within a country, with 100% indicating perfect inequality and 0% indicating perfect equality

Freedom House scores

Reported by a non-governmental organization, ranking countries based on scores of 1-7 for political rights and civil liberties

Governmental transparency

The ability of citizens to access information about a government's policy making and implementation

Governmental corruption

When public officials abuse power for personal benefit

Fragile States Index

Assesses and ranks countries based on their potential to weaken due to conflicts and domestic turmoil

Political systems

Comprise the laws, ideas, and procedures addressing who should have authority to rule and the government's influence on its people and economy

States

Political organizations combining a permanent population with governing institutions to exercise control over a defined territory with international recognition

Regimes

Fundamental rules controlling access to and the exercise of political power, typically enduring from government to government

Government

The set of institutions or individuals legally empowered to make binding decisions for a state

Sovereignty

The independent legal authority over a population in a particular territory

Nation

A group of people with commonalities including race, language, religion, ethnicity, and political identity

Rule of law

The principle that a state should be governed by known laws and not arbitrary decisions

Free and fair elections

Allow competition so that an opposition candidate and party can defeat the ruling candidate and party

Independence of governmental branches

Prevents any one branch from controlling all governmental power

Independent election commissions

Attempt to reduce voter fraud and manipulation and enhance electoral competition

Suffrage

A synonym for voting rights, with universal suffrage meaning every eligible citizen can vote

Civil Rights

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

Civil Liberties

An individual's protection against abuse of powers by the government

Corporatist system government

Created and supported interest groups that become the government's preferred linkage institutions for citizen participation

Pluralist system

Citizens can affiliate with more independent interest groups to shape public policies

Democratic electoral systems

Accommodate ethnic diversity and increase multiparty competition with rule adjustments

Gender quotas

Governmental or party rules intended to increase female representation in legislatures

Democracy or authoritarianism of states

Includes adherence to rule of law, governmental influence on media, free and fair elections, transparency, political participation, and independence of governmental branches

Illiberal democracies and hybrid regimes

Hold elections with little competition toward the ruling party and tend to have diminished civil liberties

One-party states

Prohibit rival parties from controlling governmental power

Theocracies

Require the state to be controlled by leaders of a particular religion

Totalitarian governments

Authoritarian governments severely limiting citizens' rights to movement and free choice of employment

Military regimes

When military leaders hold top positions of governing authority

Democratization

A transition from an authoritarian regime to a democratic regime, typically moving toward more competition, fairness, and transparency in elections

Democratic consolidation

The process by which a democratic regime matures in terms of election rules, separation of powers, and protection of civil liberties

Power

The ability of the state to influence the conduct of individuals and organizations within the state

Authority

The state's legitimate right to enforce power

Federal states

Divide power among different levels of government to confer local autonomy while reserving powers for the national government

Unitary states

Concentrate power at the national level with more uniform policies and potentially more efficient policy making

Devolution

The delegation of power to regional governments that can enhance or weaken legitimacy

Legitimacy

Whether a government's constituents believe their government has the right to use power in the way they do

Political stability

The ability of a government to provide services meeting the basic needs of the population to foster confidence in state institutions

Coercion

The use of government force to guide citizen behavior, ranging from citations to brute force