Unit 1 Comp Gov vocab

Empirical Data

 fact-based information from observation or experimentation

Normative statement

a value or opinion statement  that cannot be proven or disproven. "in Russian politics is that  “Vladimir Putin should not have returned to become Russia’s president in 2012.”

Qualitative data

 information that is difficult to measure including sources such as speeches, foundational documents, political cartoons, maps and political commentaries

Correlation

exists when there is an association between two or more variables

Causation

 difficult to determine with certainty in comparative politics, as often there are numerous variables that potentially influence political policies and/or regime stability, with no way to isolate and demonstrate which is producing the change  ( a process where one variable directly affects an event)

Human development Index (HDI)

comes from the United Nations Development Programme as “a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development” including statistics about life expectancy, amount of schooling, and income

Gross domestic product (GDP)

the market value of goods and services produced over a certain time in a country. it can depict the overall size of a national economy

GDP per capita

can reflect 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. A index of 100% indicates perfect inequality  whereas a index of 0% indicates perfect equality

Freedom House

scores are reported by a non governmental organization that ranks 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 policy implementation to help  hold officials accountable. 

Governmental corruption

when public officials abuse power for personal benefit

The Fragile States Index ( formerly the failed states index)

a non-governmental organization that assesses and ranks countries based on their potential  to weaken due to conflicts and domestic turmoil. (assessed by fund for peace)

Political systems

comprise the laws, ideas, and procedures that address who should have authority to rule and what the government’s influence on its people and economy should be

States

 political organizations that combine a permanent population with governing institutions to exercise control over a defined territory with international recognition

Regimes

 the fundamental rules that control access to and the exercise of political power. typically endured 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, political identity and aspirations