Waples/Comparative Government and Politics 1e - Ch 5

Civil-service system

A method of staffing the bureaucracy based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications, rather than patronage.

Welfare state

Government programs to benefit the health and well-being of citizens.

Parliamentary sovereignty

The principle that parliament’s power is supreme and extends over all aspects of the state.

Monarch

A hereditary ruler who serves for life.

House of Commons

The directly elected lower house of Parliament in the United Kingdom, which holds most of the policymaking power.

House of Lords

The unelected upper house of Parliament in the United Kingdom, which has the power to suggest amendments to bills and delay legislation.

Supreme Court

A high court. In the United Kingdom, it cannot overturn acts of parliament but has the authority to protect civil rights and liberties and rule on cases involving devolution.

First-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system

Another term for an SMD plurality system, in which the candidate with the most votes wins the seat in a legislative district. This is also called a winner-take-all system.

Referendum

A vote on a policy issue sent by the government to the people.

Regulated market economy

An economy in which wages, prices, and production are mostly set by supply and demand, with some regulation, and mostly private control of businesses and natural resources.

National Health Service (NHS)

The government-financed and managed health-care system in the United Kingdom.

Austerity measures

The legitimate power a state has over people within its territory.