Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations (copy)

Electoral systems

A set of laws and regulations that govern the process of electing representatives to public office.

First-Past-The-Post (FPTP)

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, commonly used in the UK, Canada, and India.

Proportional Representation (PR)

An electoral system that allocates seats based on the percentage of votes a party receives, used in Germany, Spain, and New Zealand.

Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP)

An electoral system combining FPTP and PR where voters cast two votes, one for a candidate and one for a party.

Voter Eligibility

Determines who can vote in an election based on age, citizenship, and residency requirements.

Campaign Finance

Regulates the amount of money that candidates and parties can spend on their campaigns to ensure a level playing field.

Ballot Design

Determines how the ballot is structured and how candidates are listed, influencing election outcomes.

Fairness (in elections)

The objective of ensuring that all candidates and political parties have equal opportunity to participate.

Transparency (in elections)

The aim of making the election process open to public scrutiny and accessible to all stakeholders.

Accountability (in elections)

Ensuring stakeholders are held responsible for their actions during the election process.

Integrity (in elections)

The goal of conducting elections free from fraud, corruption, and malpractice.

Participation (in elections)

Encouraging all eligible voters to vote and all parties to participate in the electoral process.

One-Party System

A political system where only one political party is allowed to exist, often seen in authoritarian regimes.

Two-Party System

A system where two major political parties dominate the political landscape, as seen in the US and UK.

Multi-Party System

A political system where multiple parties compete for power, common in many European countries.

Dominant-Party System

A system where one political party dominates but others are allowed to compete, as seen in Mexico and Japan.

Social Movements

Groups of people that come together to promote or resist social change, impacting public opinion and policy.

Interest Groups

Organizations that seek to influence public policy on behalf of a particular interest or group.

Pluralism

Theory suggesting power is distributed among various groups in society competing for government influence.

Corporatism

Theory proposing concentrated power in a few large interest groups that work closely with the government.

Comparison of Pluralism and Corporatism

Pluralism emphasizes diversity and competition among groups, while corporatism emphasizes cooperation with government.