AP COGO Unit 1

Example of country with a federal system

Mexico

Human Development Index

Developed by the United Nations is "a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development" including statistics about life expectancy

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total value of goods and services produced in a country in a year

GDP per Capita

Size of national economy in comparison with the population size (divided by the population)

GDP Growth Rate

Rate of national economic expansion overtime

Fragile States Index

Measures the strength of a state and ranks based on potential to weaken due to conflicts and domestic turmoil (social

Gini Index

Shows income inequality with a country

Correlation

A connection between variables

Quantitative Data

Data from observation or experimentation

Qualitative Data

Speeches

Freedom house

Measures freedom around the world. Ranks countries based on scores for political rights (0-40) & civil liberties (0-60.)

Empirical Statement

Factual/proven

Corruption Perception Index

Measures how corrupt a system is believed to be

Normative Statement

Value/opinion statements

Causation

A change in one variable leads to a change in another

Characteristics of a state

Governments that make and implement policy. Permanent population. Territory under their control. international recognition

Nation

Group of people with commonalities including race

Government

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

Regime

Fundamental rules that control access/exercise of political power

Sovereignty

The right & power to govern itself without outside interference; independent legal authority over a population in a particular territory.

Legitimacy

Citizens' belief that the government has the right to rule

Democratic Backsiding

Decline in quality of democracy and could result in rise of a new authoritarian regime due to decrease in citizen participation

Devolution

Granting of powers by the central government to regional governments.

Unitary systems ex

China

Democratic Regime

Accountable to the people. free and fair elections. the protection of underrepresented groups

Authoritarian Regime

No free/fair elections in which civil rights/liberties are restricted

Federal System

A political system in which a state's power is legally and constitutionally divided among more than one level of government.

Unitary System

A political system in which the central government has sole constitutional sovereignty and power.

Illiberal or hybrid democracy

A system in which elections may be marred by fraud and the state protects some civil rights and liberties but restricts others.