AP Comparative Government Unit 1 Key Terms

authoritarianism

a political system in which a small group of individuals exercises power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

authority

legitimate power which one person or group possesses and practices over another

civil society

a network of voluntary associations that exists outside the state, such as professional organizations, trade unions, student and women's groups, religious bodies, fraternal organizations, athletic leagues, musical societies, etc.

communism

A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authoritarian party holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people.

corporatism

a political system in which interest groups become an institutionalized part of the state or dominant political party; public policy is typically the result of negotiations among representatives of the state and key interest groups.

coup d'etat

the constitutionally unauthorized removal of an existing government by force.

democracy

the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives.

devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states.

fascism

any movement, ideology, or attitude that favors dictatorial government, centralized control of private enterprise, repression of all opposition, and extreme nationalism.

globalization

growth to a global or worldwide scale.

gross domestic product

the sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation.

gross domestic product per capita

the total value of a nation's goods and services divided by its population.

law-based state/rule of law

a state of order in which events conform to the law.

legitimacy

political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution.

liberalism

an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market and the gold standard.

nation

a community of people that shares territory and a government.

neo-liberalism

A strategy for economic development that calls for free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, free trade, and minimal government intervention in the economy.

non-governmental organizations

international organizations that operate outside of the formal political arena but that are nevertheless influential in spearheading international initiatives on social, economic, and environmental issues.

regime

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit.

socialism

a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

state

a political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government with the power to make and enforce laws without approval from any higher authority.

theocracy

the belief in government by divine guidance.

Causation

A cause-and-effect relationship in which one variable controls the changes in another variable.

charismatic legitimacy

the right to rule based on personal virtue, heroism, sanctity, or other extraordinary characteristics.

Civil Liberties

freedoms to think and act without government interference or fear of unfair legal treatment.

civil rights

Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals.

Correlation

A measure of the relationship between two variables.

Democratization

A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.

economic liberalization

the process of limiting the power of the state over private property and market forces.

Failed/Fragile States Index

critical tool in highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure.

Freedom House Score

annual scores representing the levels of political rights and civil liberties in each state and territory, on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). Depending on the ratings, the nations are then classified as Free, Partially Free, or Not Free.

Gini Index

a mathematical formula that measures the amount of economic inequality in a society.

Government

the governing body of a nation, state, or community.

Human Development Index

An indicator of the level of development for each country, constructed by the United Nations, that is based on income, literacy, education, and life expectancy.

Illiberal Democracy

a governing system in which, although elections take place, citizens are cut off from knowledge about the activities of those who exercise real power because of the lack of civil liberties.

Individualism

a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

multinational corporation

An organization that manufactures and markets products in many different countries and has multinational stock ownership and multinational management.

political culture

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate.

political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference.

Populism

the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite.

Post-materialism

Societies in which basic needs are met and citizens can concentrate on higher goals, like the environment.

rational-legal legitimacy

Legitimacy based on a system of laws and procedures that are highly institutionalized.

Referendum

The legal process that gives the voters a chance to express their approval or rejection of particular issue or proposed law.

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

traditional legitimacy

Legitimacy that accepts aspects of politics because they have been institutionalized over a long period of time.

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the government has total control over the lives of individual citizens.