AP Gov Comp Unit 2 Vocab

Advantages of executive term limits

They check executive power by and inhibit the emergence of dictators and personality rule; help to focus the officeholder on governing rather than winning elections; and provide opportunities for new leaders with new ideas, policies, or goals.

Bicameral

A legislature or government body divided into two separate chambers or houses, often an upper house and a lower house, with distinct roles for creating laws, providing checks and balances, and representing different constituencies (not directly from studymate)

Cabinet

Group of officials who lead government departments and advise the head of government.

Censure

Official statement of criticism or disapproval

Central Military Commission (CMC)

The most important military organization in the People's Republic of China, headed by the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, who is the commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army.

Chamber of Deputies

Mexico's lower house; approves legislation, levies taxes, and verifies outcomes of elections.

Checks ("veto points")

Ways in which the government is limited in the policy creation process; for example, a presidents refusing to sign bills or courts declaring laws unconstitutional

China's judiciary

Subservient to the decisions of the CommunistParty, which controls most judicial appointments.

Civil law

Court decisions are based upon the exact wording of the text of the law

Common Law

Court decisions are based upon precedents set by prior, similar cases

Customary Law

Court decisions are based upon long-established traditions

Disadvantages of executive term limits

That they force good executives to leave office; allow insufficient time for an officeholder to achieve goals; impede policy continuity; weaken accountability; create a lame-duck period for the officeholder; prevent the officeholder from building experience as chief executive; and can cause poorly designed policy.

Expediency Council

Selected by the Supreme Leader as an advisory committee to resolve disputes between theMajles and the Guardian Council

Federation Council

Russia's appointed upper house, approves budget legislation, treaties, judicial nominees, and troop deployment.

General Secretary

Term used to denote the head of a communist party such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

Guardian Council

Vets (determines eligibility of) candidates and oversees the Majles to make sure laws comply with Islamic law

Head of Government

The executive role that deals with the everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing policy

Head of State

The executive role that symbolizes and represents the people both nationally and internationally.

Head of state, Head of government

These roles are typically separated in a parliamentary system and combined in a presidential system

House of Commons

UK elected lower house —which approves legislation— and the prime minister appointed by the monarch,

House of Lords

UK appointed upper house; reviews and amends bills, effectively delaying implementation as a power check.

Iran's judiciary

A major function is to ensure that the legal system is based on religious law, so judges must be trained inIslamic Sharia law.

Judicial independence and democracy

Maintaining checks and balances, protecting rights and liberties, establishing the rule of law, and maintaining separation of powers.

Judicial independence definition

The belief and ability of judges to decide cases as they think appropriate, regardless of what other people, and especially politically powerful officials or institutions, desire

Judicial independence: causes

Authority the courts have to overrule executive and legislative actions, the process by which judicial officials acquire their jobs, the length of judicial terms, the professional and academic backgrounds that judicial officials are expected to have, and the processes used to remove judges from their posts.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws and other government policies unconstitutional.

Lame duck period

The time during which a president who has lost an election or has ended a second term is still in office before the new president serves; difficult to accomplish any new policy.

Leader of China

Holds the positions of president, chairman of the central military commission, and general secretary of the party.

Legislatures role in legitimacy and stability

Responding to public demand, openly debating policy, facilitating compromise between factions, extending civil liberties, and restricting the power of the executive.

Majles

Theocracy is unicameral; Iran's elected legislature that holds the power to approve legislation, oversee the budget.

Mexico's Judiciary

The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review and subsequent constitutional amendments have been implemented with the intent to make the system more independent and effective.

Mexico's Senate

Holds the unique power to confirm presidential appointments to the Supreme Court, approve treaties, and approve federal intervention in state matters.

National People's Congress

Party-controlled system is unicameral and consists of an elected that the constitution recognizes as the government's most powerful institution.

Nigeria's judiciary

The judiciary has the power of judicial review, and an effort has been made to reestablish its legitimacy and independence by reducing corruption; under the system of federalism, Islamic Sharia Courts have been established in the north.

Nigeria's judiciary

Supreme Court judges are recommended by a judicial council and are appointed by the president with confirmation by the Senate.

Nigeria's legislature

Bicameral, consisting of an elected upper and lower chamber (Senate and House of Representatives). Both chambers hold the power to approve legislation, and theSenate possesses unique impeachment and confirmation powers.

Parliamentary checks

May censure cabinet ministers, refuse to pass executive proposed legislation, question the executive and cabinet ministers, and impose time deadlines on calling new elections.

Parliamentary System

A system of government in which the chief executive (prime minister) is the leader whose party holds the most seats in the legislature after an election.

Parliamentary: Example

United Kingdom

Policy Formulation

The crafting of proposed courses of action to resolve public problems - laws, court rulings or executive decrees.

Policy Implementation

The enforcement of laws, court rulings, or executive decrees; this done by bureaucracies.

Policy-Making: Parliamentary

As head of the legislature, the executive is responsible for both making laws and carrying them out; there are few checks on the system

Policy-Making: Presidential

Although the executive has some role in policy-making, his primary responsibility is to enforce laws; many checks on the system.

Politburo Standing Committee

The actual center of power in the Chinese state

Premier

Prime minister; the head of government in China who is appointed by and answers to the president of China.

President of Iran

Elected for up to two 4-year terms, oversees the civil service, and conducts foreign policy. May be overruled by the Supreme Leader

President of Mexico

Both head of state and head of government, serves as commander in chief and leader of the bureaucracy, and can approve domestic legislation and lead foreign policy; may only serve one term.

President of Nigeria

Both head of state and head of government, serves as commander in chief and leader of the bureaucracy, and can approve domestic legislation and lead foreign policy;may be elected twice.

Presidential System

A form of government headed by a president who is elected by the people for a limited term of office and whose powers are balanced by an elected legislature.

Presidential: Example

Nigeria and Mexico.

Prime Minister (PM) of the United Kingdom

Selected and removed by his party to lead; can call elections, sets the foreign policy agenda, and serves as de facto commander in chief and chief executive over the civil service.

Religious Law

Court decisions are based upon adherence to religious documents and religious tradition

Removal: parliamentary system

The legislature can remove the chief executive and cabinet with a simply majority vote of "no confidence"

Removal: presidential system

The legislature can only remove the chief executive through an impeachment process

Role of China's legislature

Elects the president, approves the premier, and legitimizes policies of the executive.

Role of Iran's legislature

Confirms presidential nominees to the Cabinet.This body acts under the supervision of theGuardian Council to ensure compatibility with Islam and Sharia law.

Russia's Judiciary

The government uses the judicial system to target opposition, and although constitutionally the courts have the power of judicial review, this power has not been used to limit the authority of the governing branches.

Russia's prime minister

The head of government, oversees the civil service. The elected president, head of state and commander in chief, appoints top ministers,conducts foreign policy, and presides over the Duma under certain conditions.

Selection: Iran's judiciary

The head of the judiciary is appointed by the Supreme Leader and can nominate half of the Guardian Council with approval by the Majles.

Selection: Mexico's judiciary

Supreme Court magistrates are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate for a term of 15 years.

Selection: Russia's judiciary

Judges are nominated by the president and approved by the Federation Council.

Semi-presidential system

A legislative-executive system that features a prime minister nominated by the president and approved by the legislature AND a directly elected president.

Semi-Presidential: Example

Russia

Sharia

Body of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life.

Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC)

In China, assumes legislative duties most of the year; sets legislative agenda, supervises member elections, and interprets the Constitution.

State Duma

Russia's elected lower house which passes legislation and confirms the prime minister.

Supreme Leader

In Iran, sets the political agenda, serves as commander in chief, and appoints top ministers, the Expediency Council, half of the Guardian Council, and the head of the judiciary.

The United Kingdom's monarch

Serves ceremonially as head of state and formally appoints as prime minister the leader of the party or coalition holding the largest number of seats in the House of Commons.

United Kingdom's judiciary

Uses common law to enforce the rule of law;major functions of the Supreme Court include its serving as the final court of appeals, protecting human/civil rights and liberties, and ruling on devolution disputes.

Vote of no confidence

Sometimes called a vote of confidence or a confidence vote. Vote taken by a legislature as to whether its members continue to support the current prime minister. Depending on the country, a vote of no confidence can force the resignation of the prime minister and/or lead to new parliamentary elections.