AP Comparative Government Terms Flashcards | Quizlet

Civil society

Voluntary associations, communities, and organizations outside the state that enable people to pursue shared interests and collaborate.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

Independent, non-profit groups that advocate for or address humanitarian, environmental, and social issues outside of direct state control.

Political culture

The shared norms, values, and fundamental assumptions a population holds toward government and civic life.

Political socialization

The ongoing process through which individuals acquire their beliefs, values, and attitudes regarding governance.

Political ideology

A comprehensive set of beliefs and values about how governance and society should be structured.

Individualism

The belief that personal freedom, rights, and responsibility are more important than collective interests.

Neoliberalism

An economic philosophy promoting free markets, deregulation, privatization, and minimal state intervention.

Communism

A system seeking a classless society in which all property and means of production are collectively owned.

Socialism

An economic and political system supporting public or collective control of major resources and industries to minimize inequality.

Fascism

An authoritarian, ultranationalist system emphasizing a powerful dictator, extreme national unity, and forced obedience to the state.

Populism

An approach to politics that claims to represent ordinary citizens against an entrenched or corrupt elite.

Rule of law

The principle that everyone, including government leaders, must adhere to and be held accountable under legal standards.

Civil rights

Protections against discrimination and guarantees of equal treatment under the legal system.

Civil liberties

Fundamental individual freedoms protected from government interference, such as speech, assembly, and religious practice.

Postmaterialism

A value shift toward prioritizing quality of life, self-expression, and environmental protection over basic economic and physical security.

Political participation

Actions citizens take to influence governance and decision-making, such as voting, protesting, campaigning, and contacting officials.

Referenda

Direct votes in which citizens decide on a specific proposed law or public policy issue.

Political stability

The ability of a governing system to maintain order and continue functioning without major disruptions or threats to its authority.

Social and political cleavages

Divisions within society based on factors such as religion, ethnicity, class, region, or ideology that influence voting and collective behavior.

Separatist movement

An organized effort seeking independence from an existing country to establish a new sovereign state or join another nation.

Brute repression

The use of violent force, imprisonment, or intimidation by a government to silence opposition and maintain power.