Studied by 6 people
State
A group of people living in a defined territory with a government that wields absolute power within its borders.
Sovereignty
Supreme power or authority within the borders of a state.
Government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.
Power
The ability to rule.
Authority
The right to rule.
Legitimacy
The belief of the people that a government has the right to rule.
Nation
A group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity
Regime
A system of government existing for a length of time.
Authoritarian
A government in which one leader or group of people holds absolute power.
Democracy
A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
Rule of Law
The law applies to everyone, even those who govern.
Rule by Law
The government decides how the law is applied.
Transparency
People can observe and influences the actions of government.
Democratization
A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.
Suffrage
The right to vote
Civil Rights
The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.
Civil Liberties
Basic freedoms guaranteed to all citizens.
Sharia Law
A system of fundamentalist Islamic Law
Guardian Council
Appointed body that vets candidates for office and can overturn legislation.
Unitary System
A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
Federal System
The sharing of power between the central and regional governments.
Confederate System
A system of government with a very weak central government and strong regional governments.
Devolution
Granting of powers from the central government to regional or local level governments.
Asymmetric Federalism
A system where power is shared unequally across the country and its regional governments.
Cleavage
A social or cultural division.
Collective Responsibility
Cabinet members always support party policies, especially in public.
Referendum
Process in which a policy issue must be approved directly by the voters.
Backbenchers
Members of Parliament in a Westminster system that don't hold government or cabinet positions.
Collectivist Consensus
Post World War 2 period that contained popular support for the creation of the British welfare state.
Gradualism
Concept that democratic change should occur incrementally.
Euroskeptic
People opposed to the inclusion and expansion of the European Union.
Shadow Cabinet
The leadership of the opposition party.
Third Way
Ideology that is a cross between Thatcherism and the Welfare State developed by New Labor.
QUANGOS
Quasi autonomous non-government organization
Thatcherism
Conservative political and economic culture in the 1980s.
Vote of No Confidence
A parliamentary vote in which MPs vote against a Prime Minister.
Welfare State
Concept of government playing a primary role in the economic and societal wellbeing.
Whitehall
The nickname of the administrative government center of the United Kingdom.
Member of Parliament
Elected members of parliament
Austerity
Massive cuts to government and social welfare spending to reduce debt.
Unitary Government
System in which power is distributed from a central government
Noblesse Oblige
The inferred act of the upper class to take responsibility for the welfare of the lower class.
Good Friday Agreement
Allowed for devolved regional power in Northern Ireland. Considered the end of The Troubles.
Parliamentary Sovereignty
The principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority.
"The Government"
The group of people that are currently in power in office.
The Troubles
Conflict in Northern Ireland from 1968
European Union
Supranational organization of European states with common economic, social, and foreign policies.
Brexit
The British Exit from the European Union
Democratic Consolidation
The widespread acceptance of democracy as the permanent form of political activity; all significant political elites and their followers accept democratic rules and are confident everyone else does as well.
Beveridge Report
Published during WWII, it suggested a social insurance program that made all citizens eligible for health, unemployment, pension, and other benefits.
NHS
National Health Service
Lower House
House of Commons
Upper House
House of Lords
Center Left Party
Labour
Center Right Party
Conservative
SNP
Pro Scotland Party
Plaid Cymru
Pro Wales Party
Sinn Fein
Pro Irish nationalist
SDLP
Pro Irish reunification
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Flashcard (27)