AP COPO Cram Review

Empirical Data

Evident gathered through observations or experiments

Normative Data

Evidence from concepts like words or observations

Quantitative analysis

Analyzing based on statistics

Qualitative analysis

Analyzing based on detailed subjective analysis (like surveys or opinions)

Correlation

associated through same cause

Causation

variables that cause each other

Democratic

free and fair elections, majority rules, limits on government, rule of law are all characteristics of a ____ state

Authoritarian

rule of a small group of people, limited or no elections, rule by law, and oppression are all characteristics of a ____ state

Federal systems

power is divided between local and federal government

AP countries with federal systems

Mexico, Russia, and Nigeria

Unitary system

the federal/central government holds all the power

AP countries with unitary systems

UK, China, Iran

Government legitimacy

Citizens believe that the government has the right to power, which is derived from many different sources

Political stability

the state can combat political corruption and respond to violence directly. gov. can provid basic needs

Parliamentary system

Combine legislative and executive branch into a fused legislator. No seperation of powers. Prime minister serves as head of state and government

Presidential system

System with clear and defined separation of powers. Divided into a legislative and executive branches with president being head of state and government

Semi-presidential system

the president exists as the head of state and runs executive, PM serves as head of government and runs the legislative.

Unicameral

One legislative chamber

Bicameral

Two legislative chambers

Devolution

Decentralization of central power to local government

Rule of law

All people are governed by law and no one is above it

Rule by law

the law is used as the tool of the people in power

Civil society

Citizen groups separate from the government based on interests values and beliefs

Political culture

Group attitude and belief about the government

Political socialization

How people gain their political ideology through school, family, and media

Political ideology

One’s personal beliefs on the government

Individualism

belief that personal liberties come first

neoliberalism

Belief in removing trade barriers, deregulating markets, and removing price controls

socialism

Belief the reduction of income disparities and nationalization of industry

Communism

Belief in the elimination of private property, money, and total government control over the economy

Facism

Extreme nationalist ideology that prefers authoritarian regime by the minority

Populism

Belief in the rights of common people over the elites

Social welfare state

the state should help protect and promote social well being programs for citizens

Political Participation

People engaging in activities to benefit democracy like voting or protesting

Referendum

Safety valve policy to allow citizens directly vote on large issues

Cleavages

Divisions that split people up based on demographics like class, religion, or race

Coinciding cleavage

Division that aligns the same group against each other (ie. two groups practicing the same religion against each other)

Cross cutting cleavage

Society is split into many different groups

Single member district

A voting area that votes ONE person into Congress (UK, Nigeria, Russia, Iran)

Multi-member district

2 or MORE representatives per voting district (Iran)

Proportional representation

Parties gain seats based on number of votes receive, not by districts (Mexico, Russia)

First past the post

The person with the most votes wins (UK)

Regulatory Organizations

In elections, these groups are put together to make sure the election is free, fair, and competitive (Iran: guardian council, Mexico and Nigeria: IEC

One Party System

Only ONE party is allowed to run (China CCP)

One Party dominance

Multiple parties can run, but only one is very likely to win (Russia: Russia united)

Pluralist system

This system promotes competition from groups not linked to the state

Corportist

This system promotes competition from groups that ARE linked to the state

Globalization

Interconnected, worldwide trade networks

Liberalization

Free market, removing trade barriers and making trade and money more easier

Rentier states

Countries that depend on natural resources for state income

Economic diversification

Creating or building on other sectors of government to balance the economy

Monetary Policy

Actions that the federal reserve takes to control the economy (like interest rates and money supply)

Fiscal Policy

Actions that Congress takes to control the economy (changing budget laws, gov spending)