Introduction to Comparative Politics Final Exam Study Guide

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts, definitions, and historical facts relevant to comparative politics.

What is Comparative Politics?

The study and comparison of politics across countries.

What is a state?

Organizations that maintain a monopoly of violence over a territory; a national organization that maintains sovereignty.

Define nation.

A 'people' or group that shares bonds of culture, history, religion, and language.

What is a nation-state?

A state formed by the people of a nation.

What does legitimacy mean in politics?

The extent to which state authority is regarded as right and proper.

Describe an autocratic regime.

A type of government that restricts people's freedoms and limits decision making.

Describe a democratic regime

Encourages peoples freedoms, government transparency

What is political ideology?

Sets of political values regarding fundamental values of politics.

What is a unitary state?

A state that concentrates most political power in the national capital.

What defines federal states?

They divide power between the central state and regional or local authorities.

What is a parliamentary system?

An executive head of government elected from within the legislature, such as a prime minister.

What is a presidential system?

A system in which the president is directly elected and is the head of state and government, and there are directly elected legislatures meant to check presidential authority

What is proportional representation in electoral systems?

An electoral system where the percentage of votes a party receives determines how many seats they win.

What characterizes single-member districts?

Districts with one representative where the candidate with the most votes wins.

What are John Locke's basic ideas regarding government?

Governments are created by humans to preserve life, liberty, and property.

What is the purpose of a social contract, according to Locke?

To understand why people formed governments to maintain liberty.

What is a liberal democracy?

A government that secures liberties by continual consent of the people.

Define illiberalism.

A perversion of liberal democracy that leads to dictatorship.

What are demagogues?

Leaders who gain allegiance by promising to break down norms of liberal democracy.

How and why did the Europeans settle in the US?

Puritans (radical Protestants) settled in the US primarily for economic opportunities, religious freedom, and political autonomy, leading to the establishment of various colonies in the mid to late 1600s.

What was the American a revolution caused by?

Conflict between the King of England and colonial legislatures who both believed they had the right to raise the taxes paid by colonists.

What historical milestones contributed to early Americans idea of Manifest Destiny?

Key events like the Louisiana Purchase, the Texas Annexation, and the Oregon Trail encouraged westward expansion, fostering the belief that Americans were destined to spread across the continent.

What are the upper and lower houses in the United States government?

Upper=Senate

Lower=House of Representatives

How has the US addressed problems in the original Constitution?

through human rights activism and amendments to the constitution because of the activism

Why is gerrymandering significant in politics?

It is the re-drawing of county borders to accommodate political voting preferences.

What was the Glorious Revolution?

A significant event where Parliament enacted the Bill of Rights, asserting its political supremacy.

What is the historical significance of the Magna Carta?

It limited the powers of the English monarch and paved the way for public control over government.

Who was Otto von Bismarck?

A key figure in the unification of Germany and the establishment of the German Empire.

What does the term mixed-member proportional refer to?

An electoral system that combines both single-member districts and proportional representation.

What is the structure of the Russian political system post-Soviet Union?

A semi-presidential system with a Federal Assembly comprising State Duma and Federation Council.

Explain the significance of Mao’s Great Leap Forward.

A campaign aimed at rapidly transforming China into a socialist society through rapid industrialization.

What triggered the Iranian Revolution in 1979?

The rise of Ayatollah Khomeini and massive protest against the Shah.

What was the primary outcome of the British colonialism in India?

It caused economic exploitation and led to significant social and political upheaval.

What role did Gandhi play in India's independence?

He led nonviolent protests against British rule, advocating for civil rights and independence.

Describe the internal tensions in Nigeria today.

Ethnic tensions and religious conflicts, alongside issues stemming from military rule and economic instability.