AP Comparative Government Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the Unit 3 lecture notes.

Civil Society

A range of voluntary associations that are autonomous from the state, including local religious and neighborhood organizations, news media, business and professional associations, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Noblesse Oblige

The duty of the upper classes to care for the lower classes.

Patron-Clientelism

Elites provide resources in exchange for political support.

Political Culture

The collective attitudes, values, and beliefs of the citizenry and the norms of behavior in the political system. It sets expectations about the exercise of power to establish a balance between social order and individual liberty.

Political Socialization

The lifelong process of acquiring one’s beliefs, values, and orientations toward the political system.

Political Ideology

A set of values and beliefs about the goals of government, public policy, or politics.

Individualism

Belief in individual civil liberties and freedom over governmental restrictions.

Neoliberalism

Belief in limited governmental intervention in the economy and society; supports privatization, free trade, deregulation, and the elimination of state subsidies.

Socialism

Belief in the reduction of income disparities and the nationalization of major private industries.

Fascism

Extreme nationalist ideology that favors authoritarian rule and the rights of the ethnic majority over that of ethnic minorities and the political opposition.

Populism

Political philosophy that supports the interests and rights of the common people over that of the elites.

Rule by Law

The state uses the law to reinforce the authority of the state.

Rule of Law

The state is limited to the same rules as its citizens.

Social Welfare State

A system in which the government plays a role in promoting the well-being and quality of life of its citizens through various social programs and policies.

Post-Materialism

Social valuing of self-expression and quality of life that leads to applying pressure on governments to address environmental issues and social and economic equality.

Referendum

Allows citizens to vote directly on policy questions.

Competitive Authoritarian Regime

Acts as a hybrid of democratic and authoritarian regimes, holding contested elections but with limited degrees of competitiveness and providing minimal civil liberty protections and governmental transparency.

Social and Political Cleavages

Internal divisions that structure societies and may be based on class, ethnicity, religion, or territory.

Coinciding Cleavages

When every dispute aligns the same groups against each other, these disputes are likely to be explosive.

Cross-Cutting Cleavages

When divisions in a society split into many potential groups that may conflict on one issue but cooperate on another. These tend to keep social conflict to more moderate levels.