Advisory 1 Current Events Quiz 1

Regime Definition

The different rules states have for how their governments operate. The fundamental rules and norms of politics. 

Like governments, regimes can change, but it is less common, and usually happens with a dramatic social event like a revolution or national crisis. 

Often embodied in a constitution.

Legitimacy Definition

The idea of whether a government's constituents (the people) believe their government has the right to use power the way they do. 

Sources of Legitimacy:

1. Popular elections (if a candidate wins in a landslide and has a lot of support from the people) 

2. Government effectiveness (people are fed, water, lights on) 

3. Economic growth (China, Deng)

4. Religious heritage (respect traditions of religion) 

Ways of Sustaining legitimacy:

1. Political efficacy = the people feel like they can impact political decisions through voting (I'm voting, my candidate wins, they make good policies), idea of empowerment 

2. Tradition (we do it this way, let's keep doing it) 

Undermining legitimacy:

1. Serious problems, such as poor economy, social conflict, or pandemic

Federal/Unitary Definition

Unitary: Power is concentrated in the central government and local authority is limited.  

POWER CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM OTHER PROVINCES/STATES AT ANY MOMENT 

Federal: Powers are shared with regional bodies and local legislatures that control specific territories within a country. Power is shared between the federal and state levels.  

POWER CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM OTHER PROVINCES/STATES AT ANY MOMENT, POWER BUILT INTO THE STATES/PROVINCES, USUALLY IN A CONSTITUTION 

Political Systems Example

Event:

Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has taken steps to cut ties with the west, including education  

Banned International Baccalaureate (IB) education, and working to replace textbooks with ones written by Russian Orthodox Church 

Course Connection:  

Political systems: Authoritarian, gov restricts civil liberties and censoring education, not allowing for opposing beliefs 

Banning IB is a way for Putin to increase his traditional legitimacy

Event:

China implementing new measures to make up for the economic loss they are facing from tariffs from Trump  

Relying more on domestic markets and less of trade 

Loosening restrictions on international tourists 

Funding for more leisure activities like sports games  

Course Connection:

Political systems: China utilizing authoritarian regime lets them make these changes quickly because China's people don't have a say in these issues, so it doesn't take as long for policies to be reviewed and passed 

Political and economic change: forced to adapt to economic challenges  

Economic Changes Example

Event:

European leaders warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei they would reimpose their economic sanctions against Iran if Iran continues to deft the 2015 agreement to limit its uranium enrichment program  

Khamenei refuses to participate in a discussion with US because he believes they don't want Iran to have any nuclear enrichment  

Political and Economic change: Risk of economic sanctions being reimposed  

Event:

China implementing new measures to make up for the economic loss they are facing from tariffs from Trump  

Relying more on domestic markets and less of trade 

Loosening restrictions on international tourists 

Funding for more leisure activities like sports games  

Course Connection:

Political systems: China utilizing authoritarian regime lets them make these changes quickly because China's people don't have a say in these issues, so it doesn't take as long for policies to be reviewed and passed 

Political and economic change: forced to adapt to economic challenges  

Federal/Unitary Example

Event:

Nigeria's president suspended both the governor and state's lawmakers for six months because the lawmakers wanted to impeach the governor

President reversed the suspension 

Suspension was criticized as illegal  

Course Connection:  

Nigeria has a federal system where state can have their own governors and legislatures, but central government exercising power over regional governments.

Legitimacy Example

Event:

Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has taken steps to cut ties with the west, including education  

Banned International Baccalaureate (IB) education, and working to replace textbooks with ones written by Russian Orthodox Church 

Course Connection:  

Political systems: Authoritarian, gov restricts civil liberties and censoring education, not allowing for opposing beliefs 

Banning IB is a way for Putin to increase his traditional legitimacy

 Event:

China held massive military parade, showing China's advanced arsenal of weapons  

Celebrating 80^th anniversary of Japan's surrender to China in WW2 

Many world leaders were there, most significantly Putin (Russia) and Kim Jong Um (North Korea) and Pezeshkian (Iran's president) 

Lots of nationalist sentiment  

Course Connection:  

Reinforcement of China's authoritarian regimes' legitimacy, a reminder to trust CCP and trust that the government is stable and strong