Federalism, Bicameralism, and Veto Player Theory

Flashcards summarizing key concepts from the lecture on federalism, bicameralism, and veto player theory.

Federalism

A system of governance where sovereignty is constitutionally split between at least two territorial levels, each with independent authority in at least one policy area.

Bicameralism

A legislative system where deliberation occurs in two distinct assemblies, as opposed to unicameralism, which has only one.

Congruent Federalism

Federalism where the territorial units share similar demographic characteristics with each other and the country as a whole.

Incongruent Federalism

Federalism where territorial units have different demographic characteristics, leading to varying powers and representation.

Symmetric Bicameralism

A system where both legislative chambers possess equal or nearly equal constitutional power.

Asymmetric Bicameralism

A system where the legislative chambers have unequal constitutional powers.

Constitutional Review

The authority of an institution to invalidate legislation and acts that violate constitutional rules.

Veto Player

Any actor whose approval is necessary to change the status quo in a political system.

Winset

The set of potential policies that could replace the status quo, with larger winsets allowing for greater policy change.

De Facto Federalism

A practical form of federalism evident in the decentralization of powers, despite the absence of formal constitutional recognition.

De Jure Federalism

A formal structure of federalism established by the constitution, recognized and regulated by law.

Malapportionment

Unequal distribution of political representation among constituencies, often leading to misrepresentation.

Legislative Supremacy

The principle that laws created by elected representatives should not be constrained by other authorities, including the constitution.

Direct Governance

The shared authority in governance where both regional and national governments control specific policy areas.

Political Decentralization

The ability of subnational levels of government to elect local leaders and govern independently.

Fiscal Decentralization

Subnational governments' ability to secure financial independence and manage their own budgets.

Advantages of Federalism

Includes closer government alignment with citizen preferences, increased accountability, policy experimentation, and checks against tyranny.

Disadvantages of Federalism

Includes inefficiency, duplication of efforts, competition that can exacerbate inequalities, and blame-shifting that reduces accountability.