Chapters 6 and 7 - Democratic regimes and developed democracies

abstract review

a constitutional court ruling on legislation without a specific court case

civil liberties

the promotion of freedom( freedoms that are defended from intrusion by the state and other individuals

free speech

freedom of religion

civil rights

promotion of equality( rights created and defended by the state.)

right to public education

right to vote

civil society

organized life outside of the state( church,environmental group, frats, NGO’s, quangos, news media)

allow people to articulate promote and defend what is important to them

can promote democratization:

monitor and lobby gov

represent interests of members

allow members to organize

concrete review

courts can consider the constitutionality of of legislation only when a court case triggers the question

constituency

a geographic area that an elected official represents

constitutional court

ensure that legislation is compatible with the constitution

democracy

political power exercised directly on indirectly by the people through participation, competition, and liberty.

biased towards liberalism, some use the more specific def of lib dem

first past the post

plurality based SMD systems where the candidate with the most votes wins the seat

can hurt smaller parties

head of government

deals with the everyday tasks of running the state such and formulating and executing domestic policy

head of state

symbolizes and represents the people, embodying and articulating the goals of the regime

Sometimes conducts foreign policy and wages war

initiative

citizens collecting signatures to put a question to a national vote

sometimes seen as putting too much power in the hands of the uninformed

judicial review

ensuring legislation is compatible with the constitution

legislature

the body in which national policies is considered and debated

charges with making or at least passing legislation

liberal democracy

a political system that promotes participation competition and liberty

mixed electoral system

combines Plural SMD’s with PR

voters vote for a candidate and a party

Each electoral method is allotted a percentage of seats in the legislature

multi-member district (MMD)

more than one legislative seat is contested in each district

parliamentary system

comprised of PM’s and their cabinets who come out of the legislature

the legislature that elects and removes the PM from office

PM is head of gov

Head of state( monarch, pres) usually ceremonial

Executive and legislature are fuse together

Legislature votes on legislation PM and cab creates

presidential system

elected directly by the public

role of head of gov and state is fused

serve for fixed terms

cannot be removed by vote of no confidence

pres and cab do not have to come from legislature

legislature can have a diff majority party than party of pres

can more easily check each other

more concerned with winning single nation office than moving up the ranks of the party and being favored by party

Proportional representation (PR)

Relies on MMDs

voters vote for a party

17% of the vote = 17% of the seats in the district

PR voters are more willing to vote for smaller parties

strengthens party discipline: must follow party rules to stay on party list

referendum

the public voting directly on specific policy issues

republicanism

emphasized separation of powers and rep of public through elected officials

SMD

Constituencies have only one representative

candidate wins through a plurality, majority( two rounds or ranked preference)

people are more likely to vote for larger parties

developed democracy

countries that have institutionalized democracy and have a high level of economic development and prosperity

Democracy: the degree of the institutionalization of participation, prosperity and liberty

economy: private property, free markets, High GPD and PPP, low agriculture and industry production, mostly service sector, high HDI

Intergovernmental system

member countires cooperate on certain issues but not bound by organizations resolutions.

Supranational system

sovereignty is shared between member states, must abide by decisions made

benefits and drawbacks of parliamentary system

fusion between exec and legislature is more efficient

can weakens voters influence on legislature

pro and con of pres system

directly elected by public

not beholden to parties and cannot be replaced easily

political challenges

People believe EU does not give enough benefits to make up for loss of sovereignty

immigrants from eastern europe, firms relocating in Eastern Europe

People find it undemocratic

Devolution

can recover trust in the state through greater participation and local control

can go hand in hand with integration (EU)

can resolve or galvanize ethnic conflict/ calls for autonomy

economic challenges

post-industrial increases in income inequality

aging populations can’t fund social expidentures.