AP COMP GOV MIDTERM

Quantitative

numerical sources (charts, tables, graphs)

Qualitative

descriptive sources (speeches, foundational documents, political cartoons, maps, political commentaries)

Empirical Statements

factual and objective information from observation or experimentation

Normative Statements

value or opinion statements that cannot be proven or disproven

Causation

the idea that one event directly causes another, as demonstrated by the ability to isolate and demonstrate what produces change

Correlation

an association between two or more variables

Human Development Index (HDI)

"a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development" including statistics about life expectancy, amount of schooling, and income

GDP

The market value of goods and services produced over a certain period of time in a country; depicts overall size of a national economy

GDP per capita

the size of the national economy in comparison with the population size

GDP growth rate

the rate of national economic expansion

Gini index

Measures of income inequality within a country; 100% indicates perfect inequality, whereas 0% indicates perfect equality

Freedom House Score

rank countries based on scores for political and human rights

Corruption Perceptions Index

measures governmental corruption within a country based on a scale of 0-100 (0 is more corrupt, 100 is not corrupt)

Fragile States Index/Failed States Index (FSI)

assesses and ranks countries based on their potential to weaken due to conflicts and domestic turmoil

Political systems

The laws, ideas, and procedures that address who should have the authority to rule and what the government's influence on its people and economy should be

State

Political organizations that combine a permanent population with governing institutions to exercise control over a defined territory with international recognition (boundaries, population, government, sovereignty)

Nation

A group of people with commonalities including race, language, religion, ethnicity, political ident

Regime

The fundamental rules that control access to and the exercise of political power

Government

The set of institutions or individuals legally empowered to make binding decisions for a state

Sovereignty

The independent legal authority over a population in a particular territory

factors of Democracy

free, fair, regular elections; rule OF law, protect civil liberties, neutral judiciary, indpt. leg, indept and diverse media, transparency, civilian control of military, open civil society

authoritarian

rigged and uncompetitive elections; arbitrary rule BY law; restrictions of civil rights and liberties; judiciary controlled by exec; leg controlled by dom party; censorship of press; elites make decisions; no constitutional responsibility of leaders opaque

Rule of law

The principle that a state should be governed by known laws and not arbitrary decisions made by individual government officials

Rule by law

The principle that a state can be governed by arbitrary decisions made by individual government officials rather than known laws

Illiberal democracies / hybrid regimes

Government system in which regimes hold elections with little competition toward the ruling party and tend to have diminished civil liberties

One-party systems

Government system in which rival parties are prohibited from controlling governmental power

Theocracies

Government system in which it is required for the state to be controlled by leaders of a particular religion

Totalitarian government

Authoritarian government systems that severely limit citizens' rights to movement and free choice of employment

Military regimes

Government system in which military leaders hold top positions of governing authority

Democratization

The transition from an authoritarian regime to a democratic regime

Factors/practices help support democratization

more PCL (participation, competition, liberty); free and fair elections; suffrage; protections of civil rights and liberties; accommodating ethnic diversity; increased multiparty competition; independent judiciaries; increased gov transparency

Factors/practices that hinder democratization

corruption, cultural/ethnic divisions, voting restricions, limited civil liberties, polarization between political groups, external shock

External shock

econ panic, national securtiy attack, pandemic (--\> often result in stricter gov policies)

Democratic consolidation

the process by which a dem regime matures in terms of election rules, separation of powers, and protection of civil liberties, making it unlikely to revert to authoritarianism without external shock

Civil liberties

an individual's protection against abuse of powers by the government, promotion of freedom (ex. Free speech, right to rel belief, right to organization/protest)

civil rights

the protection of groups of citizens from discrimation by the gov or other individuals; promotion of equality

Power

the ability of a state to influence the conduct of individuals and organizations w/in the state

Authority

a state's legitimate right to enforce a power

Sources of power and authority

constitutions, religions, military forces, political parties, legislatures, and popular support

Regime change

change in the way the state is organized, rules and institutions are replaced, MAJOR CHANGE (i.e. coup d'etat, revolution)

Govt change

change in the people or parties that occupy the institutions of the state, can be violent or peaceful, COMMON, system of gov stays (i.e. succession, election, appointment)

Examples of regime change

coup d'etats in Nigeria (before 1999 revolution), revolutions in Russia (1917), China (1949), Iran (1979)

Federal system

system of govt where sig powers are given to regional govts, DECENTRALIZED

advantages of federal systems

citizen participation at multiple levels, local govs can respond to local needs, less likely for 1 party to dominate

disadvantages of federal system

can be slow or inefficient, conflict btwn levels of govt

what are federal systems good for

diverse countries, highly regionalized countries, large countries

Unitary system

system of govt where all pol authority is in the central or national gov, CENTRALIZED

Advantages of unitary system

consistent laws throughout country, govt can act quickly

Disadvantages of unitary system

regional problems, easier for 1 party to dominate, powerless regional govts

Unitary systems are Good for

homogenous countries, auth states, smaller countries

Countries that are federal states

Mexico, Nigeria, Russia

Countries that are unitary states

China, Iran, and the UK

Legitimacy

belief of a gov's constituents that their gov has the right to use power in the way they do; confers authority and can increase the power of a regime/gov

Sources of legitimacy

constitution; nationalism; traditions; political effectiveness (quality of gov, success of policies); econ growth; religion, ideology; endorsement (support by dom pol. party); popular elections

legitimacy in China

ideology, nationalism, econ, political effectiveness, constitution)

legitimacy in Iran:

religion, ideology, nationalism, constitution, pop elections

legitimacy in Mexico

constitution, pop elections, Catholic ideologolgy, nationalism, econ growth, political efficacy

legitimacy in Nigeria

constition, pop elections are most influential; ideaology, nationalism, econ growth for a small group

legitimacy in Russia

ideology, tradition, nationalism, pol effectiveness, constitution, pop elections

legitimacy in UK

popular elections, ideology, tradition, nationalism

Factors that Reinforce legitimacy

political efficacy (citizens' trust in their ability to change gov), peaceful transfer of power, pol effectiveness, tradition, charismatic leadership, economic development, (sometimes) devolution

Factors that undermine legitimacy

corruption, reduction of electoral comp, social conflicts, econ decline, questionable election results (--\> protests), (sometimes) devolution

Devolution

the delegation of power to regional govs

How does devolution enhance/weaken legitimacy?

Enhance: local needs solved by local leaders, more pol participation, ppl feel connected to gov, checs on nat govt, minority groups feel represented; Weaken: inefficient/complicated gov, more comp for resources, comp between regions can escalate tensions

political stability

the ability of govt to consistently provide services that meet the basic needs of most of the population,

Country examples of regime instability

Iran, Mexico, Nigeria - state responses to separatist groups violence, drug trafficking, gender discrimination, or religious differences

Features of parliamentary system

fuson of legislative and executive authority, voters vote for MPs, majority party in leg selects PM, PM selects cabinet from maj party leaders

Head of state (parlimentary system)

usually president or monarch, indirectly elected or inherited, typically only ceremonial powers, may have reserve powers→ rarely exercise them, appoints PM; King Charles III

head of govt (parliamentary system)

Prime Minister, elected from legislature, head of largest part in lower house, holds mokority of power, right to call elections, main driver of legislation and policy, selects cabinet; Rishi Sunak

How to remove prime minister

VONC, PM and govt must resign if they cannot win a majority of the MPs vote, Parliament has the right to call this vote

Features of presidential system

democratic system, President=head of state and head of gov, directly elected by public, fixed term, control over cabinet, control over leg process, removal only by malfeasance

Impeachment

requires a supermajority vote in both houses, 2 step process

Differences btw. parliamentary and presidential systems

Parliamentary: PM and cabinet come from leg (indirect selection fo PM), must have majority support to stay in office, varying election dates, VONC, may have less support from a large population, fusion of powers, gov bills passed w majority vote

Presidential: pres and cabinet are separate from leg, directly elected, serve fixed terms, fixed election dates, removal by malfeasance, less influenced by minority part, strict separation of powers, gridlock likely

Similarities btw. parliamentary and presidential systems

both are typically more democratic

Divisions of power (parliamentary and presidential)

fusion of powers (parliamentary), separation of powers (pres)

Checks on other branches (parliamentary v presidential)

VONC (parliamentary), malfeasance (presidential)

exec UK

(prime minister) leader of party, maintain support of fellow MPs, appear weekly for PMQs, direct activity of cabinet, guide party to electoral victories, negotiate to get policies passed into law, national leadership (declare war, sign treaties), diplomat (world leader)

exec Iran

Supreme leader: commander and chief of military, appoints head of mil, control Guardian Council (limits pres candidates), appoints chief justices, maintains complete control over state-owned econ assets, can overrule president, appoints Friday prayer leaders and head of radio and TV

president: drafts state budget, initiated legislation (no veto power), selects VP and cabinet, foreign policy (signs treaties, meets w diplomats), chairs nat security council, appoints local officals

exec Nigeria

(president) directly elected, chooses VP, appoints cabinet...

China

(general secretary) head of CCP, chosen from PSC (controls...everything)

cabinet UK

appointed from house of commons, preside over individual govt depts, answer to parliament during PMQs, collective responsibility

cabinet Iran

leaders of bureaucracy, dominated by clergy, chosen by president and approved by Majlis, can be dismissed by SL, meet weekly

UK exec term limit

(PM) 5 years (since Fixed Term Parliament Act in 2015), (monarch) for life

Iran exec term limit

(SL) for life, (president) 4 years

Nigeria exec term limit

(president) 4 years

China exec term limit

(head of state) term limit removed in 2016, (head of govt) 5 years, once renewable

Impeachment process

The process used in presidential systems as a method for the legislature to remove the president and other executive officials from office, requires a supermajority vote in both houses

Vote of no confidence

Parliament can call this vote, if they cannot win a majority of the Mps vote, PM and govt must resign, new election is held

UK (how to remove execs)

VONC

Iran (how to remove execs)

(president) can be dismissed by SL, (SL) can be dismissed by Assembly of Experts (BUT candidates for Assembly vetted by Guardian Council)

Nigeria (how to remove exec)

impeachment

China (how to remove exec)

...

UK legislature

Parliament-bicameral legislature

\-House of Lords-represent aristocracy, can delay legislation, no veto power

\-House of Commons-largest party elects PM, debate issues, participate in committee, vote on proposed legislation, offer clinics w constituents, sometimes propose leg, VONC

Iran legislature

Majlis-unicameral; LIMITED POWER (not rubber stamp), initiate and pass legislation, oversee budget, approve treaties, approve/remove cabinet members, appoint half of Guardian Council, investigate complaints against gov, should be separate from outside influence (INDEPENDENT in theory)

Nigeria legislature

National Assembly of Nigeria-bicameral; rubber stamp?, rarely disagree w authority figure, legitimize govt orders and create an appearance of support, subservient to executive; lacks experience, expertise, staff support

China legislature

National People's Congress (NPC)-unicameral; RUBBER STAMP!!, "formal" authority to rule on the people's behalf, "elects"/recalls Pres/VP (only one candidate for each), enact/amend laws, approve state budget, "declare/end" war, "elects/recall" top state positions, final approval over selection of premier and State Council→ powers only exercised as allowed by the Party

UK checks on exec power

VONC, Question time, Party leadership vote (vote for new PM within majority party), collective responsibility

Iran check on exec

no real checks on SL

Nigeria checks on exec

confirmation of presidential appointments to the cabinet, override veto (w supermajority vote), legislative oversight (budget approval, committee hearings, can reject proposed legislation), impeachment, can require govt officials to explain actions

China check on exec

no real checks