AP Comp Gov Exam Vocab

Mao Zedong

Chinese Communist leader from 1949 to 1976.

Great Leap Forward

economic and social plan used in China from 1958 to 1961 which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern industrial society.

Cultural Revolution

Campaign in China ordered by Mao Zedong to purge the Communist Party of his opponents and instill revolutionary values in the younger generation.

Deng Xiaoping

Communist Party leader who seen as responsible for Chinese economic reforms after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976.

Xi Jinping

Has amassed more power than any other leader since Mao

Uighers or Uyghur

A Muslim minority in the northwest. Currently subjected to high levels of monitoring, oppression, and "re-education"

Dual Rule

a system of administration used in China that places a government body under the authority of both a higher-level government organization and a Communist Party organization

Rule by law

law isn't fairly distributed, law is used by leaders to fit their needs

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Investment made by a foreign company in the economy of another country.

Tiananmen Square

Site in Beijing where Chinese students and workers gathered to demand greater political openness in 1989. The demonstration was crushed by Chinese military with great loss of life.

Politburo

The top policy-making and executive body in China

Central Committee of the CCP

Elite group included all top members of the CCP. Membership is limited to highest ranking members of the CCP. Responsible for day-to-day functions of the Party

Central Military Commission (CMC)

The most important military organization in the People's Republic of China, headed by the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, who is the commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army.

Fragmented authoritarianism

Used to Explain Chinese policy making. china is still fundamentally an authoritarian state and is far from being a democracy in which public opinion, party competitions, media scrutiny... But it also takes into account that power in China has become much more dispersed or fragmented than it was during the Maoist era.

The Great Firewall

term for censorship of the internet in China, over 1,000,000 internet censors

Household responsibility system

Deng's highly successful 1980s rural reform program that allowed farmers to lease land, lowered production quotas and allowed the sale of surplus agricultural produce on the free market

Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs)

Rural factories and businesses in China run by local gov't and private businesses

Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

government-designated areas in China where foreign investment is allowed and capitalistic ventures are encouraged

Belt and Road Initiative

China's huge infrastructure development and investment project launched in 2013, designed to link China to the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond

One Child Policy

An anti-natalist policy established by the Chinese government in 1979 to slow population growth in China. Abandoned in 2016

Gender imbalance

traditional preference and use of gender-selection technology for last 30 years has led to imbalance of too many young men and too few young women to marry, among other consequences.

Environmental authoritarianism

The theory that authoritarian regime, esp. China, have an advantage in creating environmental policy and fighting climate change because they do not have to worry about public opinion.

Debt trap diplomacy

A strategy of loaning excessive money to developing countries for much-needed infrastructure projects, to get economic or political concessions, or acquiring assets, when the borrowing country cannot service the debt. A criticism of the Belt and Road Initiative

Parliamentary System

System of government where chief executive is leader of party that holds a majority of seats in the legislature/significant part of ruling coalition (PM)

Devolution

Transfer of powers and responsibilities from national government to subnational government

Vote/Motion of No Confidence

Action taken by minority party, if successful (326 majority) you dissolve parliament and hold a snap election

Unitary System

Government that gives all key powers to national/central government

Nationalism

Loyalty & devotion to a particular nationality

-think ethnic nationalism & the troubles

Neoliberalism

Economic strategy: free markets, balanced budgets, privitization, free trade, and minimal gov’t intervention

Pluralist Theory

Many interest groups compete for power in a large number of policy areas

Brexit

2016 referendum required UK to leave EU, official in Jan. 2020

Austerity Measures

Severely cut spending to try & control finances

Collectivist Consensus

Postwar consensus between UK’s major parties to build & sustain a welfare state

Referendum

General vote by electorate on a single political question referred to them for decision

Government

People who exercise authority within a state

Parliamentary Sovereignty

Gov’t receives power to make or overturn any law without recourse of execs judiciary or monarchy, Only parliament can nullify or overturn it’s own legislation/force cabinet or gov to resign via vote of no confidence

Coalition Government

Two+ parties join together to form a majority in national legislature (In 2010s w/ Conservation Party & Liberal Democrats)

Postmaterialism

Growing equality and prosperity in the rich industrialized countries have resulted in a shift from class-based to value-based

Welfare State

Gov’t takes responsibility for welfare of its citizens through programs in public health/housing/pensions/unemployment etc..

Backbenchers

Legislators who do not hold leadership positions within their party caucus or conference (behind PM)

Parachute Candidate

Party leaders/members are placed in safe districts for the election

Common Law

System of law based on precedent & customs

Snap Election

General election called ahead of schedule by incumbent gov’t in parliamentary system

Gradualism

Policy that involves taking slow, measured actions rather than quick/radical changes

QUANGO

Quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations that assist the government in implementing policy

Prime Minister’s Questions

Weekly when Parliament is in session, PM faces ?s on policy from opposition and own party

Single-payer system/National Health Service

Government run healthcare system-national health service in UK

Confidence Matter/Motion of confidence

Motion attached to bill by PM, if bill fails parliament dissolves & snap election

Constituencies

People & interests that an elected official represents

House of Lords

Upper chamber of Parliament, has little power

House of Commons

Lower chamber of Parliament, most policymaking power

“The Troubles”

Terrorist campaign wages against the UK for Irish reunification

Good Friday Agreement

1998 agreement that ended The Troubles

New Labour

Movement of Labour closer to the political center led by Tony Blair in the 1990s

Catch-all parties

Parties that adopt a range of ideologically moderate policies to capture voters in the middle of the spectrum

Noblesse Oblige

The wealthy have a duty to the less fortunate to act with honor

Development

Improvement in economic conditions and quality of life

Developed countries

Wealthy, industrialized nations with high living standards

Underdeveloped countries

Countries with very low economic and social development

Least-developed countries

Poorest countries with lowest HDI ratings

Human Development Index (HDI)

UN measure of life expectancy, education, and income

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total value of goods and services produced

GDP growth rate

How fast a country’s economy increases

GDP per capita

GDP divided by total population; average wealth per person

Gini index

Measure of income inequality

Freedom House

Organization measuring political rights and civil liberties

Transparency International

Perceived corruption levels

Corruption

Abuse of power for personal benefit

Fragile States Index

Measures a country’s venerability to collapse

State

Political unit with population, territory, government, and sovereignty

Sovereignty

Supreme authority within borders (independence)

Regime

Rules and institutions for controlling the state

Government

People (bodies) that make and enforce laws

Nation

Group with shared culture, language, or history

Nationalism

Strong Identification with one’s nation

Nationalist

A supporter of nationalism

Democratic Regime

Leaders are chosen by the people

Authoritarian Regime

Limited freedoms and strong central power

Illiberal democracy/Hybrid regime

Elections exist but rights are limited

Democratization

Process of becoming more democratic

Democratic consolidation

When democracy becomes stable and accepted

Universal Suffrage

All adult citizens can vote

Civil rights

Protections from discrimination and unfair treatment

Civil liberties

Freedoms such as speech and religion

Authority

Legitimate use of power

Power

Ability to influence others

Revolution

Mass uprising to overthrow a system

Coup de’etat

Sudden illegal seizure of power

Legitimacy

Public belief that government has the right to rule

Rational-legal legitimacy

Authority based on laws and procedures

Charismatic Legitimacy

Authority based on personality or inspiration

Traditional Legitimacy

Authority based on customs and history

Globalization

Increasing global connection

Race to the bottom

Lowering standards to attract FDI

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Business investment in another country

Multinational Corporation (MNC)

Company operating in many countries

Non-governmental organization (NGO)

Independent group addressing public issues

Supernational Organization

Organization where states share authority

Corporatism

Method of co-optation whereby authoritarian systems create or sanction limited organizations to represent interests of public state those not set up or approved by the state

Proportional Representation

Election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote