core comp gov terms

Authority

The power and capacity to make binding decisions and command obedience within a political system.

Authoritarian Regime

A government that restricts political rights and civil liberties, uses coercion to enforce authority and ensure compliance with its laws, and limits political competition.

Cabinet

Appointed executive officials who head government departments, advise the chief executive, and implement policies passed by the legislature.

Civil Liberties

Freedoms of the people that should be protected by or from the government such as speech, press, and religion.

Civil Rights

Legal protections ensuring equal treatment under law regardless of group membership, including protections against discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, religion, or other characteristics.

Civil Service

Non-partisan employees of government departments who implement the public policy and are part of a bureaucratic hierarchy that ultimately reports to a cabinet official and the head of government.

Civil Society

Collection of voluntary associations and non-governmental organizations that act on their interests and try to influence policy through interest groups, protests, petitions, and contacting representatives.

Consolidated Democracy

A system that has matured in its democratic principles, liberties, institutions, and practices so that reversion to authoritarianism is unlikely.

Corporatist Interest Group System

Where a few interest groups (single peak associations) have exclusive access or are controlled by the government to create government policy.

Corruption

Dishonest abuse of political power for personal gain including bribes, granting positions and privileges to friends or family, quid pro quo to allies or patrons, or capture of state resources.

Democratic Regime

A government characterized by meaningful electoral competition, protection of civil liberties and civil rights, rule of law, and checks on executive power.

Democratization

The ongoing process of transition from an authoritarian regime toward democratic governance, involving the establishment of competitive elections, expansion of civil liberties, and development of democratic institutions.

Demographic Change

Shifts in population structure over time in terms of age, gender, migration, or social class.

Economic Liberalization

Freeing the economy from government influence through reduced taxation, regulation, and spending; privatization of nationalized (government owned) industries; removing international trade barriers.

Federalism

The constitutional division of power between central and regional governments to give more regional autonomy.

Globalization

The increasing economic interdependence between countries that result in cultural, political, and technological diffusion.

Government Transparency

The ability of citizens to observe the government’s policy-making process and hold government officials accountable.

Head of Government

The secondary executive responsible for running the government and overseeing the implementation of domestic and economic policies.

Head of State

Chief executive who represents and symbolizes the country, generally in charge of foreign policy and military.

Illiberal Democracy

A country that follows the form of democracy with constitutional structure and elections but without protected civil liberties and political rights.

Judicial Independence

The principle that courts and judges operate free from political interference, allowing them to interpret and apply laws impartially.

Parliamentary System

A system of government where the executive (head of government) is selected and accountable to the legislature.

Party System

The power, influence, or strength of political parties and the degree of competition between them.

Pluralist Interest Group System

Many autonomous interest groups compete with each other and have open access to the government.

Political Efficacy

The ability of the people to understand how the government functions and believe that they can influence government action or policy.

Political Culture

The collective attitudes, values, and beliefs of the citizenry and the norms of behavior in the political system.

Political Ideology

A system of beliefs about humanity, society, and government.

Political Institution

A formal established part of the government or political process that lasts beyond the people who occupy it.

Political Legitimacy

The perceived rightful authority to rule a country, derived from various sources like elections or tradition.

Political Participation

Formal activities include voting and joining political parties; informal activities include protests and petitions.

Political Socialization

The process of gaining your political beliefs and values through various means.

Political Stability

The ability of a political system to endure crises without the threat of regime change.

Presidential System

A system of government where the executive is separate from the legislature, characterized by separation of powers.

Proportional Representation System

An electoral system in which parties receive seats in proportion to their votes.

Regime

A system of governance that creates enduring political institutions with rules about exercising power.

Rule of Law

The restriction of government and private powers to the authority of legal principles.

Single-Member District System

An electoral system where voters choose a representative for a district in which the winner gets a plurality of the vote.

Social Cleavage

Divisions within a country based on identity elements that structure political competition and conflict.

Social Movement

A large group of people collectively calling for political or social change.

Sovereignty

The recognized authority to rule a territory or people without outside interference.

State

A country with sovereign political institutions that rule over recognized borders and population.

Supranational Organization

An international organization in which members must give up a degree of sovereignty for the common benefit.

Unitary System

A political arrangement where all sovereignty lies with the central government.