COGOPO Unit 1 Vocab - Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments

Empirical Statement

A claim about the world that can be proved or disproved

Normative Statement

An expression of how things ought to be

Unitary System

All ultimate authority rests in a single power/group in the national government

Federal System

There is one national government with local governments throughout the country

Democratization

The process of becoming more democratic

Authoritarian

Where a country has one leader or small group with total power

Illiberal Democracy

A democracy with elections but limited rights and transparency

Referendum

A direct vote by the people on a policy/issue

Political Efficacy

The belief that one has political power in their country

Political Institution

Organizations that create and enforce laws

Judicial Review

Where the court can overturn decisions from another branch

State

A political unit with sovereign rule over a defined territory with established government and international recognition

Regime

How a state is governed in a specific period of time

Government

The people who run government as well as make and enforce policy in a country

Nation

A group of people united by shared culture, ethnicity, religion, etc.

Sovereignty

When a territory has autonomy/complete self government and rules themselves.

Revolution

A sudden change in political power due to a large uprising with popular support

Separatist Movement

An effort by a group to gain sovereignty from their current country

Legitimacy

When rulers in a nation are accepted as valid by citizens of that state

Political Stability

When a government runs smoothly without possibility of abrupt takeovers

Corruption

Abuse of trusted power for private and unlawful personal gain in government positions

Common Law

Built by judges and court cases with precedent not just written laws

Corruption Perception Index

Ranks countries based on their percieved levels of corruption

Freedom of the World Ranking

Grades nations out of 100 on how free itizens are in that country

Fragile State Index

Tracks political, country, social, and economic factors to determine the strength of the state

Gini Index

Measures how wealth is spread among people in a country

GDP

Total market value of goods and services produced in a country (per capital - per person) (growth - over time)

Human Devlopment Index

Measures a country’s progress based on life expectancy, education, and standard of living