AP Comparative Government & Politics Key Flashcards

Appointment System of Legislators

A method where members of the legislature are chosen by appointment rather than through popular elections.

Authoritarian

A form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.

Authoritarianism

A political system in which a single ruler or a small group of individuals holds absolute power, with little or no opposition permitted.

Bicameral

A legislative body composed of two chambers or houses.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect; where one event directly leads to another.

Chinese Special Economic Zone

Specific areas within China designated to function under different economic regulations to attract foreign investment and promote trade.

Citizen Organizations

Non-governmental groups formed by citizens to pursue a shared interest or goal, often related to social or political issues.

Civil Liberties

Basic individual freedoms protected by law from government interference, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.

Civil rights

Rights that protect individuals from discrimination and ensure equal treatment under the law, regardless of race, gender, religion, etc.

Civil society

The realm of organized social life that is voluntary, self-generating, and largely autonomous from the state.

Cleavages

Divisions within society that can become the basis for political conflict, often based on factors like class, ethnicity, religion, or region.

Commander in Chief

The supreme commander of a nation's armed forces, typically the head of state or head of government.

Communism

A political and economic ideology that advocates for a classless society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the community as a whole.

Comparative Political Scientists

Scholars who study and compare political systems, institutions, and processes across different countries.

Corporatism

A system where key interest groups are formally integrated into the political process and given significant influence over policymaking.

Correlation

A relationship or pattern between two variables, where they tend to change together, but not necessarily indicating a direct cause-and-effect.

Coup d'etat

A sudden, illegal overthrow of a government by a small group, often the military.

Culture and Participation

The values, beliefs, and norms of a society regarding political activity, and the ways in which citizens engage in the political process.

Democracy

A system of government where supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

Democratization

The process of transitioning to a democratic political system.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local authorities.

Dictator

A ruler with total power over a country, typically obtained by force.

Domestic Policy

Government decisions and actions that deal with internal issues and affairs of a country.

ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

A regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa.

Economic Change

Transformations in a country's economy, such as shifts in industrial structure, technological advancements, or changes in income distribution.

Economic Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of national economies through trade, investment, and the flow of capital and labor.

Economic Liberalization

The process of reducing government intervention and regulations in the economy, often promoting free markets and privatization.

Elections

Formal procedures by which voters choose individuals to hold political office.

Empirical/ Quantitative Data

Information gathered through observation and measurement, often expressed in numerical form, used to test hypotheses and identify patterns.

Ethnic Cleavages

Divisions within a society based on ethnic identity, which can lead to political conflict.

EU (European Union)

A political and economic union of 27 member states located primarily in Europe.

Executive branch

The part of government responsible for enforcing laws and administering public policy.

fascism

A political ideology characterized by authoritarianism, nationalism, and often a cult of personality, prioritizing the state over the individual.

Federal State

A political system where power is divided between a central government and regional or state governments.

First Past the Post

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins, even if they don't have a majority.

Foreign Policy

Government decisions and actions that deal with relations with other countries.

Free-Market

An economic system where prices and production are determined by supply and demand with minimal government intervention.

Game theory

A mathematical framework for analyzing strategic interactions between rational decision-makers.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

The total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific period.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of the world in terms of economy, culture, and politics.

Head of Government

The chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often responsible for leading the administration.

Head of State

The symbolic leader of a country, who may or may not have significant political power.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.

Illiberal Democracy

A political system that holds elections but lacks many of the characteristics of a liberal democracy, such as strong protection of civil liberties and independent institutions.

IMF (International Monetary Fund)

An international organization that promotes global monetary cooperation, secures financial stability, facilitates international trade, promotes high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduces poverty around the world.

Income Inequality

The unequal distribution of income among a population.

Individualism

A political philosophy that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual.

Institutions

Established organizations, practices, and norms that shape political behavior.

Iran's Green Movement

A series of protests in Iran following the 2009 presidential election, sparked by allegations of election fraud.

Judicial branch

The part of government responsible for interpreting laws and administering justice.

Judicial Review

The power of the judiciary to review and invalidate laws and actions of the other branches of government that are deemed unconstitutional.

Lame Duck Period

The period between an election and the inauguration of the successor, when the outgoing official's power is often diminished.

Legislative Branch

The part of government responsible for making laws.

Legitimacy

The belief by citizens that a government's rule is rightful and ought to be obeyed.

Liberal Democracy

A form of government characterized by free and fair elections, protection of civil liberties, rule of law, and independent institutions.

Media

Channels of communication that disseminate information to the public, including television, radio, newspapers, and the internet.

MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta)

A militant group in Nigeria that advocates for the rights of the people in the Niger Delta region and has engaged in attacks on oil infrastructure.

Mexican PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos)

Mexico's state-owned petroleum company.

Mexican Zapatistas

A revolutionary leftist political and militant group based in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico.

Multi- member district

An electoral district that returns more than one officeholder to a representative body.

Multi-Party System

A political system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government offices, separately or in coalition.

Nationalism

A strong identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, often to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.

Neoliberalism

A political and economic philosophy that favors free markets, deregulation, privatization, and reduced government spending.

Nigerian Boko Haram

An Islamist terrorist group based in northeastern Nigeria, also active in Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.

One Party Dominance

A political system where one political party consistently holds a large majority of seats in the legislature and effectively controls the government.

One Party System

A political system in which only one political party is legally allowed to form the government.

Parliamentary

A system of government where the executive branch is derived from and accountable to the legislative branch.

Pluralist System

A political system where power is dispersed among many different groups and individuals, with no single group dominating.

Political culture

The shared values, beliefs, and norms of a society regarding politics and government.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation matters and can influence the political system.

Political legitimacy

The widespread belief among citizens that a government's rule is rightful and ought to be obeyed.

Political participation

The various activities by which citizens influence or attempt to influence government.

Political socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs, attitudes, and values.

Political Systems

The set of formal and informal political institutions, processes, and behaviors within a state.

populism

A political approach that appeals to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.

Presidential

A system of government where the head of government is also the head of state and is elected independently of the legislature.

Prime Minister

The head of government in a parliamentary system.

Proportional representation

An electoral system where the distribution of seats in the legislature corresponds to the proportion of votes received by each political party.

Qualitative Data/ Method

Non-numerical information gathered through methods like interviews, observations, and textual analysis, used to understand the meanings and experiences of individuals or groups.

Quantitative Data

Numerical information gathered through methods like surveys and experiments, used to measure and analyze political phenomena.

referendums

A direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal or law.

Rentier States

States that derive a significant portion of their national revenue from renting out natural resources to external clients, rather than from taxation of their own citizens.

Rule by Law

The principle that government officials must follow the law, but the law itself may not be just or applied equally.

Rule of Law

The principle that all individuals and institutions, including the government, are subject to and accountable under the law, which is applied fairly and equally.

Semi-Presidential

A political system where there is both a popularly elected president (head of state) and a prime minister (head of government) who is accountable to the legislature.

Single Member District

An electoral district that returns only one officeholder to a representative body.

Snap Election

An election called earlier than expected, typically to capitalize on a favorable political climate.

Social welfare state

A government that provides a wide range of social services, such as healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits, to its citizens.

Socialism

A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Sovereignty

The supreme authority of a state within its territory and over its population.

Supranational Organizations

Organizations whose power transcends the borders of national states, such as the European Union.

Theocracy

A system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

Theocractic Government

A government whose rule is based on religious law or divine guidance.

Unicameral

A legislative body composed of a single chamber or house.

Unitary State

A political system where power is concentrated in the central government.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural areas.

World Bank

An international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.

WTO (World Trade Organization)

An international organization that regulates and facilitates international trade.