Comparative Government Chapter 2

State

Political institutions with international recognition that govern a population in a territory

International Recognition

A formal step taken by a state to grant official status to another state and begin treating it as a member of the global community.

Regime

A type of government, such as liberal democracy or authoritarian

Regime Change

A change in the fundamental rules and system of government

Coup d’etat

An overthrow of government by a small number of people, often military leaders

Nation

A group of people who share a sense of belonging and who often have a common language, culture, religion, race, ethnicity, political identity, or set of traditions.

Nationalism

When a group has a strong sense of identity and believes it has its own destiny

Liberal Democracy

A system with free and fair elections in which a wide array of civil rights and liberties is protected

Authoritarian State

A system without free and fair elections in which civil rights and liberties are restricted

Tolaterian State

A type of authoritarian government where the state control nearly all aspects of citizens’ lives

Illiberal, flawed, or hybrid democracy

A system in which elections may be marred by fraud and the state protects some civil rights and liberties but restricts others.

Rule by Law

Where the law is applied arbitrarily, and government official are not subject to the same rules and penalties as citizens.

Transparency

The ability of citizens to know what the government is doing

Democratization

The process of transitioning from an authoritarian to a democratic regime

Democratic consolidation

The process by which a regime has developed stable democratic institutions and significant protections of civil liberties and is unlikely to revert to authoritarianism

Democratic Backsliding

Decline in the quality of democracy, including a decrease in citizen participation, rule of law, transparency, and accountability.

Theocracy

A system based on religion

Legitimacy

The citizens’ belief that the government has the right to rule

Political Efficacy

A citizen’s belief that his or her actions can impact the government

Traditional Legitimacy

The right to rule based on a society’s long-standing patterns and practices.

Charismatic Legitimacy

The right to rule based on personal virtue, heroism, or other extraordinary characteristics

Rational-legal legitimacy

The right to rule based on an accepted set of laws

Unitary System

A political system in which the central government has sole constitutional sovereignty and power

Federal System

A political system in which a state’s power is legally and constitutionally divided among more than one level of government

Devolution

Granting of powers by the central government to regional governments