POL100 Quiz 3

Contentious politics

The usually disruptive, direct, and highly conflictive ways that people advance their claims on elites, authorities, and opponents, ranging from peaceful protest to wars

Political protest

Oppositional political action that takes place outside of formal channels, seeking to make the government change its policies or the status quo

Continuum of protest

A range of political conflict starting with institutional actions (voting), moving to moderate protest (petitions), direct action (civil disobedience), and ending with violence

Petitions

A document addressed to an official, signed by numerous individuals, used to signal information to policy makers and demonstrate moral force

Boycotts

An act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons to inflict economic loss

Examples of protests

Specific historical or contemporary movements mentioned include the Anti-slavery campaign, Euromaidan (Maidan Uprising), Idle No More, and the Umbrella Movement

Free-Rider Problem

A situation where individuals enjoy the benefits of a protest (like cleaner air) without participating because they believe others will contribute the necessary time and money

Civil disobedience

The non-violent refusal to obey certain laws or demands of a government, often to arouse the conscience of the community regarding an unjust law

Guerrilla warfare

A violent form of protest involving highly mobile, lightly armed irregulars who use hit-and-run tactics and political work to take power

Terrorism

The deliberate targeting of the innocent and use of violence designed to induce fear among the population for political or ideological aims

Political Revolution

A revolution that changes rulers but does not necessarily affect the basic organization of society .

Social Revolution

A revolution that brings fundamental economic, political, and social changes to a society .

Institutional deficiencies

A factor in contentious politics where collective actions of groups challenge the status quo because formal institutions fail to address grievances

Frustration-aggression hypothesis

A theory predicting collective violence by social groups based on "relative deprivation"—the gap between what people think they deserve and what they actually get

Unitary system

A system of governance in which political power is concentrated in a central national government, making regional and local governments subordinate

Devolution

The process where a central government grants some legislative powers and administrative responsibilities to regional bodies; it is temporary and reversible

Federal system

A system in which political authority is shared between a national government and sub-units, with neither level able to abolish the other because both derive power from a constitution

Classical federalism (Dual federalism)

A relationship where federal and provincial/state governments are restricted to their own mutually exclusive domains and are supreme in their own policy areas

Cooperative federalism

A contemporary federal system where two levels of government are jointly involved in developing, financing, and administering government services

Centralization (Federal)

A federal system where the central government has more authority relative to regional governments and dominates policy and finances

Decentralization (Federal)

A federal system where regional governments have strong autonomy, control a larger share of revenue, and manage decisions with major impact

Asymmetrical federalism

A system where certain regional governments have a greater degree of self-government, legislative powers, or flexibility than other regional governments

Confederal system

A form of intergovernmentalism where sovereign states delegate specific authority to a joint government while retaining their own sovereignty and the right to withdraw

Parliamentary system

A system of government in which the head of government is chosen by the legislature and the executive is a subset of the legislative branch

Presidential system

A system with a strong separation of powers where the President is the head of the executive, is independent of the legislature, and cannot be part of the legislative branch

Separation of power

A principle where three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) have independent powers and responsibilities to provide checks and balances

Fusion of powers

A principle in parliamentary systems where the executive (PM and Cabinet) is a part or subset of the legislative branch

Brexit

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union

Majority government

A situation in a parliamentary system where one political party holds more than half the seats in the House, allowing them to pass legislative initiatives

Minority government

A situation where a political party has less than half the seats in the House and must seek support from other parties for pieces of legislation

Cabinet solidarity

The requirement that all members of the Cabinet fully support and defend the decisions and actions that the Cabinet takes

Coalition governments

A government formed when multiple political parties negotiate an agreement to govern together

Cohabitation

a situation in semi-presidential systems where the president and the prime minister (or government) are from opposing political parties, resulting in divided executive power.

Prorogation

The formal act of ending a session of parliament to reset the government’s agenda without triggering a general election

Collective responsibility

The requirement that the Cabinet will defend the actions of the government in Parliament

Cabinet Secrecy

The practice of keeping 'Cabinet confidences' (documents and briefing notes) secret for 20 years to allow ministers to talk freely

Executive order

A directive issued by a President that can direct government agencies, implement policies, or respond to emergencies without new legislation

Impeachment

A two-step process to remove a president for illegal behavior, requiring a majority vote in the House and a two-thirds majority conviction in the Senate

Vice President

Handpicked by the presidential candidate to preside over the Senate and take over the presidency if the president is unable to carry on

Presidential veto

A check on the legislative branch where the President can use veto power to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law

Political gridlock

A situation where legislation is unable to pass due to tension between a president and one or both Houses of Congress controlled by an opposing party

Congress oversight role

The monitoring and reviewing of federal departments and activities by Congress

Semi-Presidential system

A mixture of parliamentary and presidential systems where power is shared between a President, a Prime Minister, and a Cabinet

President-parliamentary

a subtype of semi-presidential government where the prime minister and cabinet are dually accountable to both the president and the parliament.

Premier-presidential

a form of semi-presidential system where a directly elected president shares executive power with a prime minister who is responsible to the legislature

Filibuster

A tactic used to prolong debate on proposed legislation to delay or prevent a vote, often called "talking a bill to death"

Cloture

A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion

International anarchy

A perspective that the international system lacks a supreme authority or "watchman" to resolve disputes between sovereign states

Realism

a theory in international relations that argues states act solely out of self-interest and the pursuit of power, security, and survival

Classical realism

A branch of realism arguing that human nature and a natural lust for power drive international conflict

Neorealism

A branch of realism arguing that the structure of the international system, rather than human nature, forces states to pursue power

Liberalism (IR)

A theory emphasizing cooperation among states, economic interdependence, and the importance of international institutions to discourage war

Feminist IR

A critique of realism that argues masculinist impulses to celebrate war obscure human costs and devalue diplomacy

Pole

The concentration of power in the international system, categorized as unipolar, bipolar, or multipolar

Second strike capability

The ability of a country to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike after being hit by an initial strike

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

A doctrine where the use of nuclear weapons against a country with second-strike capability results in complete annihilation for both sides

Classical Security Dilemma

A cycle where one state increasing its military strength leads to insecurity for others, resulting in a vicious cycle of tension and war

Fukuyama’s ‘end of history’

A theory that the end of ideological alternatives facilitates a world where future conflicts are less ideological

Collective security

A system where states pledge to intervene on behalf of members threatened by aggression

Radical Approach

An IR approach where states act in the interests of transnational economic elites, and global capitalism is seen as the cause of conflict

Constructivist Approach

An IR approach arguing that national interests are "constructed" by elites based on identities, norms, and collectively held beliefs