Vocab: U3 vocab 1

Civil Society: Groups and organizations outside of the government that people join voluntarily to express interests, values, or concerns (e.g., charities, clubs, or advocacy groups).

Pluralism: A system where multiple groups, interests, or ideas coexist and compete for influence, ensuring no single group dominates.

Social Cleavages: Divisions in society based on characteristics like class, religion, ethnicity, or language that influence politics and identities.

Political Cleavages: Deep divisions in a society that shape political opinions or party alignment, often based on social, economic, or cultural differences.

Coinciding (Reinforcing) Cleavages: Divisions where differences overlap and strengthen each other, creating deeper societal divisions (e.g., if religion and ethnicity align to divide groups).

Cross-Cutting Cleavages: Divisions that overlap in ways that reduce tension, where people share commonalities across different identities (e.g., people of the same religion but different political views).

Civil Rights: Protections provided by the government to ensure all people are treated equally under the law (e.g., voting rights or protection from discrimination).

Civil Liberties: Individual freedoms that protect people from government interference (e.g., freedom of speech, religion, or privacy).

EC (Electoral College): A body of representatives that formally elects the president in certain systems, like the U.S., rather than by direct popular vote.

Multinational State: A country with multiple distinct ethnic or cultural groups, each with a sense of national identity (e.g., Canada or the UK).

Transparency: The openness and accountability of governments or organizations, allowing citizens to access information about decisions and actions.

Patron-Clientelism: A system where powerful individuals (patrons) provide resources, services, or favors to supporters (clients) in exchange for loyalty or political backing.