APCOMPGOV_Midterm Vocab Review_FLOOD

Comparative Politics: the study and comparison of domestic politics across countries

Political Institutions: organizations and structures that have an impact on a nation that create, enforce, and apply laws

Types of Political Systems: communist, democracy, republic, monarchy, authoritarian

Political Regime: an institution with established legal and geographic limits, bound by explicit rules that are agreed upon by governments

Courts: uphold the law and guarantee protections to the populace, per any governing documents and structures

Political Parties: dictate and direct policy into legislation

Union/Labor Organizations: collectively represent large portions of the population based on common interests and needs

Government: the leadership that runs the state

Primordial Individualism: the need to survive based on instincts

Modernization Theory: a theory stating that as societies developed, they would become capitalist democracies

Formal institutions: institutions that are based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear

Informal Institutions: have unwritten and unofficial rules

State: the organization that maintains a monopoly of force over a territory, a set of political institutions that generates and executes policy regarding freedom and equality

Nation: A group of people with common identifiers and/or beliefs. Examples: religious groups, fan bases of sports teams, speakers of a language

Human Development Index: a statistical tool that attempts to evaluate the overall health, wealth, and knowledge of a country’s people, a number between 0-1, 1 is the highest you can have and the best

Regime: the fundamental rules and norms of politics that guide the state regarding individual freedom and collective equality, where power should reside, and how power should be used

Democratic Regime: the rules and norms of politics give the public a large role in governance

Nondemocratic regime: limits public participation and favors those in power

Sovereignty: the ability of a state to carry out actions and policies within a territory independently of external actors and internal rivals

Failing state: a state that has difficulty fulfilling basic tasks such as defending territory, making, and enforcing rules, collecting taxes and managing the economy

Democratization: the transformation process from a nondemocratic regime to a procedural democracy to a substantive democracy

Constitution: a set of rules and principles established on principles or precedents that a state must abide by

Political Party: Parties primarily serve as linkage institutions between voters and policymakers, Pick Candidates, Run, Campaigns, Give Cues to Voters, Articulate Policies, Coordinate Policymaking

Modern State: a state in which power and authority are centralized and exercised by an independent administration organization over a clearly defined territory.

Legitimacy: Being recognized as right, proper, and necessary, confers authority and power

Traditional Legitimacy: the idea that someone of something is valued because it has “always been that way”, viewed as part of the historical identity of the people themselves, ex. Royal family

Charismatic Legitimacy: based on the power of ideas or beliefs and the people who present them, not institutionalized, ex. Hitler

Rational-Legal legitimacy: based on a system of laws and procedures that are pressured to be neutral or rational, ex. Elected Congresspeople

Unitary state: power is concentrated and the national level and local authority is limited, ex. China

Federalism: a system in which significant powers such as taxation, lawmaking and security are devolved to regional bodies, and are defined in the national constitution and cannot be easily constricted or eliminated by any government, ex. Germany, USA

Asymmetrical Federalism: where power is dived unevenly between regional bodies, more likely in a country with significant ethnic divisions

Autonomy: the ability of the state to wield its power independently of the public or international actors

Capacity: the ability of a state to wield power in order to carry out the basic tasks of providing security and reconciling freedom and equality

Fragile State Index: highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are outweighing a states' capacity to manage those pressures. 0-120 120 being full failed

State: the organization that maintains a monopoly of force over a territory, the primary authority over its territory and the people who live there

Corruption Perception Index (CPI): A ranking of nations based on perceived levels of government corruption, based on experts in the field of government study, measured annually, shows the prevalence of corruption, citizens’ experiences, and citizens attitude towards corruption and their government, 0-highly corrupt, 100- no corruption

Transparency: A government that acts in full disclosure of its actions and accountability to the people

Rule of Law: supports the quality of all citizens before the law, prevents an arbitrary use of power

Rule By Law: Government authority and power is above the law, not subject to the law; authority to create and amend law as needed/convenient, having an adverse effect on freedom and equality

Political Efficacy

Devolution: tendency towards decentralization, where power is sent down to local governments

Clientelism: the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an implicit or explicit quid-pro-quo.

Bureaucracy: About 1.5 million people employed by federal government (Most in Mexico City), High & Middle level officials have a good deal of power, Under PRI corruption and bribes quite common amongst officials in the bureaucracy

Populism: revolutions of 19th and 20th century had a significant peasant base; led by charismatic leaders that called for more rights for ordinary Mexicans, particularly indigenous citizens. The Zapatista movement reflects this tradition

Sexenio: non-renewable six-year term (Under PRI similar to dictator), Selected successor, appointed officials to all positions of power in the government, Named PRI candidates for other public offices

Presidential System: directly elected by the public for a fixed term and has control over the cabinet and the legislative process. The positions of head of state and head of government are typically fused in the presidency.

Corruption Perception Index: A ranking of nations based on perceived levels of government corruption, based on experts in the field of government study, Measured annually, Prevalence of corruption, citizens’ experiences, and citizens’ attitude towards corruption and their government

Patron-client system: Relationships in which powerful government officials deliver state services and access to power in exchange for political support

Import Substitution Industrialization: Political-economic model followed during the authoritarian regime of the PRI, in which the domestic economy was protected by high tariffs in order to promote industrial growth

Single Member District: An electoral district with one seat

Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI): Political party that emerged from the Mexican revolution to preside over an authoritarian regime that lasted until 2000

Multi-party system: of or involving several political parties.

Cartels: Mexico’s government maintains an abstract relationship with cartels.

While the cartels are internationally known for crime, mistreatment of individuals, and illegal trade, in Mexico they fill the void of local level government

Parastatals: semiautonomous government agencies that often produce goods & services, PEMEX

Republic: Indirect democracy that emphasizes the separation of powers within a state and the representation of the public through elected officials

Political Parties: linkage institutions between voters and policymakers that pick candiates, run campaigns, give cues to voters, articulate policies, coordinate policymaking

Two-party system: One party is always in majority and guides policy, while the opposition seeks to promote its on agenda and policy stances

Multi-party system: No one party is likely to maintain a true majority, but rather a plurality. Policy and agenda are generally set by a coalition between different parties and policy groups

Electorate

Electoral System: the determination of how voting is used to select leadership

Plurality(First Past the Post): winner takes all

Majority: win 50 percent plus

Proportional: seats delegated based on percentage of the population

Ranked Choice Voting: ranking the candidates, a certain number are selected or advance to another round of voting

Mixed Member District: one vote for a person, another for a party

Referenda: a vote submitted to the people/voting population for direct decision making

Mixed Electoral System: An electoral system that uses a combination of single-member districts and proportional representation

Civil Rights: equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law – regardless of race, religion, or other personal beliefs and practices

Civil Liberties: guarantees and freedoms the government cannot abridge either by legislation or judicial interpretation

Political Institutions

European Union: The purpose of the EU is for its members to work together for advantages that would be out of their reach if each were working alone, the EU believes that when countries work together they are a more powerful force in the world because they involve: more money, more people, And more land areas; This helps make small countries more competitive in the world market; Members may use a common currency (euro) that makes trade easier

EU works to improve trade, education, farming, & industry among its members

1. No tariffs (taxes) among member countries – free trade zone

2. Citizens of one country can move freely to another country

3. Citizens can live and work in any other EU nation

4. Citizens can vote in local elections even if they aren’t citizens of the country; A single and unified market for goods and services around the EU; Freedom of movement for all EU citizens as part of the Schengen Area; The establishment of the euro zone- a single currency shared by 19 Member States of the EU; Largest supplier of development and humanitarian aid programs in the world.

Modernization Theory: A theory asserting that as societies developed, they would take on a set of common characteristics, including democracy and capitalism

Modern: Characterized as secular, rational, materialistic, technological, and bureaucratic, and placing a greater emphasis on individual freedom than in the past

Gross Domestic Product: The total value of goods and services produced in a state’s economy, based on consumer spend

Culture: ‘Way of life’ and ‘attitudes towards societal circumstances and practices’

Citizenship: An individual’s relationship to the state, wherein citizens swear allegiance to that state and the state in return is obligated to provide rights to those citizens

Nationalism: Widespread belief in a national community based on the premise that the individual's loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpasses other individual or group interests; It’s the religion of a people worshipping itself.

Weber’s test of nation-ness: “…that one may exact from certain groups of men a specific sentiment of solidarity in the face of other groups”

Political Attitudes: liberalism, radicalism, reactionaries, conservatism

Political Ideologies: social democracy, communism, anarchism, fascism, liberal democracy

Agents of Socialization: The agents that have a significant impact on citizens’ political socialization; Primary Agents: Parents and families (#1 influence!) Schools, Religious Organizations

Political Culture: It stands for the basic attitudes of people towards politics,

policy and polity.

Political Economy: The study of the interaction between states and markets

Gini Coefficient: An equality diagonal represents perfect equality: at every point, cumulative population equals cumulative income; The Lorenz curve measures the actual distribution of income.

Political Efficacy: The belief that people can influence/change their government.

Inequality (economic and political): the quality of being unequal or uneven: as a: lack of evenness b : social disparity c : disparity of distribution or opportunity d : the condition of being variable : changeableness

Happiness Index: defined by Standard of Living, Easterlin Paradox, Freedom and Equality, Life Satisfaction, Regime Type, System of Government

Liberalism: A. Focus: states B. Nature of economic relations: conflictual (zero-sum game) C. Relationship between economics and politics: politics drives economics, triumph of markets; good for economic welfare

Structuralism: Marxism, historical materialism, A. Focus: classes, social forces, B. Nature of economic relations: conflictual (zero-sum game), Relationship between economics and politics: economics drives politics, triumph of markets; bad for poorer states and disadvantaged classes

Realism: statism, economic nationalism, mercantilism, welfare, product of state policy; bad for power of states

Economic Liberalization: Cutting Taxes, Reducing Regulations, Privatization, Expanded Property Rights

Globalization: a broadening, deepening, and acceleration of interconnectedness of states and markets; networks of connections at intercontinental distances

Multinational Corporations: Firm that produces, distributes, and markets its goods or services in more than one country

Terrorism: The use of violence by nonstate actors against civilians in order to achieve a political goal

Political Violence: Violence outside of state control that is politically motivated

Magna Carta (1215) : charter of English liberties granted by king john under threat of civil war, declared the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law, documented the liberties held by free men

English Civil War (1642-46): fighting that took place in the British Isles between supporters of the monarchy of Charles I and opposing groups including Parliamentarians in England, and others in Ireland and Scotland

Glorious Revolution (1688): stemmed from religious and politics conflicts, the catholic king was at odds with non-Catholic population, prominent Englishmen invaded England and protestants royals were put into power

Act of Union (1707): put England and Scotland under the name of Great Britain, because Scotland needed economic security and England needed political safeguards against French attacks and a Jacobite restoration

Monarchy: head of state, constitutional monarchy, divine right to rule, king or queen

Parliament: bicameral legislature of the United Kingdom, consists of the sovereign, House of Lords, and House of commons, check and challenge the work of the government, pass laws, debate, check government spending

Head of State: monarch, no real political power, no affiliation with a political party, reigns but does not rule

Head of Government: Prime Minister, picks the cabinet, well-disciplined party whip, winning elections, campaigning through media, political patronage, making and balancing policies

Prime Minister: Head of Majority party in the House of commons, take questions once weekly, direct cabinet activity

Plurality: when a candidate receives more votes than any other but does not receive an absolute majority

House of Lords: made up of inherited seats, church of England bishops, and law lords, limited power, amend legislation from HOC, but they can easily override, delay legislation (financial thirty days, other two years), debate topics that are two controversial for MPs

Political Patronage: PM power to appoint and dismiss government ministers, spoils system

House of Commons: support their party, assess the political reputations of other MPs to be cabinet ministers, share the problems they see with policy outside of chambers, must look like you are a party loyalist at all times, can check the PM with a vote of no confidence, government oversight, vote on legislation proposed by the government

Brexit: the name given to the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU, referendum vote in 2016 that voted to leave by a narrow majority, left the trading bloc in 2020, freedom to work and live between the EU and the UK ends, UK can set its own trade policy and negotiate deals with other countries, Northern Ireland will continue to abide by EU rules

Coalition: a government formed jointly by more than one political party, political parties cooperate to form a majority and form a government

Direct Vote: people vote directly on the candidate, no third party intermediary like an electoral college

First Past the Post: win the most amount of votes out of all the candidates, plurality

Semi-presidential: where the constitution includes both a popularly elected president and a PM and cabinet accountable to the parliament

Prebendalism: the appropriation of state offices, by elected officials and government workers, and the diversion of their resources to serve themselves, their cronies, and their ethnic and identity groups

Patrimonialism: a form of political organization in which authority is based on the personal power of a ruler who can extend personal grace and favors at the expense of traditional limitations on the exercise of authority

State Corporatism: a political system in which the state requires all members of a particular economic sector to join an officially designated interest group, Allows political input from selected interest groups (para-statals in Nigeria)

National Assembly: bicameral legislature with a Senate and House of Representatives, established in 1999, under the current constitution, which is the federal republic of Nigeria, Representatives and senators serve 4 year renewable terms – elections held week before presidential election,109 – 3 from 36 states and 1 from Abuja – by popular vote, House of Representatives, 360 members – single member districts by plurality votes, Has one of lowest female representation in legislature in the world, Under military governments had almost no power, Under civilian control only a bit better, 1999 President of Senate and Speaker of House removed for perjury and forgery, 2000 Senate president removed for kickbacks, 2011 Speaker of House investigated from misappropriating $140 million, Constitution says that all revenues are supposed to be overseen by National Assembly but the president gets oil revenues first and uses it as he wants

Autonomy: the degree to which a state can implement policies independent of the populace or the amount of sovereignty a nation-state can exercise in the global environment

Interest Groups: any organization that seeks to influence government policy making to better serve the self-perceived wants and needs of its members

Free Press: term for an uninhibited institution that places an additional check on government to maintain honesty, ethics, and transparency

Mass Media: modes of mass communication whereby information, opinion, advocacy, propaganda, advertising, artwork, entertainment, and other forms of expression are conveyed to a very large audience, Has well-developed, independent press, Press reflects ethnic divisions within the country, Outspoken papers are in the south, Generals from north have often interpreted criticism of the press as ethnic slurs reflective of region-based stereotypes, Radio is main source of information with newspapers and TV more common in cities, 36 states all run own radio stations

Military Coup: an illegal and overt attempt by a military organisation or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership by force, 1966 assassination of Prime Minister Tafawa Belawa, and other leaders, Nigerian Civil War (1966-1970)

Boko Haram: an Islamic extremist group originated from northeastern Nigeria; also active in Chad, Niger and Cameroon, began a military campaign to impose Islamist rule in northern Nigeria in 2009, has killed 20,000 and displaced 2.3 million from their homes and was ranked as the world's deadliest terror group by the Global Terrorism Index in 2015, seeks the establishment of an Islamic state in Nigeria. It opposes the Westernization of Nigerian society and the concentration of the wealth of the country among members of a small political elite, mainly in the Christian south of the country.

ECOWAS: Major actor in creation of ECOWAS in 1975, Largest contributor of troops to W. African peacekeeping force of ECOWAS

Crown Colony Constitution: 1914 Constitution that hands power to the Governor-General and the appointed Executive Council

Richards Constitution: 1946 Constitution that establishes and an expanded legislative council

Macpherson Constitution: 1950 Constitution that allowed for regional autonomy and federal union, with the inability of federal legislature to overrule local/regional ordinances

1960: Independence Year, Queen Elizabeth is the head of state Nnamdi Azikiwe is Governor-General

First Republic of Nigeria: 1963, federalist republic, removes Queen as head of state, and Azikiwe is the first president

Second Republic of Nigeria: 1979, adopts an American president system of direct elections, political parties had to be registered in at least 2/3 of the states, the Federal executive Council (the Cabinet) had to have at least one representative from each state

Third Republic of Nigeria: 1993, return to democratic rule, after (1983-1999) years of a military controlled government but it was never fully put into place

Fourth Republic of Nigeria: the 1999 complete return of democratic rule