GLST 201 VOCA Week 7

Autocracy: Political system that rejects mass participation in politics and concentrates political power in an individual or a group in order to preserve the status quo of power and maintain stability

Democracy: political system in which political power rests in the hand of the population allowing mass participation in politics in order to ensure the government best representation the interest of the people

De Facto: actual reality whether or not it is officially recognized or legitimately accomplished

• Truth contrary to claim

De Jure: legitimate claim and officially recognized

Voting: Enfranchisement important

Freedom of Speech: Informs, inclusive, and outlet for opposition

Protest: Expressional and accountability of government officials

Rule of Law: Prevents abuse and accountability

Representative Democracy: people elect representation to pass legislation

Attributes of Representative Democracy Includes…

• professional full-time position

• makes decisions in timely fashion and informed decision on policy

• susceptible to corruption

Direct Democracy: which people vote directly on legislation

Attributes of Direct Democracy Includes…

• public participation

• represents interest of the public

• requires highly engaged public

• slow to make decisions

• difficult to organize

Parliament: Democratic government which executive is chosen by legislature and is accountable to the legislature; elected by citizens

Powers of the Parliament include…

• Vote of No Confidence

• Call elections at will

• Negotiations to form coalitions to win majority

Presidential Republic: system of democratic government in which the executive and legislature are elected by citizens

Powers of the Presidential Republic include…

• Separation of power

• Regular intervals of elections

Political Parties: independent politics faction that represents ideas, economics, and policies interests to coordinate candidates for election to ensure the success of their interests

Constituents: having the power to create a government or frame or amend a constitution

Limited Democracy: system which the electorate is limited either through formal legal means of informal practice; restriction of voting is a perfect example

Soviet: limited democratic government in which workers from government committees at workplace (a soviet) and form a coalition with other soviets to create a government

Oligarchy: government which a small group of people usually privileged upper-class, exercise political power, and decision-making

Autocracy: political power concentrated in the hands of a small group/individual; rejects idea of political pluralism to maintain a strong centralized power to preserve status quo (aka authoritarianism)

Despotism: autocratic system of government which an individual holds absolute political power

Dictatorship: supreme political ruler

Monarchy: supreme political ruler who rules for life and whose title is inherited

Totalitarianism: autocratic political system that prohibits all opposition parties, expression of opposition to the state and exercise a high degree of control over public life

One-Party State: political system in which 1 political party maintains guaranteed hegemonic power over politics

Selectorate Theory: Autocratic system, regime survival is the highest priority

Rule by Law: autocratic system uses the law not as an objective rule of laws but as a means to maintain control

State Media: autocratic regimes usually have a form of state media control (state media company/private pro-regime media)

Confederation: formed as a union of independence sovereign states for a common purpose

Federation: self-govern states or regions under a common central government

Unitary State: power held by central government and delegated to local government

Fragile State: characterized by a weak government and state capacity for control, leaving citizens vulnerable to shock susceptible to crisis, and instability

Terrorism: threat or use of violence, especially against civilizations, in pursuit of political goals by instilling fear and creating uncertainty and instability

Narco-Terrorism: refers to the convergence of drug trafficking and terrorism, where drug trade profits are used to fund terrorist activities

Liberal: political and economic philosophy that government should be active in supporting social, economic, and political changes that promote greater equality and improvement in the human condition

Conservative: political and economic philosophy that government should maintain social, economic, and political relations to preserve traditions institutions, customs, and values against potentially dangerous changes

Moderate: a position not based on ideology/beliefs but intended to avoid identity positions

Communism: social, political, and economic philosophy premised on the creation of a socioeconomic order based upon common ownership of the means of production and the elimination of class distinctions

Fascism: social and political philosophy that believes that individual interest should be subordinated to the nation and that the state must ensure that survival of the nation through any means necessary

Anarchism: political philosophy that rejects all justification for political authority and seek to abolish state institutions, eliminate social hierarchies, state, and capital

Social Democracy: political philosophy that supports political democracy and electoral politics as a means to achieve economic and social equality, social justice, and a social-oriented mixed economics

Theocracy: political philosophy that particular religion and its god should be at the center of politics life and institutions and that the right to govern derives from a deity/deities

Liberaltarianism: political philosophy that rejects political authority and seeks to maximize individual political autonomy, allowing individuals to govern themselves through economic and monetary system