Edexcel A Level Politics: USA (Comparative Politics)

• SNP has 48 MPs, DUP has 8 MPs, Sinn Fein has 7 MPs, Plaid Cymru has 4 MPs, Green Party has 1 MP, SDLP has 1 MP, Alliance Party has 1 MP, and UKIP has no MPs.
• Labour has 201 MPs, while the Liberal Democrats have 49 MPs.
• There are currently 650 constituencies in the House of Commons, but this number may change due to boundary changes.
• UKIP did not win any seats but received 1.9% of the vote share.
• Group differentiated rights

  Rights that belong to a group, in contrast to a right held by individuals, includes self government rights, polyethnic rights and representation rights.
• Gridlock

  A situation in US politics where the president and congress are equally powerful, constantly preventing each other from acting, resulting in difficulty in passing legislation.

  
• Great power


  State that is recognized as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale.
• government department


  A part of the executive, usually with specific responsibility over an area such as education, health or defence.

  
• Government

  From an anarchist perspective, government is a particular system of rule, from monarchy monarchism to dictatorship to liberal democracy based on deceit and violence.

  
• Governing competency


  The perceived ability of the governing party in office to manage the affairs of the state well and effectively. It can also be a potential view of opposition parties and their perceived governing competency if they were to secure office.

  
• Gender Steoreotypes


  The different way society expects men and women to behave according to traditional gender roles.
• gender equality


  The idea that society should treat everyone the same, irrespective of their gender.

  
• Fraternity


  The bonds of comradeship between human beings.

  
• Franchise/suffrage


  Franchise and suffrage both refer to the ability/right to vote in public elections. Suffragettes were women campaigning for the right to vote on the same terms as men.

  
• Foundational equality


  Rights that all humans have by virtue of being born which cannot be taken away (also known as natural rights and inalienable rights).

  
• Formal Equality


  The idea that all individuals have the same legal and political rights in society.

  
• first-past-the-post (FPTP)


  An electoral system where the person with the most number of votes is elected. Victory is achieved by having one more vote than other contenders - it is also called a plurality system.

  
• Filibuster


  When a US Senator gives a prolonged speech on the floor of the Senate in order to obstruct legislative progress of a bill or confirmation of appointments to the executive or judiciary.

  
• Federalism


  Legal and political structures where power is distributed between two distinct levels of government on the basis that neither is subordinate to the other; the US system in which sovereignty is shared between a central government (federal government) and the individual states, with each having their own specific rights

  
• failed state


  A state that is unable to operate as a widely viable political unit.

  
• Factions


  The groups (factions) that make up a political parties-ideological wings, particular age and occupation groups, citizens concerned about particular issues-are now a feature of modern politics.

  
• Exclusive nationalism


  A form of nationalism that believes that it takes time to be a part of the nation, as membership is based on shared history and language.
• executive orders


  A direction to the federal bureaucracy on how the president would like a piece of legislation to be implemented.

  
• Executive Branch


  the executive branch, headed by the US president, is one of the three branches of the US government;the other two are the legislative branch (headed by congress) and the judiciary (headed by the supreme court).

  
• executive


  the collective group of prime minister, cabinet and junior ministers sometimes known as 'the government'.
• Evolutionary Socialism


  A parliamentary route, which would deliver a long-term, radical transformation in a gradual, piecemeal way through legal and peaceful means, via the state.
• Ethnicity


  A form of nationalism based on the belief that a nation has a shared cultural heritage and ancestry.

  
• Essentialism


  The belief that biological factors are significant in the different character and behavior of men and women.
• Equality of opportunity


  The idea that all humans irrespective of sex, should have an equal opportunity to succeed on society.

  
• Equality and difference feminism


  Feminists who argue that men and women are fundamentally different from one another.
• enumerated powers


  Such powers are stated explicitly in the US Constitution- for example article I, Section 8 provides a list of congressional powers.

  
• entrechment


  A system by which the US Constitution is protected from change by law;in this case by the amendment process of article V.
• Enabling state


  A larger state that helps individuals to achieve their potential and be free.

  
• Empiricism


  The idea that knowledge comes from actual experience and not from abstract theories.

  
• Emerging power


  A state that is considered to be rising, primarily in economic power and influence
• Electoral mandate


  the permission granted to a political leader or winning party by the constituency to govern and act on their behalf e.g. to President Obama in 2008 and 2012. the mandate is more or less in effect for as long as the government is in power.

  
• Elective dictatorship


  A government that dominates Parliament, usually due to a large majority, and therefore has few limits on its power.

  
• Egotistical individualism


  The idea that individual freedom is associated with self-interest and self-reliance

  
• Domestic politics


  Issues within the US that directly concern citizens, e.g. health care, gun control and racial issues

  
• divided government


  When the US House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency are not all controlled by one party.