general

• Common Law


  Based on tradition, past practices, and legal precedents set by the courts through interpretations of statutes, legal legislation, and past rulings
• Code Law


  Based on comprehensive system of written rules of law divided into commercial, civil, and criminal codes.
• Illiberal/Procedural Democracies


  Countries with democratic procedures that have significant restrictions on them.
• Informal Politics


  Takes into consideration both the ways that politicians operate outside their formal powers, and the impact that beliefs, values and actions of ordinary citizens have on policy making
• Legitimacy


  Right to rule, as determined by their own citizens. Traditional, Charismatic, Rational-legal.
• Liberal/Substantive Democracies


  Competitive elections. civil liberties, rule of law, neutrality of judiciary, open civil society, civilian control of the military.
• Bicameral/Unicameral Legislatures


  Bi: 2 house. (1 house repre. regional gov'ts and local interests: upper; Other house determined by pop -> direct dem link to votes. lower)

  *disperses power by requiring both houses to approve legislation

  Uni: 1 house. (All power centralized in one place
• Bureaucracy


  Agencies that implement gov't policy: generally part of executive branch.

  1. Hierarchical authority structure

  2. Task specialization

  3. Extensive rules

  4. Clear goals

  5. Merit principle

  6. Impersonality
• Cabinet


  Most important collective decision making body in a parliamentary system. Ministers head all major departments into which the executive branch divided; led by PM.
• Civil Society


  Voluntary organizations outside of the state that help people define and advance their own interests.
• Coinciding Cleavages


  Explosive when every dispute aligns the same groups against each other
• Cross Cutting Cleavages


  Divide society into many potential groups that may conflict on one issue but cooperate on another. More moderate social conflict.
• Corporatism


  Arrangement in which government officials interact with people/groups outside the gov't before they set policy. Outside contacts include business/labour leaders or heads of patron-client systems.

  State - : state determines which groups are brought in

  Societal - (neocorporatism) : interest groups take lead and dominate state.
• Devolution


  Turning over of some political powers to regional governments.
• Electoral Systems


  Rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.
• Federal System


  Power divided between central gov't and subunits; regional bodies have significant powers (ie: taxation, lawmaking, keeping order)
• Unitary System


  All policymaking powers concentrated in one central geographic place; central gov't responsible for most policy areas
• Confederation


  Power spread among many subunits (ie. states); weak central gov't
• Plurality System


  Winner needs more votes than other candidates (does not need "majority"): votes are cast for individuals (Result could be a two-party system)
• Initiative


  vote on a policy that is initiated by the people
• Interest Group Pluralism


  Pattern in which autonomous interest groups compete with each other and with the government for influence over state policies.
• Judicial Review


  Mechanism allows courts to review laws and executive actions for their constitutionality.
• Linkage Institutions


  Groups that connect the government to its citizens: ie) political parties, interest groups, print and electronic media.
• Mixed Electoral System


  Combination of FPTP and PR: votes are cast for both individuals and for parties; some seats filled by winners in plurality races, others filled by party. (results in an in-between number of parties)
• Multi-member districts


  More than one legislative seat is contested in each district. Result of proportional representation.
• Single Member Districts


  Candidates compete for a single representative's seat. Result of plurality system (FPTP) Single Member District Plurality (SMDP)
• Multiparty system


  Consisting of multiple political parties that compete to win elections. Associated with proportional representation system.
• Two Party System


  Consisting of two major political parties that compete to win national elections. Associated with plurality system
• Parliamentary System


  Legislature makes laws, controls finances, appoints and dismisses the PM and the cabinet, debates public issues. Separation between head of state and head of gov't. No separation of powers
• Presidential System


  Roles of head of gov't & state combined into President who is directly elected by voters. Checks and balances; separation of powers. Gridlock is a common problem.
• Semi-presidential System


  PM coexists with Pres.
• Patron Client System


  Systems that provide reciprocal favours and services to their supporters.
• Plebiscite


  Ballot to consult public opinion in a nonbinding way.
• Pluralism


  Situation in which power is split among many groups that compete for the chance to influence the gov'ts decision making. Spontaneous formation of interest groups; voluntary dialogue b/t interest groups and state, groups remaining autonomous.
• Political Culture


  Collection of political beliefs, values, practices, and institutions that the gov't is based upon. Gov't reflects societal values in its structure and operation; necessary to remain viable.

  Consensual: accepts both legitimacy of regime and solutions to major probs.

  Conflictual: citizens often divided on both regime legitimacy and solutions to major probs.
• Political Efficacy


  Citizen's capacity to understand and influence political events.

  High level: believe gov't takes input seriously and cares about their say; believe in own abilities to understand pol.issues, participate in solving problems.

  Lacking: no importance in voting, attempt to ignore gov'ts efforts to enforce laws.
• Political Elites


  Leaders who have a disproportionate share of policy making power.
• Political Ideologies


  Sets of political values held by individuals regarding the basic goals of gov'ts and politics.
• Political Socialization


  The way that citizens learn about politics in their country. Media, gov't efforts, civic education etc.
• Proportional Representation


  Votes cast for a party; % of votes received by a party determines the amount of seats the party will gain. (results in multiparty system)