Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
AP com gov final
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| executive branch | the branch of government that carries out laws |
| bureaucracy | a large set of unelected officials who implement the laws |
| legislature | A group of lawmakers that passes laws and represents citizens |
| judiciary | the system of courts that interprets the law and applies it to individual cases |
| parliamentary system | system in which the executive and legislature are fused |
| coalition government | When two or more parties join together to form a majority and select a prime minister |
| member of parliament (MP) | a representative in the legislature elected by citizens |
| vote of no confidence | a vote by parliament to remove a government (prime minister and cabinet) from power |
| presidential system | A system in which the executive and legislature are elected independently and have separate and independent powers. |
| separation of powers | a division of power among the major branches of government |
| divided government | when one or both houses of the legislature are controlled by a political party other than the party of the president |
| semi-presidential system | a system that divides executive power between a directly elected president and a prime minister |
| legislative oversight | power of the legislature to hold cabinet officials and members of the bureaucracy accountable for their actions and policies |
| common law | a system of law based on precedent and customs |
| code law | a written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government |
| judicial independence | ability of judges to decide cases according to the law, free of interference from politically powerful officials or other institutions |
| civil-service system | method of staffing the bureaucracy based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications, rather than patronage. |
| welfare state | government programs to benefit the health and well-being of citizens |
| parliamentary sovereignty | the principle that parliment's power is supreme and extends over all aspects of the state |
| monarch | a hereditary ruler who serves for life |
| house of commons | directly elected lower house of parliament, which holds most of the policymaking power |
| house of lords | the unelected upper house of Parliament, which has the power to suggest amendments to bills and delay legislation |
| supreme court | a high court, in the UK, it cannot overturn acts of Parliament but has the authority to protect civil rights and liberties and rule on cases involving devolution |
| first past the post | candidate with the most votes wins the seat in a legislative district |
| unicameral vs bicameral legislature | Unicameral - has one house of legislature that makes all of the decisions Bicameral - has two different houses of legislature that are able to make decisions and keep each other in check |
| China | semi-presidential, code law, no judicial review, unitary, unicameral, rule by law |
| Iran | semi-presidential, code law, yes judicial review, unitary, unicameral, rule by law |
| Mexico | presidential, code law, yes judicial review, federal, bicameral, rule of law |
| Nigeria | presidential, common law, yes judicial review, federal, bicameral, rule of law |
| Russia | semi-presidential, code law, yes judicial review, unitary, bicameral, |
| United Kingdom | parliamentary, common law, no judicial review, unitary, bicameral, rule of law |
| rule of law | law applies to everyone |
| rule by law | law applies only to certain people |
| correlation vs causation | causation is when a change in one variable causes a change in another, while correlation is an apparent connection between variables |
| empirical vs normative statement | an empirical statement is a fact that can be proven while a normative statement is an opinion |
| quantitative vs qualitative data | *quantitative* "hard data" is most common and easily understood: useful in telling what people think *qualitative* "soft data" that is a descriptive record of participants' observations: useful in explaining the why to the what |
| human development index (HDI) | Indicator of level of development for each country, constructed by United Nations, combining income, literacy, education, and life expectancy (0-1 where 1 is good) |
| gross domestic product (GDP) | A measurement of the total goods and services produced within a country (countries ranked against each other) |
| GDP per capita | GDP divided by population |
| GDP growth rate | annual percentage change in the value of real GDP |
| gini index (coefficient) | shows the distribution of income within a country (0-1 where 0 is equality) |
| freedom house | A nongovernmental organization that advocates for democracy and human rights and measures freedom around the world (political rights = 1-40 and civil liberties = 1-60 where a higher score is better) |
| democratic consolidation | the process by which a regime has developed stable democratic institutions and significant protections of civil liberties and is unlikely to revert to authoritarianism |
| devolution vs decentralization | in devolution, the central government gives power to local governments, allowing them to make their own decisions. Decentralization is a broader concept [t that also distributes central power to local governments but it can be limited to certain tasks. |
| corruption perceptions index | A measure of how corrupt a system is believed to be (0-100, where 100 is a good score) |
| strong state | A state that is capable of providing necessary government services to its citizens |
| failed state | A state that has lost control over all or part of its territory |
| fragile states index | A measure of state strength, highlighting concerns about fragile and failed states (countries ranked against each other) |
| state | political institutions with internal recognition that govern a population in a territory |
| government | The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies |
| bureaucracy | a set of appointed officials and the government workers who carry out policies |
| internal vs external sovereignty | Internal sovereignty means supreme authority within one's territory, while external sovereignty relates to the recognition on the part of all states that each possesses this power in equal measure |
| regime | type of government |
| coup d'etat | A sudden overthrow of the government by a small group, typically military power |
| nation | a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity |
| liberal democracy | A system with free and fair elections in which a wide array of civil rights and liberties is protected |
| authoritarian state | A system without free and fair elections in which civil rights and liberties are restricted |
| totalitarian state | A type of authoritarian government where the state controls nearly all aspects of citizens' lives |
| illiberal, flawed, or hybrid democracy | a system in which elections may be marred by fraud and the state protects some civil rights and liberties but restricts others |
| rule of law vs rule by law | The Rule of Law is supposed to lift law above politics. The idea is that the law should stand above every powerful person and agency in the land. Rule by law, in contrast, connotes the instrumental use of law as a tool of political power. |
| transparency | ability of citizens to know what the government is doing |
| democratization | the process of creating a government elected by the people |
| democratic backsliding | Decline in the quality of democracy, including a decrease in citizen participation, rule of law, transparency, and accountability. |
| power | the ability to make someone do something they would not otherwise do |
| authority | the legitimate power a state has over people within its territory |
| theocracy | a system based on religious rule |
| coercion | use of force to get someone to obey |
| Legitimacy | The citizens' belief that the government has the right to rule |
| political efficacy | The belief that one's political participation makes a difference. |
| traditional legitimacy | the right to rule based on a society's long-standing patterns and practices |
| charismatic legitimacy | the right to rule based on personal virtue, heroism, sanctity, or other extraordinary characteristics |
| rational-legal legitimacy | the right to rule based on an accepted set of laws |
| unitary system | A political system in which the central government has sole constitutional sovereignty and power |
| federal system | A political structure in which a state's power is legally and constitutionally divided among more than one level of government |
| devolution | the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states |
| mexican executive branch | headed by President. The current president is Claudia Sheinbaum of the Morena party, and is the first woman to hold the position. All presidents serve one 6 year term |
| mexican legislative branch | bicameral body composed of the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies. They create laws, approve national budgets, and oversee the actions of executive and judicial branches. |
| mexican judicial branch | utlilize legislature to resolve conflicts. Through institutions like the Supreme Court, it exercises authority in all areas of law and adjudicates cases involving federal laws, treaties, individual rights, and matters of public concern. |
Created by:
lreynal