AP®︎ Comparative Government: Unit 1 Flashcards

Systematic comparison of political systems across countries, within countries, or over time to identify patterns and draw evidence-based conclusions

Factual, observable information used to apply concepts, support generalizations, and construct arguments

Quantitative information is numerical; qualitative information is primarily nonnumerical and reveals meaning, motivation, context, or process

A characteristic that can take different values across cases or over time

A factor proposed as a possible explanation for variation in the dependent variable

The outcome a researcher seeks to explain

A third factor that may influence both variables being studied and create or alter their apparent relationship

An association between variables; positive correlation means higher values of one tend to occur with higher values of another, while negative correlation means higher values of one tend to occur with lower values of another

A relationship in which a change in one factor produces a change in another; correlation alone does not establish it

An empirical statement makes an evidence-checkable claim about what is; a normative statement makes a value judgment about what ought to be

A UN index from 0 to 1 combining life expectancy, education, and gross national income per capita; higher values indicate greater measured human development

The market value of final goods and services produced within a country during a specified period

GDP ÷ population, giving average economic output per person rather than the economy's total size

The percentage change in GDP between periods: (new GDP − previous GDP) ÷ previous GDP × 100%.

A measure of income or consumption inequality from 0 to 1 or 0 to 100; higher values indicate greater inequality

An NGO whose Freedom in the World reports score political rights and civil liberties from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater measured freedom, and classify countries as Free, Partly Free, or Not Free

An NGO whose Corruption Perceptions Index scores perceived public-sector corruption from 0 to 100; higher scores mean less perceived corruption

A Fund for Peace index from 0 to 120 measuring social, economic, political, and security pressures on states; higher scores indicate greater fragility

The laws, ideas, and procedures that determine who should rule and the proper scope of government influence over people and the economy

An enduring sovereign political organization with a permanent population, governing institutions, control over a defined territory, and international recognition

The enduring fundamental rules that determine access to political power and how that power may be exercised

The institutions or individuals legally empowered to make binding decisions for a state

A community of people connected by a perceived shared identity, history, and aspirations rather than by sovereign jurisdiction

A sovereign state whose political boundaries broadly correspond to a nation

A state's independent legal authority to govern its population and territory without being subordinate to outside governing authority

A regime in which citizens meaningfully influence government through participation, free and fair competitive elections, political rights, and institutions that hold officials accountable

A regime that concentrates political power, limits meaningful competition, and leaves rulers weakly accountable to citizens or independent institutions

The principle that publicly known laws govern officials and citizens alike through established procedures rather than arbitrary personal decisions

Elections in which voters, candidates, and parties can participate without improper coercion and rules are applied impartially with accurate vote counting and no manipulation designed to predetermine the result

Openness that lets the public determine how decisions were made, who participated, what evidence and money were used, and who is responsible

Citizen political activity that is democratic when it is autonomous, meaningful, and able to influence government or challenge and remove leaders

The division of government authority among separate branches or institutions so that no single body exercises all major powers

Accountability produced when one state institution monitors, checks, or constrains another

A regime with electoral procedures but weak civil liberties, pluralism, rule of law, and institutional restraints on elected leaders

A regime mixing democratic institutions such as elections and opposition parties with authoritarian restrictions that prevent fully meaningful competition and accountability

An authoritarian regime in which one political party monopolizes meaningful government control and prevents other parties from competing for national power

A regime in which religion grounds political authority and religious leaders or institutions exercise direct governing power

An authoritarian form that seeks control over nearly all public and private life through ideology, mobilization, propaganda, surveillance, communication control, and repression

A regime in which the military directly governs as an institution and provides the primary basis of political authority, often after a coup

The process by which an authoritarian regime moves toward a democratic regime by changing the rules governing access to and exercise of political power

The right of adult citizens generally to vote without exclusion based on sex, race, ethnicity, religion, property, or social status

Legal protections guaranteeing equal treatment and protecting people from discrimination based on characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, or sex

Fundamental freedoms from arbitrary government interference, including freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, association, and the press

A condition in which multiple candidates or parties can genuinely contest office and incumbents can realistically lose

Rules requiring a specified level of candidacy or representation for women or cultural groups that have faced persistent exclusion

An electoral system that allocates legislative seats in relation to each party’s share of the vote

The minimum share of votes a party must receive to qualify for legislative seats in a proportional system

The lines determining which voters are grouped together to elect representatives, affecting representation and political competition

The abuse of public office or public resources for private or political gain

The ability of courts to decide cases according to law without control by the executive, ruling party, military, or other powerful actors

The weakening of democratic rules and protections as a regime moves in an authoritarian direction, often through incremental policy changes

The process by which democratic election rules, separation of powers, and civil-liberty protections mature enough that authoritarian reversal is unlikely without an external shock

Agreement among major groups on fundamental democratic rules, protected rights, legal procedures, and pursuing development through accepted institutions

The ability to make others act according to one’s preferences through incentives, institutional control, or coercion

The recognized right to exercise power

Constitutions, religion, military forces, political parties, legislatures, and popular support can authorize rule or provide the legal, coercive, institutional, and public resources needed to exercise political power

The Chinese Communist Party controls the People’s Liberation Army through party leadership, providing coercive power and protecting one-party regime stability

The revolution replaced the shah’s monarchy with an Islamic Republic in which Sharia and unelected clerical institutions supervise elected institutions

Electoral reforms weakened PRI dominance, and the PAN’s 2000 presidential victory demonstrated competitive elections and peaceful party alternation

The Fourth Republic in 1999 replaced direct military rule with civilian constitutional government, multiparty elections, and popular authorization

Russia retains elections and multiple parties, but elite support for a strong presidency and rules favoring United Russia give governing authorities systematic advantages and concentrate effective power in the executive

Constitutional reforms devolved specified powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, accommodating regional demands and helping preserve regime stability

Replacement of the fundamental rules and institutions governing access to and exercise of political power

Replacement of political officeholders while the regime’s fundamental rules and institutions remain intact

Cumulative reforms that gradually transform a regime’s fundamental rules and institutions

A broad, mass-supported effort to transform the political system and create a new political order

A sudden seizure of governmental power by a small group, usually military officers or political elites; it becomes regime change only if fundamental rules and institutions are replaced

The process by which one political leader or group replaces another in office, through established procedures or an irregular transfer of power

A system constitutionally dividing authority between national and regional governments, often to provide local autonomy and accommodate regional diversity; Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia are federal

A system in which the national government holds ultimate constitutional authority and may alter or withdraw subnational powers; China, Iran, and the United Kingdom are unitary

The concentration of effective decision-making authority at the national level, regardless of a state’s formal federal or unitary classification

The movement of administrative, fiscal, or political responsibilities away from the national government

The ability of regional or local governments to make and implement decisions within their jurisdictions without excessive control by the national government

Powers constitutionally assigned exclusively to a particular level of government, often the regional governments in a federal system

An organization of multiple states to which members grant authority to make decisions or rules that may bind them

Constituents’ belief that a government has the right to rule and use power as it does; it confers authority and can increase practical power

Legitimacy derived from public consent and authorization expressed through elections, referendums, participation, mobilization, or broad acceptance of government

Legitimacy based on accepted constitutional rules that establish institutions, distribute powers, and authorize the selection and actions of officials

Legitimacy based on an institution or ruler being accepted as the continuation of long-established customs, identity, and political practice

Legitimacy based on belief that a leader has exceptional qualities, achievements, courage, or a special ability to represent the nation

Established, predictable rules through which public authority is acquired and exercised, attaching authority to offices rather than individuals

Legitimacy earned by competently providing security, order, services, infrastructure, crisis response, or other important public results

A source of legitimacy that links acceptance of a regime to the nation’s identity, unity, independence, security, or international strength

A coherent set of political ideas and values that legitimizes a regime when constituents accept its institutions as the proper expression of those principles

The belief that citizens can understand politics and influence political decisions and outcomes

A change in political leadership through established procedures without violence, with incumbents accepting the result

The transfer of decision-making authority from the central government to regional or subnational governments

The placement of responsibility or authority in lower-level institutions while the central government retains greater power to supervise or withdraw it

Devolution can increase local autonomy, responsiveness, participation, policy experimentation, and accommodation of regional or cultural differences

Devolution can produce unequal services, conflicting policies, administrative duplication, regional tension, separatism, and weaker national coordination

The extent to which electoral procedures and results are accurate, lawful, competitive, fair, and publicly credible

A political system’s capacity to preserve order, maintain authority, enforce decisions, manage conflict, and continue operating predictably

People and organizations within a state whose actions can bolster or undermine state authority, rule of law, and regime stability

Voluntary organizations and associations independent of the state through which people pursue shared interests, express demands, and hold government accountable

Collective public action intended to influence government policy, enforcement, leadership, or the political system

A movement seeking political independence or territorial separation for a region or identity group from an existing state

Investment by a person or firm from one country in productive assets or a controlling business interest located in another country

The capacity of a regime’s fundamental rules and institutions to endure over time despite leadership changes, conflict, or political challenges