AP®︎ Comparative Government Unit 1: Notes & Study Guide
Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with a comprehensive review on Unit 1 of AP Comparative Government – Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments.
Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments
This unit introduces students to the comparative method and the tools political scientists use to study different political systems, including regime types, sources of power and legitimacy, and the distinction between democratic and authoritarian governance.
Begin with Topic 1.1: The Practice of Political...To review Unit 1, go through each of the 10 topics below.
Everything you actually need to know for your Unit 1 test, pulled directly from the AP® Comparative Government & Politics curriculum.
The Practice of Political Scientists
The Practice of Political Scientists
- How Comparative Political Scientists Build Knowledge
- Types of Evidence and How to Read Them
- Empirical vs Normative and Correlation vs Causation
Defining Political Organizations
Defining Political Organizations
- What Political Organizations Are
- State, Sovereignty, Regime, Government, and Nation
- How to Tell What Changed
Democracy vs. Authoritarianism
Democracy vs. Authoritarianism
- What Democracy and Authoritarianism Are
- Indicators of How Democratic or Authoritarian a Regime Is
- How the Indicators Work Together
Democratization
Democratization
- What Democratization Is
- The Main Goals of Democratization
- Electoral Rules That Can Advance or Block Democratization
Sources of Power and Authority
Sources of Power and Authority
- Power, Authority, and Where Rule Comes From
- Main Sources of Power and Authority
- How Sources Work Together
Change in Power and Authority
Change in Power and Authority
- Government change vs regime change
- How governments change
- How regimes change
Federal and Unitary Systems
Federal and Unitary Systems
- What Federal and Unitary Systems Are
- Federal vs Unitary Features and Why States Choose Them
- Centralization, Decentralization, and Devolution
Political Legitimacy
Political Legitimacy
- What Political Legitimacy Is
- Main Sources of Legitimacy
- Democratic vs Authoritarian Legitimacy
Sustaining Legitimacy
Sustaining Legitimacy
- What Sustaining Legitimacy Is
- Main Ways Governments Maintain Legitimacy
- What Reinforces or Undermines Legitimacy
Political Stability
Political Stability
- What Political Stability Is
- Internal Actors That Strengthen or Threaten Stability
- Different Ways States Respond
Notes
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