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121 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
CHAPTER 1
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INTRODUCTION
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society
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Complex human organization, a collection of people bound by shared institutions that define how human relations should be conducted.
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ethnic identity
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Specific attributes and societal institutions that make one group of people culturally different from others.
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nation
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A group of people bound together by a common set of political aspirations, the most important of which is self-government.
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national identity
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A sense of belonging to a nation and a belief in its political aspirations.
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nationalism
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Pride in one's people and the belief that they have a unique political destiny.
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citizenship
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An individual's relationship to the state, wherein citizens swear allegiance to that state and the state in return is obligated to provide rights to those citizens.
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patriotism
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Pride in one's state.
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nation-state
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A state encompassing one dominant nation that it claims to embody and represent.
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ethnic conflict
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A conflict in which different ethnic groups struggle to achieve certain political or economic goals at each other's expense.
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national conflict
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A conflict in which one or more groups within a country develop clear aspirations for political independence, clashing with others as a result.
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national conflict
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A conflict in which one or more groups within a country develop clear aspirations for political independence, clashing with others as a result.
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political attitude
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Description of one's views regarding the speed and methods with which political changes should take place in a given society.
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radicals
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Those with a political attitude that favors dramatic, often revolutionary change.
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conservatives
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Those with a political attitude that is skeptical of change and supports the current order.
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reactionary
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Someone who seeks to restore the institutions of a real or imagined earlier order.
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political ideology
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The basic values held by an individual about the fundamental goals of politics or the ideal balance of freedom and equality.
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liberalism
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(1) A political attitude that favors evolutionary transformation. (2) An ideology and political system that favors a limited state role in society and the economy, and places a high priority on individual political and economic freedom.
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liberal democracy
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A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights.
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communism
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(1) A political-economic system in which all wealth and property are shared so as to eliminate exploitation, oppression, and, ultimately, the need for political institutions such as the state. (2) A political ideology that advocates such a system.
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social democracy
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1) A political-economic system in which freedom and equality are balanced through the state's management of the economy and the provision of social expenditures. (2) A political ideology that advocates such a system.
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socialism
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(1) A political-economic system in which freedom and equality are balanced through the state's management of the economy and the provision of social expenditures. (2) A political ideology that advocates such a system.
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fascism
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A political ideology that asserts the superiority and inferiority of different groups of people and stresses a low degree of both freedom and equality in order to achieve a powerful state.
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anarchism
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A political ideology that stresses the elimination of the state and private property as a way to achieve both freedom and equality for all.
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fundamentalism
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A view of religion as absolute and inerrant that should be legally enforced by making faith the sovereign authority.
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culture
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Basic institutions that define a society.
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political culture
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The basic norms for political activity in a society.
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political economy
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The study of the interaction between states and markets.
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market
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The interactions between the forces of supply and demand that allocate resources.
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property
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Goods or services that are owned by an individual or group, privately or publicly.
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public good
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Goods, provided or secured by the state, available to society and which no private person or organization can own.
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social expenditure
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State provision of public benefits, such as education, health care, and transportation.
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central bank
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The state institution that controls how much money is flowing through the economy, as well as how much it costs to borrow money in that economy.
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inflation
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An outstripping of supply by demand, resulting in an increase in the general price level of goods and services and the resulting loss of value in a country's currency.
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hyperinflation
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Inflation of more than 50 percent a month for more than two months in a row.
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deflation
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A period of falling prices and values for goods, services, investments, and wages.
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regulation
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A rule or order that sets the boundaries of a given procedure.
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monopoly
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A single producer that is able to dominate the market for a good or service without effective competition.
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tariff
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A tax on imported goods.
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quota
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A nontariff barrier that limits the quantity of a good that may be imported into a country.
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nontariff regulatory barriers
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Policies and regulations used to limit imports through methods other than taxation.
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comparative advantage
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The ability of one country to produce a particular good or service more efficiently relative to other countries' efficiency in producing the same good or service.
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political-economic system
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The relationship between political and economic institutions in a particular country and the policies and outcomes they create.
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laissez-faire
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The principle that the economy should be "allowed to do" what it wishes; a liberal system of minimal state interference in the economy.
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capitalism
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A system of production based on private property and free markets.
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neocorporatism
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A system of social democratic policy making in which a limited number of organizations representing business and labor work with the state to set economic policy.
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mercantilism
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A political-economic system in which national economic power is paramount and the domestic economy is viewed as an instrument that exists primarily to serve the needs of the state.
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parastatals
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Industries partially or fully owned by the state.
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gross domestic product (GDP)
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The total market value of all goods and services produced by a country over a period of one year.
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purchasing-power parity (PPP)
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A statistical tool that attempts to estimate the buying power of income across different countries by using prices in the United States as a benchmark.
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Gini index
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A statistical formula that measures the amount of inequality in a society; its scale ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 corresponds to perfect equality and 100 to perfect inequality.
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human development index (HDI)
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A statistical tool that attempts to evaluate the overall wealth, health, and knowledge of a country's people.
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economic liberalization
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Changes consistent with liberalism that aim to limit the power of the state and increase the power of the market and private property in an economy.
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CHAPTER 6
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ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND DEMOCRATIC REGIMES
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democracy
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A political system in which political power is exercised either directly or indirectly by the people.
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liberal democracy
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A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights.
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separation of powers
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The clear division of power between different branches of government and the provision that specific branches may check the power of other branches.
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republicanism
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Indirect democracy that emphasizes the separation of powers within a state and the representation of the public through elected officials.
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civil society
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Organizations outside of the state that help people define and advance their own interests.
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executive
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The branch of government that carries out the laws and policies of a state.
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head of state
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The executive role that symbolizes and represents the people both nationally and internationally.
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head of government
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The executive role that deals with the everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing policy.
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legislature
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The branch of government charged with making laws.
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bicameral system
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A political system in which the legislature comprises two houses.
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unicameral system
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A political system in which the legislature comprises one house.
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constitutional court
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The highest judicial body in a political system that decides whether laws and policies violate the constitution.
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judicial review
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The mechanism by which courts can review the actions of government and overturn those that violate the constitution.
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concrete review
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Judicial review that allows the constitutional court to rule on the basis of actual legal disputes brought before it.
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abstract review
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Judicial review that allows the constitutional court to rule on questions that do not arise from actual legal disputes.
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parliamentary system
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A political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are assigned to separate executive offices.
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vote of no confidence
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Vote taken by a legislature as to whether its members continue to support the current prime minister. Depending on the country, a vote of no confidence can force the resignation of the prime minister and/or lead to new parliamentary elections.
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presidential system
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A political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are combined in one executive office.
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semipresidential system
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A political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are separated into two offices.
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electoral system
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A set of rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.
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suffrage
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The right to vote.
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constituency
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A geographical area that an elected official represents.
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single-member district (SMD)
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An electoral district with one seat.
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proportional representation (PR)
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An electoral system in which political parties compete in multimember districts; voters choose between parties, and the seats in the district are awarded proportionally according to the results of the vote.
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first past the post
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An electoral system in which individual candidates compete in single-member districts; voters choose between candidates, and the candidate with the largest share of the vote wins the seat.
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multimember district (MMD)
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An electoral district with more than one seat.
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mixed electoral system
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An electoral system that uses a combination of single-member districts and proportional representation.
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referendum
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A national vote called by a government to address a specific proposal, often a change to the constitution.
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initiative
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A national vote called by members of the public to address a specific proposal.
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civil rights
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Individual rights regarding equality that are created by the constitution and the political regime.
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civil liberties
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Individual rights regarding freedom that are created by the constitution and the political regime.
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rule of law
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A system in which all individuals and groups, including those in government, are subject to the law, irrespective of their power or authority.
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comparative politics
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The study and comparison of domestic politics across countries.
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institution
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An organization or activity that is self-perpetuating and valued for its own sake.
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politics
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The struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group.
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comparative method
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The means by which social scientists make comparisons across cases.
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inductive reasoning
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Research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses.
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deductive reasoning
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Research that works from a hypothesis that is then tested against data.
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correlation
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An apparent relationship between two or more variables.
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selection bias
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A focus on effects rather than causes, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about correlation or causation.
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endogeneity
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The problem that distinguishing cause and effect is not always easy; variables may act both as causes and as effects in relationship to one another.
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modernization theory
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A theory which held that as societies developed, they would take on a set of common characteristics, including democracy and capitalism.
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behavioral revolution
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A movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries.
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qualitative method
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Gathering and analysis of data through an in-depth investigation of a limited number of cases.
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rational choice
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Approach that assumes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits in order to make choices that maximize their benefits.
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game theory
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An approach that emphasizes how actors or organizations behave in their goal to influence others. Built upon the assumptions of the rational choice model.
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freedom
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The ability of an individual to act independently, without fear of restriction or punishment by the state or other individuals or groups in society.
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equality
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A shared material standard of individuals within a community, society, or country.
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CHAPTER 2
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STATES
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sovereignty
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The ability of a state to carry out actions or policies within a territory independently from external actors or internal rivals.
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regime
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The fundamental rules and norms of politics, embodying long-term goals regarding individual freedom and collective equality, where power should reside, and the use of that power.
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government
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The leadership or elite in charge of running the state.
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country
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Term used to refer to state, government, regime, and the people who live within that political system.
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legitimacy
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A value whereby an institution is accepted by the public as right and proper, thus giving it authority and power.
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traditional legitimacy
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Legitimacy that accepts aspects of politics because they have been institutionalized over a long period of time.
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charismatic legitimacy
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Legitimacy built on the force of ideas embodied by an individual leader.
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rational-legal legitimacy
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Legitimacy based on a system of laws and procedures that are highly institutionalized.
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federalism
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A system in which significant state powers, such as taxation, lawmaking, and security, are devolved to regional or local bodies.
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unitary state
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A state in which most political power exists at the national level, with limited local authority.
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devolution
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A process in which political power is "sent down" to lower levels of state and government.
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strong state
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A state that is able to fulfill basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy.
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weak state
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A state that has difficulty fulfilling basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy.
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failed state
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A state so weak that its political structures collapse, leading to anarchy and violence.
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capacity
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The ability of the state to wield power to carry out basic tasks, such as defending territory, making and enforcing rules, collecting taxes, and managing the economy.
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autonomy
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The ability of the state to wield its power independently of the public.
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CHAPTER 3
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NATIONS AND SOCIETY
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CHAPTER 4
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POLITICAL ECONOMY
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