Politics Vocab As

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Authority

Back 1

Like legitimacy, means the 'right to exercise power, usually derives foremother possible sources:

Tradition

Election

Charisma

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Representation

Back 2

Party Representation- means that if a representative is a member of a party, they are expected to support and vote for the known policies of the party

Functional Representation- refers to the idea hat various groups represent various sections of society that have particular functions- particularly occupational, social, economic and producer groups

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Consensus Politics

Adversary Politics

Back 3

CP- refers to a high degree of political agreement between and within parties over a range of political issues

AP- refers to a situation where there is a great deal of policy conflict between and within parties. There are key ideological splits within the political community

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Left / Right Wing

Back 4

Is a way of dividing political ideas into two tendencies:

Left Wing- are a associated with a tendency towards socialism and involve such beliefs as collectivism, equality and social justice.

Right Wing- associated with conservatism and include ideas such as belief in free markets, nationalism, a strong position on aw and order, and support for tradition

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Conservatism

Back 5

Is a political tendency which developed largely in the 19th century. It implies a belief in order and security, and opposition to ideologies such as socialism and extreme liberalism. It also suggest a traditional and pragmatic approach to political issues, with some suspicion of radical change

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Factionalism

Socialism

Back 6

F- Is a tendency for political parties to split into groups who hold views that are different from mainstream ideas and policies of the party

S- Is a doctrine that emerged in the 18th century, but which came to fruition in the 20th. It includes ideas such as collectivism, equality and the collective ownership of the means of production and state economic planning

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Liberalism

Back 7

Is a political doctrine** originating in the 18th century. it expresses such ideas as individual liberty, equal rights, constitutionalism, tolerance and social justice

** Doctrine- a belief or set of beliefs taught by a political party

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Election

Mandate

Back 8

E- A device by which popular votes can be converted into seats awarded to representatives or parties, or used to elect single office- holders or political leaders

M- Is the authority granted to a candidate or party to implement its manifesto commitments. The mandate is normally granted by election

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Proportional Representation

Majoritarian Representation

Back 9

PR- an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them, if a party gains 30% of votes they will roughly get 30% of seats

MR- is any system which guarantees that a government or a single individual is elected by an overall majority of voters

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A Party System

Electoral Reform

Back 10

PS- Is a characteristic of a political system which describes how many parties win significant representation. Systems may be dominant party, two party, three party or multi-party

ER- is any process which involves changing the electoral system and thus effecting changes in the political system

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Pressure Groups

Back 11

Are political associations that are dedicated to defending and promoting the interests of a section of the community, or that wish to pursue a particular cause in order to influence government at any level

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Sectional/ Promotional

Insider/ Outsider

Back 12

S/P- a way of classifying pressure groups into either sectional groups that represent a section of society or promotional groups that pursue a cause or an issue

I/O- a way of classifying groups into those that have influence inside governing circles and those that have to influence decision- makers from outs governing circles

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Functional Representation

Back 13

Refers to the idea that various groups represent sections of society that have particular functions- particularly occupation, social, economic and producer groups

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Pluralism

Elitism

Back 14

P- a description of a society or a political system which suggest that there are many groups, beliefs, culture and lifestyles that flourish together and are recognised and tolerated

E- a decryption of society or a political system which suggests that power- political, social and economic- resides in the hands of a small number of people, often known as elites

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Pluralist Democracy

Back 15

Is a political system within which many different groups are tolerated, allowed to flourish and able to influence decision making

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Constitution

Back 16

Is a set of rules that establish and describe the distribution of power within a state, the procedures of government, the limits to government power and rights of citizens as well as rules on citizenship and constitutional amendment. A constitution may be codified or unmodified, federal or unitary

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Constitutionalism

Back 17

Is a principle that government operates within a set of constitutional rules and not in arbitrary fashion. The constitutional rules may be written or unwritten

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Codified/ Uncodified Constitutions

Back 18

Refer to a classification of constitutions into two types. Codified constitutions are set down in a single constitution, have a single source, are entrenches and are superior to other law. Unmodified constitutions have multiple sources, do not appear in any single document and are flexible.

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Unitary/ Federal Constitutions

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Refer to a classification of constitutions into two types. Unitary constitutions are where sovereignty or ultimate power lies in one central body. In federal constitutions, sovereignty is divided between the central authority and other regional bodies such as US states or provinces

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Parliamentary Sovereignty

Quasi Federalism

Back 20

PS- Is a principle, fundamental to the British political system, that legal sovereignty lies with parliament and that parliament is the ultimate source of political power

QF- Is an expression which suggests that the devolution process looks effectively like federalism, but is not federalism specifically because no sovereignty has been divided

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Pooled Sovereignty

Back 21

PS- is a term used to describe how legal sovereignty within the EU is shared among its members

D- is a process of transferring power from the UK Parliament and government to regional governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This does not represent any transfer of sovereignty

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Elective Dictatorship

Back 22

Is a description of how the executive (government) branch in the British political system is dominant to such an extent that it has been described as a 'dictatorhsip'

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Bicameralism

Back 23

Describes a situation where a parliament has two chambers. The UK is bicameral

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Parliament

Back 24

Is also known as the legislature. A parliament is a body that has several roles, including legitimising legislation, passing laws, scrutinising and amending legislation, calling government to account, representing voters and other groups, and controlling governmental power. The UK parliament has sovereignty- ultimate power

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Accountability

Back 25

Is the device whereby the government is accountable to Parliament, meaning that it must make itself available for criticism and must justify its policies to Parliament. Ultimately, the government may be removed by Parliament. Accountability can also refer to the fact that elected representatives are answerable to their electorates.

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Westminster Model

Back 26

Is a description of the British central political system, which is used more rarely today. It describes the fact that parliament is the central representative body,that all power flows from parliament and that the government is accountable to Parliament. It also means that members of parliament have to be drawn from Parliament

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Separation of Powers

Back 27

Is the principle that the powers of the executive and the legislature should be firmly separated. this is ignored that they can control each other's power through a system of checks and balances. There is no such separation of powers in the UK

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Fusion of Powers

Back 28

Is in many ways the opposite of the separation of powers. It means that there is overlap between the executive and the legislature. In practice the executive (government) dominates the legislature (Parliament). It also means tat members of the government are also members of Parliament

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Representative and Responsible Government

Back 29

Is a description of the British polity which simply means that the people are represented by both Parliament and Government, and that government is constantly held responsible for its actions by Parliament

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Cabinet Government

Back 30

Refers to the idea that the cabinet is the central decision- making body and lies at the heart of government. Many argue that it has been replaced by prime ministerial government

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Core executive

Political Leadership

Back 31

CE- is a name for the collective identity of central government. It comprises the prime minister, cabinet, other ministers, senior advisors and senior civil servants

PL- is a general term applying to all those who hold senior positions in government. It applies mostly to party leaders, ministers and senior advisors

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Prime Ministerial Government

Collectively Responsibility

Back 32

PMG- is the idea that central government is now dominated by the prime minister to such a degree that the term 'prime ministerial should be applied

CR- is the principle that all government ministers are collectively responsible for all decisions of the government. it also means that ministers must publicly support all official policy or resign or face dismissal

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Individual Responsibility

Back 33

Is the principle that each minister is responsible for the work of his or her department and must account for all its policies and decisions. Where serious errors are made, the minister may be required to resign. It also means that ministers may be obliges to resign for matters of personal misconduct

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Presidentialism

Back 34

Is the theory the British prime ministers have effectively become presidents, even though they are not the head of state