AP Comp Gov Terms QUESTION AND
ANSWERS GRADE A+ SOLUTIONS
Comparative Method
Use of the scientific method for analyzing and comparing political
systems between and among countries
Three-World Model
A cold war country classification system used to compare countries
until the1990s:
First world: U.S. and its allies;
Second world: the Soviet Union and its allies; Third world: all
economically underdeveloped countries
Authoritarian
A system of rule in which few personal freedoms exist and nearly all
power is given to a strong central government.
Theocracy
A state ruled by the church.
Totalitarianism
A political system in which the government uses political, economic
and ideological control to exercise power and dominate all aspects of
public and private life.
Gross National Product (GNP)
The sum total of the value of all products and services generated
within a country in one year, and its net income received from other
countries.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The total of all goods and services produced within a country; it is
used as a broad measure of the size of its economy.
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
A method of calculating the value of a country's money based on the
cost of actually buying certain goods and services in the country in
the local currency, rather than calculating how many U.S dollars they
are worth.
Authority
The power to enforce rules or give orders.
Legitimacy
Belief of a significant segment of the citizenry that the state is
entitled to command compliance from those who live under its rule and
acts lawfully in pursuit of desirable aims.
Political Culture
,The attitudes, beliefs and symbols that influence political behavior;
often defined in terms of specific national political-cultural
orientation.
Communism
A system of government in which goods and products are publicly owned.
Marxism-Leninism
A theory that states that eventually the proletariat will rise up to
create a communist state. Marxism focused on class warfare while
Leninism focused on the need for organization to instate communism
Socialism
Where the government controls the economy, with more publicly owned
businesses
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO's)
A private organization that tries to influence national policies and
help with certain social problems. For example, Amnesty International
and Doctors Without Borders
Democratization/Democratic Transition
The movement from an authoritarian state to a democratic state.
Privatization
When state run organizations and companies are purchased and sold to
private companies.
Presidential System
A system in which the chief executive is elected independently of the
national legislature and each branch has powers independent of the
other.
Parliamentary System
A system in which the executive and legislative powers are fused
rather than seperated and the president and cabinet are chosen from
elected members of the legislature. The chief executive is often
chosen from the more dominant party.
Judiciary
One of the primary political institutions in a country; responsible
for the administration of justice and in some countries for
determining the constitutionality of state decisions.
Human Develpoment Index (HDI)
A composite number used by the UN to measure and compare levels of
achievement in a variety of socioeconomic categories. (health,
education, standard of living, etc)
Social Welfare
The well being of an entire society. How people, communities,
countries, etc, take action to maintain a minimum quality of life and
to keep certain opportunities open to everyone.
Gini Coefficient/Index
,A measure of relative inequality of a distribution, on a scale from 0
to 1. It is commonly used as a measure of inequality of income or
wealth in the context of comparative politics.
Political Efficacy
One's belief that their political participation can actually make a
difference in the government.
Political Parties
A group of people with the same views and beliefs; they share a
common goal of electing candidates who represent their views into
public office.
Political Participation
All the different things that citizens do to select their political
leaders or the policies that these leaders pursue, such as voting or
lobbying for a certain cause.
Judicial Review
The mechanism that allows courts to review laws and executive actions
for constitutionality in democracies
Rule of Law
Set of rules (laws) that are applicable to all and consistently
enforced
Consolidated Democracies
Political systems that have been stably democratic for a period of
time, and in which there is relatively consistent adherence to the
core principles of democracy.
Transitional Democracies
Democracies that usually have moved from authoritarian control, there
is usually a lot less adherence to core democratic principles unlike
Consolidated Democracies.
Monetary policy
A governments domestic policies on interest rates and money supply
availble in their economy
State formation
The process through which the institutional organization of a state
evolves through history.
Ideology
A set of ideas bring a group of people together and cause them to
seek certain common goals.
Liberalism
A political ideology that emphasizes individual freedoms and civil
liberties.
Conservatism
A political ideology that promotes traditional values and limiting
the effects of change in society
Fascism
, A political ideology with a one party system that advocates for
extreme nationalism and very limited boundaries for the role of the
state
Transparency
A transparent government is open about everything they do. Wikileaks
attempts to increase the transparency of governments by releasing
secret documents.
Civil Society
Voluntary associations that are not part of the state, such as unions,
professional associations, and other voluntary association groups.
Linkage Institutions
A structure in society that connects the people to the government.
(Ex. Media, lobbying groups)
Public Policy
the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or
problemf
Legislature
An elected or selected body of people given the power to make laws
for the political unit. (Ex.State or Nation)
Unicameral Legislature
A Legislature with only one legislative chamber. (Ex. Nebraska)
Executive
A branch of the government that deals with executing policy and is
generally seen as the leading figure. (Ex. President or Prime
Minister)
Head of Government
A leader that works with foreign relations, policy, legislation, etc.
Head of State
A leader whose job is more geared towards appeasing the public and
representing their interests.
Nationalization
A process in which the government takes over existing private
companies and runs them as state-owned entreprises often as
monopolies.
Reform
To amend/improve form or condition as it stands, not drastic changes.
Revolution
A fundamental change in the political and social institutions of a
society, often accompanied by violence, cultural upheaval, and civil
war.
Globalization
The intensification of international trade, investment, communication,
migration processes, cultural diffusion, and communication flow.
Modernization Theory
ANSWERS GRADE A+ SOLUTIONS
Comparative Method
Use of the scientific method for analyzing and comparing political
systems between and among countries
Three-World Model
A cold war country classification system used to compare countries
until the1990s:
First world: U.S. and its allies;
Second world: the Soviet Union and its allies; Third world: all
economically underdeveloped countries
Authoritarian
A system of rule in which few personal freedoms exist and nearly all
power is given to a strong central government.
Theocracy
A state ruled by the church.
Totalitarianism
A political system in which the government uses political, economic
and ideological control to exercise power and dominate all aspects of
public and private life.
Gross National Product (GNP)
The sum total of the value of all products and services generated
within a country in one year, and its net income received from other
countries.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The total of all goods and services produced within a country; it is
used as a broad measure of the size of its economy.
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
A method of calculating the value of a country's money based on the
cost of actually buying certain goods and services in the country in
the local currency, rather than calculating how many U.S dollars they
are worth.
Authority
The power to enforce rules or give orders.
Legitimacy
Belief of a significant segment of the citizenry that the state is
entitled to command compliance from those who live under its rule and
acts lawfully in pursuit of desirable aims.
Political Culture
,The attitudes, beliefs and symbols that influence political behavior;
often defined in terms of specific national political-cultural
orientation.
Communism
A system of government in which goods and products are publicly owned.
Marxism-Leninism
A theory that states that eventually the proletariat will rise up to
create a communist state. Marxism focused on class warfare while
Leninism focused on the need for organization to instate communism
Socialism
Where the government controls the economy, with more publicly owned
businesses
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO's)
A private organization that tries to influence national policies and
help with certain social problems. For example, Amnesty International
and Doctors Without Borders
Democratization/Democratic Transition
The movement from an authoritarian state to a democratic state.
Privatization
When state run organizations and companies are purchased and sold to
private companies.
Presidential System
A system in which the chief executive is elected independently of the
national legislature and each branch has powers independent of the
other.
Parliamentary System
A system in which the executive and legislative powers are fused
rather than seperated and the president and cabinet are chosen from
elected members of the legislature. The chief executive is often
chosen from the more dominant party.
Judiciary
One of the primary political institutions in a country; responsible
for the administration of justice and in some countries for
determining the constitutionality of state decisions.
Human Develpoment Index (HDI)
A composite number used by the UN to measure and compare levels of
achievement in a variety of socioeconomic categories. (health,
education, standard of living, etc)
Social Welfare
The well being of an entire society. How people, communities,
countries, etc, take action to maintain a minimum quality of life and
to keep certain opportunities open to everyone.
Gini Coefficient/Index
,A measure of relative inequality of a distribution, on a scale from 0
to 1. It is commonly used as a measure of inequality of income or
wealth in the context of comparative politics.
Political Efficacy
One's belief that their political participation can actually make a
difference in the government.
Political Parties
A group of people with the same views and beliefs; they share a
common goal of electing candidates who represent their views into
public office.
Political Participation
All the different things that citizens do to select their political
leaders or the policies that these leaders pursue, such as voting or
lobbying for a certain cause.
Judicial Review
The mechanism that allows courts to review laws and executive actions
for constitutionality in democracies
Rule of Law
Set of rules (laws) that are applicable to all and consistently
enforced
Consolidated Democracies
Political systems that have been stably democratic for a period of
time, and in which there is relatively consistent adherence to the
core principles of democracy.
Transitional Democracies
Democracies that usually have moved from authoritarian control, there
is usually a lot less adherence to core democratic principles unlike
Consolidated Democracies.
Monetary policy
A governments domestic policies on interest rates and money supply
availble in their economy
State formation
The process through which the institutional organization of a state
evolves through history.
Ideology
A set of ideas bring a group of people together and cause them to
seek certain common goals.
Liberalism
A political ideology that emphasizes individual freedoms and civil
liberties.
Conservatism
A political ideology that promotes traditional values and limiting
the effects of change in society
Fascism
, A political ideology with a one party system that advocates for
extreme nationalism and very limited boundaries for the role of the
state
Transparency
A transparent government is open about everything they do. Wikileaks
attempts to increase the transparency of governments by releasing
secret documents.
Civil Society
Voluntary associations that are not part of the state, such as unions,
professional associations, and other voluntary association groups.
Linkage Institutions
A structure in society that connects the people to the government.
(Ex. Media, lobbying groups)
Public Policy
the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or
problemf
Legislature
An elected or selected body of people given the power to make laws
for the political unit. (Ex.State or Nation)
Unicameral Legislature
A Legislature with only one legislative chamber. (Ex. Nebraska)
Executive
A branch of the government that deals with executing policy and is
generally seen as the leading figure. (Ex. President or Prime
Minister)
Head of Government
A leader that works with foreign relations, policy, legislation, etc.
Head of State
A leader whose job is more geared towards appeasing the public and
representing their interests.
Nationalization
A process in which the government takes over existing private
companies and runs them as state-owned entreprises often as
monopolies.
Reform
To amend/improve form or condition as it stands, not drastic changes.
Revolution
A fundamental change in the political and social institutions of a
society, often accompanied by violence, cultural upheaval, and civil
war.
Globalization
The intensification of international trade, investment, communication,
migration processes, cultural diffusion, and communication flow.
Modernization Theory
