Cross-cutting comparative government vocabulary spanning regime types, sovereignty, and institutional design.
34 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- Define state
- A political unit with defined territory, population, and government possessing sovereignty
- What is sovereignty?
- The supreme power to govern without external interference
- What is a regime?
- A system of government and the rules structuring political power
- Difference between nation and state
- A nation is a people sharing identity; a state is a political unit with territory and government
- What is constitutionalism?
- A political system where governmental power is limited by a constitution
- Define authoritarianism
- Power rests with one ruler or small elite with limited political accountability to citizens
- What is democracy?
- A system where political power ultimately rests with the people, exercised directly or through representatives
- Define oligarchy
- A system where power rests with a small group distinguished by wealth, family, education, or military control
- What is a theocracy?
- A government led by religious leaders or based on religious law
- What is federalism?
- A system dividing power between a central government and regional or state governments
- Define unitary system
- A system where all governmental power is concentrated in a central government
- What is separation of powers?
- The division of government into distinct executive, legislative, and judicial branches
- Define checks and balances
- Mechanisms allowing each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches
- What is a parliamentary system?
- A system where the executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature
- Define presidential system
- A system where executive and legislative branches are elected separately and independently
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