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Politics > Key words > Flashcards

Key words Flashcards

1
Q

Absolute Monarchy

A

A form of government where the monarch wields unrestricted political power

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2
Q

Abstention

A

Term used to refer to the act of not voting in an election

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3
Q

Access Point

A

Term used for the various people and places that pressure groups target to apply pressure for their desired changes

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4
Q

Accountability

A

In a Parliamentary government, this is the principle that ministers have an obligation to explain or justify their actions to Parliament

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5
Q

Additional member system

A

The electoral system used in elections for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Greater London Assembly

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6
Q

Administrative devolution

A

Pre-1999 form of devolution, in which power was centralised, but Scottish and Welsh Offices managed many domestic policy areas in Scotland and Wales

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7
Q

Adversary politics

A

A means of increasing female representation in Parliament by requiring constituency parties to choose between exclusively female candidates

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8
Q

Alternative vote +

A

An electoral system that has never been used in the UK, but was devised and recommended by the 1997 Commission investigating alternatives to FPTP

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9
Q

Alternative vote

A

Where the devolution of powers from central to subnational governments is not uniform, and the powers devolved vary from region to region

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10
Q

Authoritative works

A

Name given to texts written by constitutional theorists that have no legal authority but are considered indispensable guides to the UK Constitution

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11
Q

Authority

A

Someone’s widely recognised right to exercise power

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12
Q

Backbench Business Committee

A

Created in 2010, this committee is allocated 35 days in each session of Parliament, for scheduling debates on subjects suggested by backbench MPs

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13
Q

Backbench MPs

A

MPs that do not hold a ministerial, or shadow ministerial, position

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14
Q

Ballot Bills

A

A type of private members’ bill - the names of 20 MPs are drawn at the start of each parliamentary year, and given priority to timetable their bill

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15
Q

Bandwagon effect

A

This formula, based largely on population sizes, adjusts spending grants for Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland to reflect spending changes in England

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16
Q

Bicameralism

A

Term for legislatures that are divided into two chambers or houses - e.g. Parliament is divided into the House of Commons and House of Lords

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17
Q

Bilateral meetings

A

Meetings between two people, usually used to refer to meetings between the prime minister and a particular government minister

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18
Q

Bill of Rights (1689)

A

This transferred constitutional supremacy from the monarchy to Parliament, establishing the concept of Parliamentary sovereignty

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19
Q

Boomerang effect

A

When voters sympathise with, and decide to vote for, a party that is not performing well in the polls

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20
Q

Bureaucracy

A

A term meaning ‘rule by officials’, often used to refer to the civil servants who implement government policy

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21
Q

By-elections

A

Elections to fill positions that become vacant before the next general election is due to be held

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22
Q

Cabinet committees

A

Small groups of cabinet ministers, established by the Prime Minister, which meet regularly to discuss a particular policy area and make decisions

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23
Q

Cabinet government

A

A system of government where the cabinet is the central collective decision making body of government

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24
Q

Cabinet Office

A

Government department, with over 2,000 civil servants, responsible for supporting the Prime Minister, Deputy PM, Cabinet and Cabinet Committees

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25
Q

Cabinet reshuffle

A

The term used when the prime minister changes the composition of ministers in the cabinet

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26
Q

Cabinet Secretary

A

The most senior civil servant in the country - provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet

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27
Q

Catch-all parties

A

Term used for pressure groups that aim to promote issues and policies that do not exclusively benefit the group’s members

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28
Q

Centralisation

A

Where central government takes over some of the functions of local authorities, limiting the financial and political decisions they can make

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29
Q

Checks and balances

A

Where each branch of government can limit the powers of the others, preventing a single branch from becoming too powerful

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30
Q

Cheque book members

A

The basic rights and freedoms that citizens benefit from under the law, protecting citizens from arbitrary government intrusion into their lives

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31
Q

Civil rights

A

The basic rights to be free from unequal treatment or discrimination based on certain protected characteristics (like gender, race, disability etc)

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32
Q

Civil servants

A

Permanent staff, employed by government departments to support ministers with administrative work and provide neutral advice and expertise

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33
Q

Civil service anonymity

A

Feature of the civil service that means they are not often seen in the public limelight, as ministers will defend the department’s policies in public

34
Q

Civil service confidentiality

A

Feature of the civil service that means that the advice given to ministers is private, and that civil servants must sign the Official Secrets Act

35
Q

Civil service neutrality

A

The constitutional principle that civil servants must give advice and expertise that is free from ideological judgement or political views

36
Q

Civil service permanence

A

Feature of the civil service that means that, unlike government ministers, civil servants do not change with a change of government

37
Q

Class dealignment

A

The term that refers to the increasing breakdown of the link between class and voting behaviour

38
Q

Classic Liberalism

A

The form of liberalism that focuses on negative liberty - the freedom from intrusion and obstruction from others

39
Q

Clause Four

A

Derisive term used to describe political action on social media that does not necessarily show genuine political engagement or awareness

40
Q

Co-decision

A

A legislative procedure introduced by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty - requires the Council of the EU and European Parliament to approve new legislation

41
Q

Co-operation

A

A legislative procedure, repealed by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which allowed the Council of the EU to overrule the EU Parliament with a unanimous vote

42
Q

Codified constitution

A

A constitution that is collected and written on a single document

43
Q

Collective responsibility

A

Convention that ministers must publicly support Cabinet decisions or resign, and that all ministers should resign following a vote of no confidence

44
Q

Common law

A

The body of law that is based on custom, usage, and judicial decisions made in legal cases over time

45
Q

Compulsory voting

A

An enforceable system where voter turnout is increased by fining those who do not vote

46
Q

Consensus politics

A

Where there is widespread agreement between the major political parties on particular issues, rather than strong ideological conflict

47
Q

Consent

A

A non-legislative procedure where the European Parliament holds a simple majority vote - used to approve new member states and international agreements

48
Q

Conservatism

A

More of a state of mind than an ideology, this term refers to those who largely believe in tradition, order, hierarchy, authority, and property etc.

49
Q

Constituency

A

A geographical territory that elects a member to represent it in a legislative body

50
Q

Constitution

A

The name given to the fundamental rules outlining how a state is to be governed

51
Q

Constitutional monarchy

A

Act that enhanced judicial independence by establishing a Supreme Court, and reforming the appointments process and role of the Lord Chancellor

52
Q

Constitutionalism

A

The belief that the power of the government should be derived from, and limited by, fundamental laws

53
Q

Consultation (EU)

A

A legislative procedure where the Council is not legally obliged to take into account the European Parliament’s opinion - used less often since 1986

54
Q

Consultation (UK)

A

Where the government invites pressure groups to submit responses to proposed legislation, possibly after publishing a white or green paper

55
Q

Conventions

A

Informal rules and customs that are not legally enforceable but are widely respected and considered to be a fundamental part of the UK Constitution

56
Q

Core executive

A

The theory that power within the executive is dispersed across a network of key individuals, offices, departments and agencies, relying on cooperation

57
Q

Core insiders

A

Pressure groups that work closely and regularly with the government across a broad range of issues

58
Q

Corporatism

A

Broad term used when governments work closely with pressure group elites, particularly business groups, to make important decisions without the voters

59
Q

Council of the European Union

A

Part of the EU’s bicameral legislature - meets in 10 different ‘configurations’ for different policy areas - attended by relevant national ministers

60
Q

Council tax

A

A local tax funding local authorities introduced in 1993, which is based upon property value, with higher taxes paid on more valuable properties

61
Q

County councils

A

Top level in a two-tier authority, responsible for education, transport, planning, fire and public safety, social services, libraries, waste management

62
Q

D’Hondt method

A

A mathematic formula used in proportional systems that divides the number of votes each party has, by the number of seats they have already won, + 1

63
Q

Declaration of incompatibility

A

The Human Rights Act allows judges to issue a declaration of incompatibility when laws do not comply with the European Convention on Human Rights

64
Q

Deepened integration

A

A form of EU integration in which member states to agree to greater political and economic union

65
Q

Delegate model

A

Model of representation that states that MPs should act on the instructions of their constituents

66
Q

Democratic deficit

A

The argument that as few EU decision makers are elected, there is insufficient accountability to citizens and national parliaments

67
Q

Democratic socialists

A

Those who argue that capitalism must be abolished and private property must be replaced by new systems of common ownership

68
Q

Descriptive representation

A

The idea that legislatures should contain a diverse range of representatives, who reflect the varying social characteristics and groups of the people

69
Q

Devolution

A

The transfer of certain political powers from central government, to subnational governments, which remain subordinate and do not share sovereignty

70
Q

Differential turnout

A

Term used to refer to the varying levels of electoral participation across different regions and social groups

71
Q

Direct action

A

The use of violent or non-violent protest to immediately achieve political or social aims, rather than going through traditional, official channels

72
Q

Direct democracy

A

A political system where the people themselves make key political decisions

73
Q

Directives

A

A form of EU law that sets out particular aims, but gives EU member states the flexibility to pass their own laws that will achieve these goals

74
Q

Directly elected mayors

A

A reform first introduced in London in 2000, and since adopted by other local authorities, to create a directly elected executive to lead the council
`

75
Q

Disapply the law

A

Action taken by the Supreme Court if it finds a UK law to conflict with EU law

76
Q

District councils

A

Lower level in a two-tier authority, responsible for rubbish collection, recycling, council tax collection, housing, planning applications

77
Q

Division

A

A vote in Parliament

78
Q

Doctrine of direct effect

A

The principle that EU law does not need the approval of Parliament

79
Q

Doctrine of Supremacy

A

Doctrine that all EU laws are supreme over conflicting UK laws

80
Q

Dominant ideology model

A

This model argues that voters are influenced by the ideology of powerful and wealthy elites, who shape the national debate, particularly in the media

81
Q

Double majority rule

A

Qualified majority rule introduced in the Council in 2014 - a majority requires 55% of member states, representing at least 65% of the EU population

Politics (4 decks)

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