Random Vocab + Key Terms Flashcards
(16 cards)
1
Q
- Pluralism
A
- acceptance of many identities within one collective
- component of democracy
2
Q
- Plebiscites and referendums
A
- synonymous
- used in Canada but more common elsewhere
- when people can vote on issues as they are presented
3
Q
- Responsible government system
A
- based off British parliamentary system
- idea that (1) the government should make responsible decisions and (2) they need to be responsible TO something (generally the people they govern)
4
Q
- Confidence
A
- approval of the Prime Minister granted by the House of Commons
- if vote of confidence is lost (vote of non confidence) the current executive government must resign + hold new election
5
Q
- Toe the party line
A
- the idea that politicians act according to the ideas represented by their political party
- used to get all members of the same party to vote the same way in House of Commons
- brings question of if they are representing the people or the party?
6
Q
- Bicameral
A
- two Houses of Parliament in one government
- have to act in tandem, both have to approve something for it to happen
- in Canada these are the HoC and Senate
- HoC are elected, senate selected by PM
- HoC makes decision, senate decides if it’s good for the people, provided edits/suggestions, then approves
7
Q
- Chamber of sober second thought
A
- refers to the senate
- idea that HoC cannot do something without also having the senates consideration + approval
8
Q
- Judicial independence
A
- keeping the law constant, separate from sway of government
- judges appointed until age of retirement
9
Q
- Tyranny of the majority
A
- following “the will of the people” to the extent that following what most people want results in minorities losing rights and their voices
- ex. Indigenous peoples, women, black people
- idea that the right to vote does not guarantee someone being heard (when their vote isn’t listened to because it’s aligned with the majority)
10
Q
- Lobby groups
A
- groups that influence the government
- usually connected to specific collectives within society
- legislators are often funded by lobby groups which is problematic because they aren’t following the will of the people
11
Q
- Gerrymandering
A
- drawing congressional districts (USA) to influence which party is elected in that area to obtain more seats in government, often in a way that does not reflect the actual voter percentage of that party
- boundaries are drawn by party members in the US
- determines results before elections are held, allowing people with a minority of the votes to actually win
12
Q
- Electoral college
A
- the group of elected individuals who determine the US president
- they are voted for by citizens after telling them which party they will vote for, then go and decide who will be president
- problematic because they don’t have to keep their vote the same as they told the citizens who elected them
13
Q
- FPTP
A
- first past the post
- name of the canadian government system, a plurality system (versus a proportional representation system)
- party with more votes than any other is the victor
14
Q
- Proportional representation
A
- government system directly translated from % votes = % seats
- results in no party with majority
15
Q
- Coalition government
A
- in proportional representation where no party achieved majority
- can result in inability to achieve majority during a government decision if every party voted differently, which means decisions can take a while
16
Q
- Voter apathy
Voter suppression
A
Apathy
- people who can vote not voting
- can be because they believe they won’t make a difference or voting has been made difficult for them
Suppression
- voting is made difficult
- (usually the government) preventing/discouraging voting by adding regulations, redrawing boundaries, etc.
- usually targeted to lessen another party’s votes
