Unit 1 People & Politics Flashcards
Legitimacy
Legitimacy means in general the ‘right to govern’ and to ‘make laws’
PR system
Ensuring fair representation of the people.
Ensuring political preferences of the people are met.
Pressure groups
Pressure groups 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.
Power
Power refers to the ability of an individual or body to force others to do something they might otherwise not to do. It is normally said to have three levels:
1 coercion, which means force, often physical force
2 political power, which involves the use of rewards and sanctions, legal authority and persuasion
3 influence, which means being able to affect others act or think, no force is involved
Authority
Authority, like legitimacy, means the ‘right to exercise power’. It is usually said to derive from three possible sources:
- Tradition – because power has been exercised for a long time and has been accepted for many years
- Election – Power maybe exercised if an individual or party has been elected
- Charisma – a person develops authority through the force of their personality and their ability to inspire following
Parliamentary democracy
Parliamentary democracy is a form of liberal democracy in which a parliament or elected assembly is the key institution. It means that Parliament is the source of political power. It also means that parliament makes government accountable and government is a part of Parliament. It implies that Parliament is the main vehicle for representation. Government is also drawn from Parliament.
Referendum
In a referendum people are invited, on a national, regional or local basis, to vote on a key political issue, usually of a constitutional nature. Referendums pose a simple question which requires a straight forward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. In the UK referendum results are not legally binding, but Parliament will, effectively, always except the referendum result
Political party
A political party is an association of people who hold similar political views and have the goal of implementing those views by becoming a government or sharing in government.
Consensus politics
Consensus politics refers to a high degree of political agreement between and within parties over a range of political issues.
Adversary politics
Adversary politics refers to a situation where there is a great deal of political conflict between and within parties. There are key ideological splits within the political community.
Conservatism
Conservatism is the 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 suggests a of traditional and pragmatic approach to political issues, with some suspicion of radical change.
Factionalism
Factionalism is a tendency for political parties to split into groups that are different from the mainstream ideas and policies of the party.
Socialism
Socialism is a doctrine that emerged in the 18th century, but which came to fruition in the 20th century. It includes such ideas as collectivism, equality, the collective ownership of the means of production and state economic planning.
Liberalism
Liberalism is a political doctrine originating in the 18th century. It expresses such ideas as individual liberty, equal rights, constitutionalism, tolerance and social justice.
An Election
An election is 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.
