SDSU POLS 141- Midterm 2 Review

developed democracy

A country with institutionalized democracy and a high level of economic development

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Velvet Revolution

A peaceful protest by the Czech people that led to the smooth end of communism in Czechoslovakia.

nondemocratic regimes

A political regime that is controlled by a small group of individuals who exercise power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public

Liberal Democracy

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights.

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Parliamentary System

A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.

proportional representation

An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.

European Union

An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members.

European Parliament

Elected EU body that provides consultation on issues proposed by European Commission

Euro

European currency of EU

compulsory voting

Practice that requires citizens to vote in elections or face punitive measures such as community service, fines, or imprisonment.

European Commission

Responsible for proposing EU legislation, implementing it, and monitoring compliance

One party rule

Rule by one political party, with other parties banned or excluded from power.

Third World

Term applied to a group of "developing" or "underdeveloped" countries who professed nonalignment during the Cold War.

Brexit

The British Exit from the European Union

European Council

The heads of state of EU members and the president of the European Commission

Velvet Divorce

The peaceful split of Czechoslovakia into Czech republic and Slovakia.

Prague Spring

The term for the attempted liberation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Terrorism

Use of violence by non- state actors against civilians toachieve political goal

political violence

Violence outside of state control that is politically motivated

Revolution

a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.

bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

presidential system

a system of government in which the legislative and executive branches operate independently of each other

Communism

eliminate individual economic freedom to achieve equality, active state intervention

War

organized, armed conflict among the people of two or more nations, directed by their governments

Second World

the communist and state-planned countries of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China (Cold War)

Prime Minister

the head of an elected government; the principal minister of a sovereign or state.

First World

the largely democratic and free-market states of the United States and Western Europe (Cold War to today)

state-sponsored terrorism

the use of terrorist groups by states, usually under control of a state's intelligence agency, to achieve political aims

dissent

to disagree

Guerilla War

warfare without front lines and with irregular forces operating in the midst of, and often hidden or protected by, civilian populations