AP Comparative Government Unit 3 Cheatsheet: Political Culture and Participation

Civil society = voluntary associations autonomous from the state (religious orgs, NGOs, media, business associations, neighborhood groups).

• Strength varies by regime type; authoritarian regimes restrict NGO registration and funding while increasing state monitoring of civil society groups
• Functions: monitor/lobby government, expose malfeasance, represent member interests, build organizational experience
• Robust civil society = agent of democratization
• Restrictions on NGOs signal civil liberties violations

Political culture = collective attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavioral norms about power, individual liberty, and state role.

Political socialization = lifelong process of acquiring political beliefs and orientations.

Key agents: family, schools, peers, religious institutions, media, civic organizations.

Regime difference: Authoritarian regimes apply concerted governmental pressure for conformity; democracies allow diverse socialization.

Competitive authoritarian (Russia): Contested elections with limited competitiveness; minimal civil liberty protections; low transparency.