| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| autonomous | Independent and self-governing, not controlled by the state or government. |
| civil rights | Fundamental freedoms and protections from government interference, such as freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly. |
| civil society | Organizations and institutions that exist between the individual and the state, including NGOs, community groups, and advocacy organizations that operate independently of government. |
| democratization | A transition from an authoritarian regime to a democratic regime, characterized by increased competition, fairness, and transparency in elections, greater citizen participation, and protection of civil rights and liberties. |
| government registration and monitoring policies | State regulations that require civil society organizations to register with authorities and allow government oversight of their activities. |
| governmental malfeasance | Illegal, unethical, or improper conduct by government officials or agencies. |
| lobby | To seek to influence government officials and policy decisions on behalf of particular interests or causes. |
| nongovernmental organizations | Independent organizations that operate outside of government control to address social, environmental, or humanitarian issues. |
| nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) | Independent organizations that operate outside of government control to address social, environmental, or humanitarian issues. |
| regime type | The form or system of government that determines how political power is organized and exercised. |
| voluntary associations | Organizations formed by citizens of their own free will to pursue common interests or goals. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agents of socialization | Institutions and groups such as family, schools, peers, religious institutions, media, and civic organizations that transmit political culture and shape political attitudes and values. |
| authoritarian regime | A system of government characterized by centralized power, limited political freedoms, and restricted citizen participation in decision-making. |
| citizen behavior | The actions and participation patterns of individuals within a political system, influenced by political culture and ideology. |
| democratic regime | A system of government in which power is held by the people through elections and representative institutions, with protections for individual rights and freedoms. |
| individual liberty | The freedoms and rights of individuals within a political system. |
| political culture | The shared values, beliefs, and attitudes of a society that shape how citizens view government, politics, and their role in the political system. |
| political socialization | The lifelong process of acquiring one's beliefs, values, and orientations toward the political system. |
| role of the state | The function and extent of governmental power and responsibility in society, which varies across different political ideologies. |
| social order | The organized structure and stability of society maintained through political systems and institutions. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| citizen behavior | The actions and participation patterns of individuals within a political system, influenced by political culture and ideology. |
| communism | A political ideology based on the abolition of private property and near total governmental control of the economy. |
| fascism | An extreme nationalist ideology that favors authoritarian rule and prioritizes the rights of the ethnic majority over ethnic minorities and political opposition. |
| individualism | A political ideology emphasizing individual civil liberties and personal freedom over governmental restrictions. |
| neoliberalism | An economic and political ideology that emphasizes free markets, deregulation, and reduced government intervention in the economy. |
| political culture | The shared values, beliefs, and attitudes of a society that shape how citizens view government, politics, and their role in the political system. |
| political ideology | A set of values and beliefs about the goals of government, public policy, and politics that guide political action and decision-making. |
| populism | A political philosophy that supports the interests and rights of the common people over those of the elites. |
| role of the state | The function and extent of governmental power and responsibility in society, which varies across different political ideologies. |
| socialism | A political ideology focused on reducing income disparities and nationalizing major private industries. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| authoritarian regime | A system of government characterized by centralized power, limited political freedoms, and restricted citizen participation in decision-making. |
| democratic regime | A system of government in which power is held by the people through elections and representative institutions, with protections for individual rights and freedoms. |
| environmental issues | Concerns about the natural environment and sustainability that post-materialist citizens pressure governments to address. |
| political beliefs | Fundamental convictions about the nature of government, authority, and the proper relationship between the state and its citizens. |
| political corruption | The abuse of public power or position by government officials for personal gain or private benefit. |
| political ideologies | Comprehensive systems of political beliefs and values that shape how individuals and groups view government and policy solutions. |
| political values | Core beliefs and principles that citizens hold about how government should operate and what outcomes it should achieve. |
| post-materialism | A set of values emphasizing self-expression and quality of life over material accumulation, leading to demands for environmental protection and social equality. |
| rule by law | A system in which the state uses laws as a tool to reinforce its own authority, typically associated with authoritarian regimes. |
| rule of law | The principle that all individuals and institutions, including the government, are subject to and accountable to the law. |
| social and economic equality | The belief that citizens should have equal access to resources, opportunities, and treatment regardless of social or economic status. |
| welfare state | A system in which the government provides extensive social protections and services to ensure the health and material well-being of its citizens. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| authoritarian regime | A system of government characterized by centralized power, limited political freedoms, and restricted citizen participation in decision-making. |
| authority | The legitimate power held by a government or political system to make and enforce decisions. |
| citizen participation | The involvement of citizens in the political process, including voting, activism, and engagement in civic affairs. |
| coerced participation | Political engagement forced upon citizens by the state or regime through pressure or threat. |
| democratic regime | A system of government in which power is held by the people through elections and representative institutions, with protections for individual rights and freedoms. |
| devolution of powers | The transfer of governmental authority from a central government to regional or local assemblies. |
| elections | Formal processes by which citizens cast ballots to select representatives or decide on policies, used across regime types for various purposes. |
| formal political participation | Institutionalized forms of political engagement such as voting in elections and other official channels of citizen involvement. |
| oppositional behavior | Political actions taken by citizens to challenge, change, or overthrow governmental policies or the regime itself. |
| policy making | The process by which government officials and institutions develop and implement public policies. |
| political legitimacy | The acceptance and recognition by citizens that a government has the right to exercise authority and make binding decisions. |
| power | The ability of a government or political system to influence, control, or direct the behavior of citizens and society. |
| referenda | Direct votes by citizens on specific policy questions, used to promote democratic policy-making, allow executives to bypass legislatures, or require citizens to decide on public policy issues. |
| regime | The fundamental rules that control access to and the exercise of political power, typically enduring from government to government. |
| violent political behavior | Political action involving force or violence, more likely when citizens view conventional participation options as ineffective or unavailable. |
| voluntary participation | Political engagement undertaken by citizens of their own free will without coercion. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| authoritarian regime | A system of government characterized by centralized power, limited political freedoms, and restricted citizen participation in decision-making. |
| citizen participation | The involvement of citizens in the political process, including voting, activism, and engagement in civic affairs. |
| civil rights | Fundamental freedoms and protections from government interference, such as freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly. |
| competitive elections | Elections in which multiple candidates and parties are allowed to run and have a genuine opportunity to win office. |
| democratic regime | A system of government in which power is held by the people through elections and representative institutions, with protections for individual rights and freedoms. |
| formal political participation | Institutionalized forms of political engagement such as voting in elections and other official channels of citizen involvement. |
| individual liberties | Fundamental freedoms and rights protected for individuals, such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. |
| informal participation | Non-institutionalized forms of political engagement such as protests and political criticism expressed through social media. |
| opposition candidates | Candidates who advocate differing views from the controlling party or elite and compete in elections. |
| public order | The state of peace and stability maintained by government, prioritized by authoritarian regimes over individual freedoms. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| authoritarian regime | A system of government characterized by centralized power, limited political freedoms, and restricted citizen participation in decision-making. |
| civil rights | Fundamental freedoms and protections from government interference, such as freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly. |
| competitive authoritarian regime | A hybrid regime that holds contested elections and maintains some democratic institutions but with limited competitiveness and minimal protections for civil liberties. |
| democratic regime | A system of government in which power is held by the people through elections and representative institutions, with protections for individual rights and freedoms. |
| government transparency | The degree to which a government allows information about its operations, policies, and decision-making processes to be publicly accessible. |
| Great Firewall | China's system of internet censorship and surveillance that restricts access to certain websites and limits political criticism on social media. |
| illiberal democracy | A system of government that holds elections and maintains democratic procedures but restricts individual freedoms and civil liberties. |
| media freedom | The ability of news organizations and journalists to report information and express opinions without government censorship or control. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| autonomous regions | Areas within a country that have self-governing powers and some degree of political independence while remaining part of the larger state. |
| autonomy | Self-governance or the right of a group or region to make decisions about its own affairs while remaining part of a larger state. |
| brute repression | The use of force and coercion by the state to suppress dissent and control populations. |
| class cleavages | Divisions within a society based on socioeconomic status or economic position. |
| ethnic cleavages | Deep social divisions within a state based on ethnic or cultural differences that can influence the structure of government. |
| ethnic minorities | Groups of people sharing a common ethnic identity that constitute a smaller portion of a country's population. |
| ethnicity | A shared cultural, linguistic, or ancestral identity that distinguishes one group of people from another. |
| informal political networks | Non-institutional relationships and connections through which political influence and power are exercised outside formal governmental structures. |
| party systems | Structures and arrangements of political parties within a country that organize citizen participation and competition for political power. |
| political legitimacy | The acceptance and recognition by citizens that a government has the right to exercise authority and make binding decisions. |
| political stability | The condition of a political system characterized by predictable governance, absence of violent conflict, and continuity of institutions. |
| radical religious elements | Extremist groups motivated by religious ideology that emerge from long-standing social and political divisions. |
| regional cleavages | Divisions within a society based on geographic location or territorial differences. |
| religious cleavages | Divisions within a society based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. |
| religious minorities | Groups of people sharing a common religious identity that constitute a smaller portion of a country's population. |
| separatist movements | Political movements seeking to break away from an existing state and establish an independent nation or sovereign territory. |
| social cleavages | Deep divisions within society based on factors such as ethnicity, religion, class, or culture that can create distinct groups with competing interests and influence political behavior and stability. |
| terrorist religious elements | Religious extremist groups that use violence and intimidation to achieve political or ideological goals. |
| voting behavior | The patterns and choices citizens make when casting votes, influenced by factors such as social cleavages and party affiliation. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| autonomy | Self-governance or the right of a group or region to make decisions about its own affairs while remaining part of a larger state. |
| civil war | Armed conflict between groups within the same state, typically involving the government and one or more opposing factions. |
| governmental legitimacy | The degree to which citizens accept and recognize the authority and right of a government to make and enforce decisions. |
| intergroup conflict | Tensions, disputes, or violence between different groups within a society, often based on ethnic, religious, or political differences. |
| multinational states | Countries that contain multiple distinct ethnic, national, or cultural groups within their borders. |
| political stability | The condition of a political system characterized by predictable governance, absence of violent conflict, and continuity of institutions. |
| secession | The formal withdrawal of a region or group from a state to form an independent political entity. |
| social cleavages | Deep divisions within society based on factors such as ethnicity, religion, class, or culture that can create distinct groups with competing interests and influence political behavior and stability. |
| terrorism | The use of violence and intimidation by non-state actors to create fear and achieve political objectives. |