Political Science Concepts Flashcards

Magna Carta

Document that limited monarchical power and established certain rights, powers and protection (1215)

Sovereignty

the authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

City of God

Book written by Augustine of Hippo 426 AD that spoke about philosophy and theology and argued that the fall of Rome was cause by it being a 'City of Man' rather than a 'City of God'

Defensor Pacis (Defender of Peace)

Written by Marsiglio of Padua, a former rector of the University of Paris, this book made the first clear assertion of the supremacy of secular powers over the Church. He declared that the faithful were the true authority of the Church. Laid the foundations for modern theories on sovereignty.

Reformation

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches. Protestants fight the control of the pope over secular affairs.

Divine Right of Kings

Doctrine that states that the right of ruling comes from God and not people's consent

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

State of Nature (Hobbes)

"State of War"Limited ResourcesMen are essentially all equalVery violent

State of Nature (Locke)

Not as pessimistic as HobbesWithout civil authority or obligationViolence is result of the theoretical introduction of currency and the preservation of property

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Natural Law

A doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason.

Maximin principle (Rawls)

the goal of a just distribution of the goods generated by society should be to ensure that the people who are least well off in society have as a great a share of the goods necessary for well-being as possible

Isiah Berlin

Freedom is more inherently political / rights adhere to individuals, freedom is a characteristic of a political system

J. S. Mill

"ON Liberty" absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects. Also believed in gender equality. Moral education for youth / punishment is about correcting harm done.

Nation

a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.

State

An area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government with control over its internal and foreign affairs.

Government

The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

"Social Contract" he explained an ideal society where each community member would vote on issues and majority would become one law.

nation-state

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality

Parliament

A body of representatives that makes laws for a nation

Cabinet

group of officials who head government departments and advise the President

High Court

The highest court in Australia established by the Constitution and the only court with the authority to interpret the Constitution

Moral determination (MD; aka "moral species")

the moral quality of a proposal, either "good to do" or "bad to do"

Compatibilism

The belief that free will and determinism are compatible ideas, and that it is possible to believe both without being logically inconsistent.

freedom of action

freedom to do what one wants to do

Freedom of the Will

Edwards book that stated that God has free will and everyone else has dependent free will

Three Faces of Power

First Face - Ability to affect decisions / coercion, state forcing people to do XSecond Face - Ability to ensure that issues are not raised / agenda-settingThird Face - Ability to affect the dominant ideas of society / interest shaping I.e. religious institutions

Ideational hegemony

Gramsci's idea that capitalists have hegemony over ideas

free press

a press not restricted or controlled by government censorship regarding politics or ideology

Legitimacy

Sources of legitimacy (why we voluntarily obey the state) are democracy, nationalism and economic performance

Voluntarism vs natural duty

Divine obligation vs the idea of an inherent responsibility held to all men

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society. Two key purposes (formal) establish rights, establish state powers/duties. (Informal) promote solidarity and civic nationalism

Express rights

rights that are included (written) in a document

rights in Australian constitution

Unjust acquisition of property, jury trial, freedom of religion, non-discrimination re: residency

judicial independence

insulating judges from the need to be accountable to voters or elected officials so that they can make impartial decisions based on the law

Judicial Review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Harm Principle (John Stuart Mill)

"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others."

Collective Identity

The shared identity of a group of people, especially because of a common language and culture

the defense of human dignity by ensuring that essential human needs are met and that essential human rights are protected for all people

Protestantism

a form of Christianity that was in opposition to the Catholic Church 16th and 17th century. "Right to determine your own relationship with god"

Liberalism

A belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity. In the 18th and 19th century it was chiefly concerned with a right to freedom from despotic/autocratic/monarchical rule

Veil of Ignorance (Rawls)

a. Veil of Ignorance - serves as a function of making decisions by forgetting or ignoringyourselfb. Tend to make decisions based upon what we are good at.c. Forget everything about ourselves, then we can be as selfish as we want when makingdecisionsd. Get fairness from being selfish

Role of the Press

1. Right to seek info and ideas 2. Right to receive info and ideas 3. Right to impart info and ideas

Volksverhetzung

Incitement of hatred, particularly racial hatred.

Media Concentration

The gathering of ownership of newspapers and other media in the hands of a few large corporations.

media pluralism

the degree to which there is diversity in media content readily available to audiences

civic engagement

individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern

competitive individualism

cultural belief that those who succeed in society are those who work hardest and have the best abilities and that those who suffer don't work hard enough or lack the necessary traits or abilities

free market

An economic system in which prices and wages are determined by unrestricted competition between businesses, without government regulation or fear of monopolies.

Modern American Liberalism is defined by

1. Competitive individualism2. Private property3. Limited government4. The free market

Principles for controlling governmental power in America

1. Written constitution2. Bill of rights- first 10 amendments3. Separation of powers / checks and balances4. Federalism (state/fed divisions of power)

Federal powers in America

Inherent: 18 specified powersImplicit: power to make all laws 'necessary and proper'

State powers in America

Reserved powers (i.e. all powers not delegated to national government)

hierarchy

PresidentExecutive^IvHouse <-> SenateLegislature^IvSupreme Court Judiciary

Imperial Presidency

President is seen as emperor taking strong actions without consulting Congress or seeking its approval

executive power

the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

Powers of American president

The veto (reactive) The point of the constitution is to codify powers so the president is required to consult with congress

Presidential singularity

'President' becomes symbolic of all politics and is the focal point of people's attention and interestThis means power can shift from congress to president with their ability to set the agenda and influence public perception

Anger and discontent in the US

Distrust of government and political status quoFeeling country is on the wrong trackWashington is uncaring and out of touch

Trumps influence on checks and balances

White House is now pitted against the congress, courts and free press

3 key steps to sidestepping US system of checks and balances

1. If you can't destroy existing bureaucracies, appoint hostile cabinet secretaries2. Use executive orders 3. If opposed, denigrate the legitimacy of other governmental branches and free press

Basics of British politics

Favours a two-party outcome Elections based on a 'first past the post' counting systemReally only one vote that counts (house of commons) which deters votes from smaller parties

median voter theorem

a proposition predicting that when policy options can be arrayed along a single dimension, majority rule will pick the policy most preferred by the voter whose ideal policy is to the left of half of the voters and to the right of exactly half of the voters

Devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the statesThis allows different parts of a country to implement different policies without undermining a nation

Washminster system

The melding of the Westminster system of responsible government & the federal model adopted by the U.S

Features of Australian political system using washminster

UK features1. Queen head of state2. PM advises gov-gen to do shit3. Parliament is biggest similarityImplications?Separation of powers is weaker, PM not directly elected, no fixed terms = parliament can remove governmentUS features1. Constitution is written2. Federalism, states cannot be 'legislated away' since the constitution would have to be changed3. Senate can block bills, not just delay like UK's House of Lords. Why? Because it's elected

party discipline

pressure on party members to vote on bills that have the support of the party leadership

Is Australian parliament sovereign?

Not technically. The crown is. The queen is not elected so parliament is sovereign in practice- parliament is handed lots of powers in the constitution so parliament is the prime power

House of Representatives

Government = who can command majority in house of reps is a convention. It's also pragmatic as govt need to be able to pass money bills. More democratically legitimate.House of reps has other constitutional powers of the senate

Double dissolution

when a dispute between the Legislative Assembly and the Senate cannot be resolved, the government can dissolve both houses and call for new elections for the two houses.

Joint sitting

After an election both houses vote on the bill together

The executive

The cabinet is the executive. There are 25 people in cabinet. Committees are how the PM controls who is in or out of cabinet. Powers of the cabinet: cabinet alone can not pass laws but it can through party discipline

Populism

the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite

Outlets for political dissatisfaction

1. Populism2. Radical parties3. Minor parties

Direct Democracy

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

authoritarian capitalism

a system in which the state allows people economic freedom but maintains stringent social regulations to limit noneconomic behavior(China is a popular example of this model)

Washington Consensus

1. Stabilise economy 2. Control of trade3. Removal of privatisation + subsidies 4. More open markets

Washington consensus/Neoliberalism

An array of policy recommendations generally advocated by developed-country economists and policy makers starting in the 1980s, including trade liberalization, privatization, openness to foreign investment, and restrictive monetary and fiscal policies.

Beijing Consensus

Neomercantilist model of state-led capitalist development adopted by China and proposed as alternative to Western neoliberal model known as the Washington consensusIncludesLong term planningPolicy tool kitNot just market orientedControl of large scale resourcesNot new or linked to authoritarian capitalismStill a neoliberal model

Neomercantilist

is a policy regime that encourages exports, discourages imports, controls capital movement, and centralizes currency decisions in the hands of a central government.

Characteristics of human rights in contemporary liberalism

1. Rights are universal (apply to all people)2. Rights are inalienable (human rights cannot be removed or denigrated)3. Rights are inseparable (human rights come as a complete bundle and cannot be divided up)

Lexical Priority

The first principle of justice trumps the second - basic rights trump distributive justice. "Liberty may be restricted only for the sake of liberty" - limits on basic equal liberties cannot be justified, or compensated for, by greater social and economic advantages. It is the order in which the principles of justice are to be satisfied.

Rights

Attributes that adhere to individuals

Freedoms

Freedoms or lack thereof are a characteristic of the political system that guarantees those rights

Positive Freedom

freedom to do something

Negative Freedom

The absence of external restrictions or constraints on the individual, allowing freedom of choice

Fukuyama's strength vs scope

Axis based on x axis scope i.e. what role does the state play, what issue areas does it have power over, how are its powers limited and Y axis strength i.e. can the state do what it wants? Can it implement its policies?

Implied rights

The doctrine that the Constitution protects rights that are not explicitly stated or enumerated therein.

Judicial Tenure

Supreme Court justices were given ________ by the framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that justices are free from direct political pressures.

judicial activism

An interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely"

Subsidiarity

The moral principle that large organizations or governments should not interfere with, or take over, responsibilities that can be administered by individuals and local organizations, but rather should support them, always with a focus on the common good.

Political Science Concepts Flashcards ionicons-v5-c

Political Science Concepts Flashcards