Flashcards - Political Science - PDF

. Neopatrimonialism Definition: A system where formal institutions are overshadowed by informal networks of patronage, where leaders use state resources for personal loyalty. Significance: Explains governance failures in post-colonial states, linking weak state capacity to cli...

. Neopatrimonialism Definition: A system where formal institutions are overshadowed by informal networks of patronage, where leaders use state resources for personal loyalty. Significance: Explains governance failures in post-colonial states, linking weak state capacity to clientelism and corruption. Example: Mobutu Sese Seko’s rule in Zaire, where state resources were channeled to allies, undermining institutions​(Pol218- State Society a…). 2. Competitive Authoritarianism Definition: A regime where democratic institutions exist but are manipulated to ensure the ruling party retains power. Significance: Highlights how regimes blur the line between democracy and authoritarianism while maintaining the appearance of legitimacy. Example: Hungary under Viktor Orbán​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 3. Joint-Production of Violence Definition: Collaboration between multiple actors (state and non-state) to execute violence, blurring accountability. Significance: Reflects how violence is used strategically in civil wars or authoritarian regimes. Example: Syrian Civil War, where militias and state actors jointly suppressed opposition​(Pol218- State Society a…). 4. Credible Commitment Definition: The ability of political actors to make binding agreements that others trust will be upheld. Significance: Vital for conflict resolution, peace-building, and institutional reforms. Example: Constitutional guarantees in South Africa post-apartheid​(Pol218- State Society a…). 5. Imagined Community  Definition: A nation as a socially constructed community, imagined as both limited and sovereign (Benedict Anderson). Significance: Explains the emotional and cultural underpinnings of nationalism. Example: The unification of Indonesia across diverse ethnicities​(Lecture Nationalism Sli…)​(Pol218- State Society a…). 6. Monarchy Definition: A form of governance where sovereignty is vested in a single ruler, often hereditary. Significance: Demonstrates pre-modern state structures and their evolution into republics or constitutional monarchies. Example: Saudi Arabia’s absolute monarchy vs. the UK's constitutional monarchy​(Pol218- State Society a…). 7. Majoritarian Democracy Definition: A system where decisions are made by majority rule, often through first-past-the-post systems. Significance: Encourages efficiency in governance but risks marginalizing minorities. Example: The UK’s electoral system​(Pol218- State Society a…). 8. Consensus Democracy Definition: A system focused on broad inclusivity, often requiring coalitions and proportional representation. Significance: Promotes minority representation but can slow decision-making. Example: Switzerland’s power-sharing model​(Pol218- State Society a…). 9. Audience Cost Definition: The domestic political cost a leader incurs for not following through on commitments or threats. Significance: Highlights the importance of credibility in international relations. Example: U.S. threats during the Cuban Missile Crisis​(Pol218- State Society a…). 10. Democratic Backsliding Definition: The gradual erosion of democratic norms and institutions, often by elected leaders. Significance: Undermines democracy from within without overt authoritarian takeovers. Example: Poland under the Law and Justice Party​(Pol218- State Society a…). 11. Populism Definition: A political ideology framing "the people" against "the elite," often focusing on grievances. Significance: Challenges established institutions but can undermine democratic norms. Example: Donald Trump’s rhetoric of “draining the swamp”​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(Lecture Social Mobiliza…). 12. Democratization Definition: The process of transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy. Significance: Central to understanding how states adopt democratic governance. Example: South Korea’s transition in the 1980s​(Pol218- State Society a…). 13. Authoritarian Durability Definition: Factors that allow authoritarian regimes to sustain themselves over time. Significance: Explains why some regimes resist democratization. Example: China’s Communist Party maintaining control through repression and economic performance​(Pol218- State Society a…). 14. Sovereignty Definition: The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference. Significance: A foundational principle of the international system. Example: The Treaty of Westphalia established modern sovereignty​(Pol218- State Society a…). 15. Middle Class / Bourgeoisie Definition: A socio-economic class that often drives democratization by demanding accountability and reform. Significance: Key agents in democratic transitions. Example: The French Revolution’s bourgeoisie supported liberal values​(Pol218- State Society a…). 16. Colonialism/Decolonization Definition: Colonialism is the domination of one country by another; decolonization is the process of achieving independence. Significance: Shaped modern state boundaries and legacies of ethnic conflict. Example: Partition of India and Pakistan during decolonization​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 17. Territorial Pluralism Definition: Governance accommodating multiple groups or regions, often through federalism. Significance: Balances national unity with regional diversity. Example: Canada’s accommodation of Quebec’s identity​(Pol218- State Society a…). 18. State Capacity Definition: The ability of a state to enforce laws, collect taxes, and deliver public goods. Significance: Indicates governance strength and effectiveness. Example: Chile’s post-colonial state-building success compared to Peru’s stagnation​(Pol218- State Society a…). 19. Social Revolution Definition: A radical transformation of political and social structures, often driven by mass mobilization. Significance: Creates new political orders and societal changes. Example: Russian Revolution of 1917​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 20. Modernization Definition: Transition from traditional to modern economic and social systems. Significance: Linked to democratization and state development. Example: Industrialization in South Korea paved the way for democratization​(Pol218- State Society a…). 21. Social Mobilization Definition: The process of organizing people to achieve collective goals, often tied to political or social change. Significance: A key driver of revolutions and regime change, reflecting popular grievances and collective power. Example: The Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., which mobilized for racial equality and legislative reform​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 22. Protection Racket Definition: A situation where an entity creates threats and then offers protection from those threats, often linked to Charles Tilly’s analogy of state-building. Significance: Describes how states historically monopolized violence and justified taxation by offering "protection." Example: European state formation, where rulers waged wars and taxed citizens to fund armies, claiming to protect them​(Pol218- State Society a…). 23. Personalist Regime Definition: A type of authoritarian regime centered around a single leader who concentrates power and governs arbitrarily. Significance: These regimes lack institutional constraints, making them prone to instability or abrupt collapse. Example: Idi Amin’s Uganda, where personal rule dominated over institutional governance​(Pol218- State Society a…). 24. Elite Cohesion  Definition: The unity and cooperation among ruling elites, which is essential for maintaining political stability and regime survival. Significance: Determines whether regimes survive crises or transition to new forms of governance. Example: The lack of elite cohesion contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 25. Ethnic Nationalism Definition: A form of nationalism that defines membership in the nation based on ethnicity, language, or shared heritage. Significance: Can unite populations but often excludes minorities and fuels conflict. Example: Serbian nationalism during the breakup of Yugoslavia​(Pol218- State Society a…). 26. Civic Nationalism Definition: A form of nationalism based on shared political values, citizenship, and allegiance to a state rather than ethnicity. Significance: Promotes inclusivity and unity in diverse societies. Example: The United States’ national identity based on shared democratic ideals​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 27. Primordialist Hypothesis Definition: The theory that ethnic identities are ancient, fixed, and deeply rooted in history and culture. Significance: Often used to explain ethnic conflict but criticized for overlooking the constructed nature of identity. Example: The Rwandan Genocide framed as an ancient conflict between Hutus and Tutsis​(Pol218- State Society a…). 28. Greed vs. Grievance Definition: A framework for understanding the causes of civil wars, where “greed” refers to economic motives (e.g., resource control) and “grievance” refers to social or political injustices.  Significance: Helps analyze motivations behind insurgencies and conflicts. Example: The conflict in Sierra Leone, driven by control over diamonds (greed) and state corruption (grievance)​(Pol218- State Society a…). 29. Performance Legitimacy Definition: A regime’s legitimacy derived from its ability to deliver economic growth, public services, or national security. Significance: Critical in authoritarian regimes lacking democratic legitimacy. Example: China’s Communist Party maintains legitimacy through rapid economic development​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 30. Insurgency Definition: A rebellion or armed movement against a recognized government, often involving irregular warfare. Significance: Highlights challenges to state authority and can lead to prolonged conflict or state collapse. Example: The Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan​(Pol218- State Society a…). 31. State Formation Definition: The historical process by which states emerge, consolidate territory, and establish sovereignty. Significance: Explains how modern political systems developed and the role of war, economy, and institutions in shaping them. Example: European state formation driven by “war making, state making, and extraction” (Charles Tilly)​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 32. Modern State Definition: A centralized political entity with defined territorial boundaries, monopoly on violence, and bureaucratic governance. Significance: The dominant political unit in the modern international system. Example: France during the 17th century under Louis XIV, with centralized power and administrative structures​(Pol218- State Society a…). 33. Democracy Definition: A political system where power is exercised through free and fair elections, with respect for civil and political rights. Significance: Ensures representation, accountability, and citizen participation. Example: The United States, despite challenges, is often considered a procedural democracy​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 34. Nationalism Definition: A political ideology emphasizing loyalty and devotion to one’s nation, often framed as a community of shared identity. Significance: Can unify states or exacerbate divisions and conflicts. Example: German nationalism in the 19th century facilitated unification under Otto von Bismarck​(Pol218- State Society a…). 35. Civil War Definition: A violent conflict between organized groups within the same state, often over control of government or territory. Significance: Highlights state weaknesses and the role of grievances or greed in internal conflict. Example: The U.S. Civil War (1861–1865), fought over slavery and state rights​(Pol218- State Society a…). 36. Authoritarianism Definition: A political regime characterized by limited political freedoms, centralized power, and the absence of free elections. Significance: Represents a common alternative to democracy, often stable but resistant to reform. Example: North Korea’s regime under Kim Jong-un​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 37. Ethnic Identity  Definition: A sense of belonging to a group based on shared cultural, linguistic, or ancestral traits. Significance: Can foster unity or lead to ethnic conflict in diverse societies. Example: Kurds in Iraq, who share a strong ethnic identity despite state suppression​(Pol218- State Society a…). 38. Collective Action Definition: Action taken by a group to achieve a common goal, often overcoming challenges like the "free rider" problem. Significance: Explains how social movements or revolutions gain momentum. Example: Arab Spring protests mobilizing for regime change​(Pol218- State Society a…)​(1-Exam Review Sheet-2024). 39. Social Movement Definition: A sustained, organized campaign to achieve social or political change through collective action. Significance: Reflects societal grievances and often leads to long-term reform. Example: Black Lives Matter protests advocating for racial justice​(Pol218- State Society a…). 40. Framing Definition: The strategic presentation of issues to shape public perception and mobilize support. Significance: A critical tool for social movements and political campaigns. Example: “Marriage equality” framing in LGBTQ+ advocacy to emphasize universal rights​(Pol218- State Society a…).