Comparative Politics Review and Applications Free Online FlashCards

What does comparative politics seek to explain?

Comparative politics explains patterns, differences, and causes in how political systems operate across countries.

Which six core cases anchor AP Comparative Government and Politics?

China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

What is a political mechanism?

A mechanism is the process connecting a cause to an outcome, such as resource dependence weakening pressure for broad taxation.

What four levels should political-system analysis connect?

A political system includes the regime, institutions, actors, and outcomes through which authority is acquired, exercised, and contested.

How do presidential and parliamentary executive systems differ?

Presidential systems give the executive and legislature separate electoral mandates; parliamentary executives are normally drawn from and dependent on the legislature.

What are majoritarian electoral rules?

Majoritarian rules award seats to candidates or parties that win districts, often encouraging concentrated parties and single-party governments.

What is proportional representation?

Proportional representation allocates seats more closely to parties’ vote shares, broadening representation but potentially producing coalition governments.

What is electoral authoritarianism?

Electoral authoritarianism holds elections while restricting competition, media, civil society, or candidate access enough to reduce meaningful uncertainty.

Which dimensions should a public policy comparison examine?

Assess the problem definition, policy instrument, beneficiaries and costs, implementation, political support, and results.

Why must analysts distinguish correlation from causation?

Correlation shows that variables are associated; it does not by itself establish that one variable caused the other.

What is a percentage-point change?

A percentage-point change is the arithmetic difference between two percentages; it is not the same as a percentage change relative to the starting value.

What does it mean to operationalize a political concept?

Operationalization converts an abstract concept into observable indicators, such as using tax collection and service delivery to study state capacity.