All Flashcards
Define political participation.
Actions by citizens to influence government.
What are civil liberties?
Basic freedoms guaranteed to individuals.
What are civil rights?
Protections from discrimination based on certain characteristics.
Define authoritarian regime.
A system of government where power is concentrated in the hands of a leader or small group not constitutionally accountable to the people.
Define democratic regime.
A system of government where power is held by the people and exercised through elected representatives.
What is a referendum?
A direct vote by the electorate on a particular proposal or issue.
What is civil society?
Organizations and associations that operate independently of the government.
Define media censorship.
Government control and suppression of information disseminated through media outlets.
What is government repression?
Actions taken by a government to suppress or control its citizens, often through force or intimidation.
Define legitimate protests.
Public demonstrations that are recognized as lawful and justified expressions of dissent.
What is Iran's policy on internet access?
Strict control and censorship, frequent internet shutdowns.
What is China's policy on protests?
Severe suppression of any form of dissent or public demonstration.
What is the UK's policy on referenda?
Use of referenda to allow citizens to directly vote on important issues.
What is Russia's policy on large gatherings?
Criminalization of large gatherings to limit political opposition.
What is Mexico's policy on elections?
Moving towards full democratization with direct elections of the President and legislature.
What is Nigeria's policy on peaceful assembly?
Constitutional protection of protests and peaceful assemblies.
Compare political participation in democracies vs. authoritarian regimes.
Democracies: driven by citizen engagement, protect civil rights. Authoritarian: intentionally control participation, prioritize public order.
What are the differences between civil rights and civil liberties?
Civil Rights: Protection from discrimination. Civil Liberties: Basic freedoms.
Compare elections in the UK and China.
UK: Direct election of parliament, multiple parties. China: No real opposition, no direct presidential election.
Compare media control in Iran and the UK.
Iran: Heavy media censorship, internet shutdowns. UK: Relatively free press, limited government control.
Compare the role of protests in Nigeria and Russia.
Nigeria: Constitution protects peaceful assembly. Russia: Large gatherings are criminalized.
Compare the protection of civil rights in Mexico and Iran.
Mexico: Moving towards full democratization, historically opposition was suppressed. Iran: Restrictions on voting, suppression of protests.
Compare the role of civil society in the UK and China.
UK: Strong civil society, active engagement. China: Civil society is heavily controlled by the government.
Compare the electoral systems in the UK and Russia.
UK: Free and fair elections with multiple parties. Russia: Elections exist, but are often manipulated and lack true opposition.
Compare the government response to protests in Mexico and China.
Mexico: Protests are generally tolerated, but historically opposition was suppressed. China: Protests are severely suppressed (e.g., Tiananmen Square).
Compare the level of internet freedom in Nigeria and Iran.
Nigeria: Relatively open internet access. Iran: Frequent internet shutdowns to control information.