AP Comparative Government Terms Latest Updated

Authoritarian - Correct Answer A system of government in which decisions are made by political elites, without much input from citizens. They may be ruled by a single dictator, a hereditary monarch, a small group of aristocrats, or a single political party. EX: China Bureaucracy - Correct Answer Literally "rule by the desk," they consist of agencies that generally implement government policy. They are usually part of the executive branch of government. They are often majority merit based, with hierarchical structure, and have well established formal rules. Charismatic Leader - Correct Answer A person or group with a dynamic personality that inspires followers to support him/her/them. Occasionally, followers with be devoted to the point that they would die for their leader. Governments based on this principle rarely continue past their founder. EX: Tony Blair, Mao Zedong, Ayatollah Khomeini Civil Service - Correct Answer The term for the portion of the government that is involved in improving the quality of life of the citizens. They are appointed based on merit rather than political affiliation. Civil Society - Correct Answer The term or organizations outside the state that aid citizens in advancing their interests. They are very strong in liberal democracies, where citizens are more encouraged to exercise their freedoms. Organizations may be based on class, religion, or ethnic ties, or may go above these to create a more united society outside of governmental control. Cleavages - Correct Answer This is the term for divisions in society that should theoretically be outside the bounds of political issues. They include class, religion, and ethnicity and have a large impact of policy making. Can be either cross-cutting or cumulative. EX: Religion in the UK is a societal cleavage, and it is often cumulative with the other cleavage of ethnicity. Northern Irish Catholics vs. British Protestantism. Cross-cutting cleavages - Correct Answer Cross-cutting cleavages are many cleavages that divide the population in different ways and along different lines, and prevent too much polarization.