Edexcel A Level Politics
Additional Member System (AMS) - ANS - A hybrid electoral system that has two components
or elements. The voter makes two choices. Firstly, the voter selects a representative on a simple
plurality (FPTP) system then a second vote is apportioned to a party list for a second or
'additional' representative.
\Affirmative Action - ANS - the policy of favoring historically disadvantaged members of a
community.
\altruism - ANS - Concern for the interest and welfare if others based on ration self interest or a
belief that humans are social beings with a capacity for social solidarity.
\Anarchical society and society of states - ANS - Theory that the states of the world can be
members of a society despite the anarchical nature of the international system
\Anti-permissiveness - ANS - A rejection of permissiveness, which is the belief that people
should make their own moral choices, suggesting there is no objective right and wrong.
\Assimilation - ANS - The process by which social minorities adopt the values, customs and
beliefs of the majority.
\Atomism - ANS - The idea that society is made up of self-interested and self-sufficient
individuals (known as also known as egotistical individualism)
\Authoritative works - ANS - Works written by experts describing how a political system is run,
they are not legally binding but are taken as significant guides.
\Authority - ANS - For Conservatives, this is the idea that people in higher positions in society
are best able to make decisions in the interests of the whole society;authority thus comes from
above. From the anarchic perspective authority is the the right of one person or institution to
influence the behavior of, and is seen as commanding, controlling and corrupting.
\Autocratic State - ANS - A state that is ruled by a single person with unlimited power.
\autonomy - ANS - A form of self government or legislation, a combination of freedom and
responsibility in which the individual is not subject to the will of the state or any other person.
\Backbenchers - ANS - MPs or Lords who do not hold any government office.
\Bipatisanship - ANS - Attempts within the structure of the US Congress to try and ensure that
the tow main parties must work together in order to fulfill Congressional functions.
\Bipolarity - ANS - International system revolving around two poles
\Black Nationalism - ANS - A reaction to white oppression originating in the mid-20th century.
\Cabinet - ANS - The Prime Minister and senior ministers, most of who lead a particular
government department.
\Campaign Finance - ANS - Refers to all funds raised to promote candidates, political parties or
policy initiatives and their agendas during an election.
\Capitalism - ANS - An economic system, organised by the market, where goods are produced
for profit and wealth is privately owned
\Change to conserve - ANS - The belief that society should adapt to changing circumstances
rather than reject change outright and risk rebellion or revolution
\Chauvinist Nationalism - ANS - A form of nationalism that believes one nation is superior to
others, seeing them as a threat to their survival.
, \Checks and Balances - ANS - The division of power between the three branches of
government where each branch has a direct ability to prevent action from another branch.
\Civic Nationalism - ANS - A form of nationalism based on the active participant of its citizens
and a shared equal vision of equal citizens
\class consciousness - ANS - The self-understanding of social class that is a historical
phenomenon, created out of a collective struggle
\Class dealignment - ANS - The process where individuals no longer identify themselves as
belonging to a certain class and for political purposes fail to make a class connection with their
voting pattern.
\Classical liberals - ANS - Classical liberalism is a philosophy developed by early liberals who
believed that individual freedom would best be achieved with the state playing a minimal role.
\Co-operation - ANS - Working collectively to achieve mutual benefits.
\coalition government - ANS - A government that is formed of more than one political party. It is
normally accompanied by an agreement over policy options and office of state, as was the
Conservative-Liberal-Democrat coalition from 2010-2015
\Codification - ANS - A constitution that is written down in one document
\collective responsibility - ANS - Principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or
leave the Executive.
\Collectivisation - ANS - The abolition of private property and its replacement by collective
ownership
\Common Law - ANS - Laws made up by judges (rather than statute law) when the law in
question doesn't cover a particular issue or is unclear
\Common ownership - ANS - Ownership of the means of production so that all are able to
benefit from the wealth of society and to participate in its running.
\Communism - ANS - The communal organisation of social existence based on the common
ownership of wealth.
\Complex Interdependence - ANS - Theory that states and their fortunes are inextricably tied
together.
\Confidence and supply - ANS - The rights to remove the government and to grant or withhold
funding. Also used to describe a type of informal coalition agreement where the minority partner
agrees to provide these things in exchange for policy concessions.
\Congressional caucuses - ANS - These are groups of US legislators who share special
interests and meet to pursue common legislative objectives, e.g. black caucus, women's caucus
and Hispanic caucus.
\conservative justice - ANS - A justice with a strong belief in 'stare decisis' with s more narrow
view of the US constitution, more likely to believe in a literal interpretation of the wording, and
believing in a generally smaller government.
\Constitution - ANS - A set of rules determining where sovereignty lies in a political system, and
establishing the precise relationship between the government and the governed.
\Constitutional rights - ANS - The rights specifically outlined for citizens within the US
Constitution, Bill of Rights and subsequent Amendments.
\Conventions - ANS - Traditions not contained in law but influential in the operation of a political
system.
Additional Member System (AMS) - ANS - A hybrid electoral system that has two components
or elements. The voter makes two choices. Firstly, the voter selects a representative on a simple
plurality (FPTP) system then a second vote is apportioned to a party list for a second or
'additional' representative.
\Affirmative Action - ANS - the policy of favoring historically disadvantaged members of a
community.
\altruism - ANS - Concern for the interest and welfare if others based on ration self interest or a
belief that humans are social beings with a capacity for social solidarity.
\Anarchical society and society of states - ANS - Theory that the states of the world can be
members of a society despite the anarchical nature of the international system
\Anti-permissiveness - ANS - A rejection of permissiveness, which is the belief that people
should make their own moral choices, suggesting there is no objective right and wrong.
\Assimilation - ANS - The process by which social minorities adopt the values, customs and
beliefs of the majority.
\Atomism - ANS - The idea that society is made up of self-interested and self-sufficient
individuals (known as also known as egotistical individualism)
\Authoritative works - ANS - Works written by experts describing how a political system is run,
they are not legally binding but are taken as significant guides.
\Authority - ANS - For Conservatives, this is the idea that people in higher positions in society
are best able to make decisions in the interests of the whole society;authority thus comes from
above. From the anarchic perspective authority is the the right of one person or institution to
influence the behavior of, and is seen as commanding, controlling and corrupting.
\Autocratic State - ANS - A state that is ruled by a single person with unlimited power.
\autonomy - ANS - A form of self government or legislation, a combination of freedom and
responsibility in which the individual is not subject to the will of the state or any other person.
\Backbenchers - ANS - MPs or Lords who do not hold any government office.
\Bipatisanship - ANS - Attempts within the structure of the US Congress to try and ensure that
the tow main parties must work together in order to fulfill Congressional functions.
\Bipolarity - ANS - International system revolving around two poles
\Black Nationalism - ANS - A reaction to white oppression originating in the mid-20th century.
\Cabinet - ANS - The Prime Minister and senior ministers, most of who lead a particular
government department.
\Campaign Finance - ANS - Refers to all funds raised to promote candidates, political parties or
policy initiatives and their agendas during an election.
\Capitalism - ANS - An economic system, organised by the market, where goods are produced
for profit and wealth is privately owned
\Change to conserve - ANS - The belief that society should adapt to changing circumstances
rather than reject change outright and risk rebellion or revolution
\Chauvinist Nationalism - ANS - A form of nationalism that believes one nation is superior to
others, seeing them as a threat to their survival.
, \Checks and Balances - ANS - The division of power between the three branches of
government where each branch has a direct ability to prevent action from another branch.
\Civic Nationalism - ANS - A form of nationalism based on the active participant of its citizens
and a shared equal vision of equal citizens
\class consciousness - ANS - The self-understanding of social class that is a historical
phenomenon, created out of a collective struggle
\Class dealignment - ANS - The process where individuals no longer identify themselves as
belonging to a certain class and for political purposes fail to make a class connection with their
voting pattern.
\Classical liberals - ANS - Classical liberalism is a philosophy developed by early liberals who
believed that individual freedom would best be achieved with the state playing a minimal role.
\Co-operation - ANS - Working collectively to achieve mutual benefits.
\coalition government - ANS - A government that is formed of more than one political party. It is
normally accompanied by an agreement over policy options and office of state, as was the
Conservative-Liberal-Democrat coalition from 2010-2015
\Codification - ANS - A constitution that is written down in one document
\collective responsibility - ANS - Principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or
leave the Executive.
\Collectivisation - ANS - The abolition of private property and its replacement by collective
ownership
\Common Law - ANS - Laws made up by judges (rather than statute law) when the law in
question doesn't cover a particular issue or is unclear
\Common ownership - ANS - Ownership of the means of production so that all are able to
benefit from the wealth of society and to participate in its running.
\Communism - ANS - The communal organisation of social existence based on the common
ownership of wealth.
\Complex Interdependence - ANS - Theory that states and their fortunes are inextricably tied
together.
\Confidence and supply - ANS - The rights to remove the government and to grant or withhold
funding. Also used to describe a type of informal coalition agreement where the minority partner
agrees to provide these things in exchange for policy concessions.
\Congressional caucuses - ANS - These are groups of US legislators who share special
interests and meet to pursue common legislative objectives, e.g. black caucus, women's caucus
and Hispanic caucus.
\conservative justice - ANS - A justice with a strong belief in 'stare decisis' with s more narrow
view of the US constitution, more likely to believe in a literal interpretation of the wording, and
believing in a generally smaller government.
\Constitution - ANS - A set of rules determining where sovereignty lies in a political system, and
establishing the precise relationship between the government and the governed.
\Constitutional rights - ANS - The rights specifically outlined for citizens within the US
Constitution, Bill of Rights and subsequent Amendments.
\Conventions - ANS - Traditions not contained in law but influential in the operation of a political
system.
