PSCI 1024 EXAM 3 – VIRGINIA TECH FLASHCARDS – MILLY
Effects of single-member districts - Answers --Have a clear tie between representatives
and voters
-Overrepresent larger parties and minorities
-Tend to be a few-party or two party system
Proportional Representation - Answers --Seats are allocated according to percentage
of the vote
-A party list from each competing party is submitted in advance
Implications of a proportional representation system - Answers --Highly representative
-Strong role for parties
-Tendency toward multi-party legislatures and instability
-DOES NOT PROVIDE VOTERS WITH A SINGLE IDENTIFIABLE LEGISLATOR WHO
REPRESENTS THEM
-ONLY VOTING FOR SEATS IN THE PARTY
Hung Parliament - Answers -No party has a majority of seats
Coalition Government - Answers -A type of government in which the executive is
formed by two or more parties
Minority Government - Answers -Executive is led by parties/a party with less than a
majority in the legislature
Legislature in Spain - Answers --Congress of Deputies
-Elected from closed party lists in provincial constituencies
The Executive Branch - Answers --The branch of government, or the individual(s) at the
top of that branch, that executes or administers policies and laws in a country
-Runs the bureaucracy
Head of State - Answers -A person with executive functions that is a country's symbolic
representative, including elected presidents and unelected monarchs
Head of Government - Answers -The top executive official responsible for forming
governments and formulating and implementing policies
Prime Minister - Answers -A chief executive in a parliamentary system of government
President - Answers --An executive leader that typically combines the functions of head
of state and head of government
-Isn't usually responsible to a legislature
, Monarch - Answers --Head of state in a monarchy
-Usually inherits a position for life
-May have either substantial political powers of very limited ceremonial powers
Parliamentarism - Answers -Government is elected by and accountable to a parliament
or legislature
Presidentialism - Answers --A president serves as chief executive
-President is independent of the legislature
-Often combines the functions of head of state and head of government
Parliamentary executive constraints - Answers --No confidence votes
-Germany: "Constructive vote of no confidence" - Need to have a "new government"
Examples of Successful Votes of No-confidence - Answers --Canada: Stephen Harper -
2011
-Japan: Kiichi Miyazawa - 1993
-Italy: Romano Prodi - 2008
After a no confidence vote - Answers --Usually a general election is held (depends on
the country's rules)
-Also could have snap elections (called by the PM)
Vote of No Confidence - Answers --Parliamentary system
-Vote challenges the character and direction of governance
-Straightforward process
-No process of investigation, making charges, or conviction
Impeachment - Answers --Presidential system
-Applies to alleged criminal violations
-Stringent process
-Usually a two stage impeachment equivalent to indictment; in US, this occurs in House
of Representatives; then "trial" is in Senate; process varies by country
Park Geun-Hye - Answers --Prime Minister of South Korea
-Offered to resign in 2016 over scandal charges
-Impeached by National Assembly in December 2016
-Suspended; duties turned over to the PM as acting President
-Removed in 2017
Select committees in UK - Answers --Investigate executive scandals
Scandals in Japan - Answers -- "Recruit Scandal" - insider trading and special favors
received by politicians - 1989
- Current scandal on politicians' intervention to give preference to a private nationalist
school
Effects of single-member districts - Answers --Have a clear tie between representatives
and voters
-Overrepresent larger parties and minorities
-Tend to be a few-party or two party system
Proportional Representation - Answers --Seats are allocated according to percentage
of the vote
-A party list from each competing party is submitted in advance
Implications of a proportional representation system - Answers --Highly representative
-Strong role for parties
-Tendency toward multi-party legislatures and instability
-DOES NOT PROVIDE VOTERS WITH A SINGLE IDENTIFIABLE LEGISLATOR WHO
REPRESENTS THEM
-ONLY VOTING FOR SEATS IN THE PARTY
Hung Parliament - Answers -No party has a majority of seats
Coalition Government - Answers -A type of government in which the executive is
formed by two or more parties
Minority Government - Answers -Executive is led by parties/a party with less than a
majority in the legislature
Legislature in Spain - Answers --Congress of Deputies
-Elected from closed party lists in provincial constituencies
The Executive Branch - Answers --The branch of government, or the individual(s) at the
top of that branch, that executes or administers policies and laws in a country
-Runs the bureaucracy
Head of State - Answers -A person with executive functions that is a country's symbolic
representative, including elected presidents and unelected monarchs
Head of Government - Answers -The top executive official responsible for forming
governments and formulating and implementing policies
Prime Minister - Answers -A chief executive in a parliamentary system of government
President - Answers --An executive leader that typically combines the functions of head
of state and head of government
-Isn't usually responsible to a legislature
, Monarch - Answers --Head of state in a monarchy
-Usually inherits a position for life
-May have either substantial political powers of very limited ceremonial powers
Parliamentarism - Answers -Government is elected by and accountable to a parliament
or legislature
Presidentialism - Answers --A president serves as chief executive
-President is independent of the legislature
-Often combines the functions of head of state and head of government
Parliamentary executive constraints - Answers --No confidence votes
-Germany: "Constructive vote of no confidence" - Need to have a "new government"
Examples of Successful Votes of No-confidence - Answers --Canada: Stephen Harper -
2011
-Japan: Kiichi Miyazawa - 1993
-Italy: Romano Prodi - 2008
After a no confidence vote - Answers --Usually a general election is held (depends on
the country's rules)
-Also could have snap elections (called by the PM)
Vote of No Confidence - Answers --Parliamentary system
-Vote challenges the character and direction of governance
-Straightforward process
-No process of investigation, making charges, or conviction
Impeachment - Answers --Presidential system
-Applies to alleged criminal violations
-Stringent process
-Usually a two stage impeachment equivalent to indictment; in US, this occurs in House
of Representatives; then "trial" is in Senate; process varies by country
Park Geun-Hye - Answers --Prime Minister of South Korea
-Offered to resign in 2016 over scandal charges
-Impeached by National Assembly in December 2016
-Suspended; duties turned over to the PM as acting President
-Removed in 2017
Select committees in UK - Answers --Investigate executive scandals
Scandals in Japan - Answers -- "Recruit Scandal" - insider trading and special favors
received by politicians - 1989
- Current scandal on politicians' intervention to give preference to a private nationalist
school
