Key Topic 2-key words part 1

Constitution

System of fundamental principles accoring to which a nation state or body politic is constituted and governed

1 of 46

codified and uncodified constitution

codified=a single document that sets out the rules of how a state should be governed, uncodified=rules stating how a state is to be governed are not gathered in to a single document

2 of 46

Federal

division of power between central government and a number of state governments according to a written constitution

3 of 46

bill of rights

an authoratative statement of the rights of citizens,often entrenched as a part of a codified constitution

4 of 46

limited government

powers of governments are subject to legal constraints, and checks and balances within the political system

5 of 46

fundamental law

the law which forms the foundation of the government state

6 of 46

entrenched

secured, difficult to change

7 of 46

judicial review

power of senior judges to review the actions of government and public authorities,declaring them unlawful if they have exceeded authority

8 of 46

statute law

law derived from acts of parliament and the subordiante legislation

9 of 46

common law

law derived from decisions in court cases and from general customs

10 of 46

directives

these area type of european law which is binding on all eu states as to the result to be archieved, but can be implemented as best suits the needs of individual countries

11 of 46

regulations

European law that is binding on all member states of the EU without the need for any national legislation

12 of 46

royal prerogative

powers of the crown that are exercised in the monarchs name by the government ministers

13 of 46

conventions

established norms of political behaviour rooted in past experience rather than in the law

14 of 46

sovereignty

legal supremecy, absolute law-making authority that is not subject to a higher authority

15 of 46

parliamentry sovereignty

The doctorine that parliament has absolute legal authority within the state. it enjoys legislative supremecy; parliament may make law on any matter it chooses, its decisions may not be overturned by any higher authority and it may not bind successors

16 of 46

rule of law

the relationship between the state and the individual is governed by law, protecting the individual from abitary state action

17 of 46

civil liberties

fundamental indivdual rights and freedoms that ought to be protected from inteference by the state

18 of 46

unitary system

a homogeneous state in which power is concentrated at the political centre and all parts of the state are governed in the same way

19 of 46

union state

a state in which there re cultural differences and were different parts of the state are governed in slightly different ways

20 of 46

quangos

publicly funded bodies that operate at arms length from a government department and carry out executive and advisory functions. Their members are not elected so are therefore not accountable to the voters

21 of 46

nationalism

the desire of a nation to be recognised as a state

22 of 46

charter 88

a pressure group set up 300 years after the glorious revoloution tourge the case for constitutional and electoral reform

23 of 46

constitutional monarchy

a political system in which the monarch is the formal head of state but the monarchs legal powers are exercised by government ministers

24 of 46

cabinet governement

a system of government in which executive power is vested in cabinet, whose members exercise collective responsibility, rather than a single office

25 of 46

parliamentry government

a political system in which government takes place through parliament, executive and legislative branches are fused

26 of 46

Primeministerial government

a system of government in which the PM is the dominant actor and is able to bypass the cabinet

27 of 46

legislature

the branch of government responsible for making law

28 of 46

executive

branch of government that is responsible for the implementation of policy

29 of 46

judiciary

branch of government responsible for interpreting the law and deciding upon legal disputes

30 of 46

the supreme court

a body created to act as the final court of appeal in all matters under English, Welsh and Northern Irish law after 2009, it takes over the judiciral functions of the house of lords

31 of 46

fusion of powers

intermingling of personnel in the executive and legislative branches found in parliamentry systems

32 of 46

seperation of powers

legislative, executive and judicial branches of government should be independent of one another, they should have different functions and distinctive membership which should not overlap

33 of 46

electative dictatorship

excessive concentration of power in the executive branch, implies that the only check on the power of government is the need to hold a general election at regular intervals,

34 of 46

political sovereignty

absolute political power

35 of 46

party discipline

system of maintaining order within the parliamentry parties,MP's are expected to "toe the line"

36 of 46

Globalisation

widening of interconnectedness between peoples and societies across the world in economic, political social and cultural activities

37 of 46

pooled sovereignty

the decision-making authority of the member states of an international organisation is combined, this enhances collective power and achieves joint interests

38 of 46

devoloution

devoloution of political power from central government to regional government, soverign authority is not divided but remains in the centre

39 of 46

popular sovereignty

supreme authority rests with the people

40 of 46

westminster model

a form of government exemplified by the British political system where the executive and legislature are fused and political power is centrialised

41 of 46

governance

a form of decision making in which a wide range of institutions, networks and relationships are involved

42 of 46

sleaze

behaviour characterised by low standards of honesty or morality

43 of 46

executive

branch of government responsible for policy making and implementation

44 of 46

cabinet

the committee of seniour cabinet minsters that is the main collective decision-making body of government

45 of 46

cabinet system

the cabinet and its associated bodies, including cabinet committees and the cabinet office

46 of 46

Get Revising

Key Topic 2-key words part 1

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Similar Government & Politics resources: