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Related Flashcards
Related Topics
Cards In This Set
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Executive
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The political institution responsible for overseeing the execution of laws and policies, and most often associated with the idea of national leadership.
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Head of state
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The figurehead leader of a state, who may be elected or appointed, or – in the case of monarchs – may inherit the position.
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Head of government
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The elected leader of a government, who comes to office because of the support of voters who identify with their party and platform.
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Constitutional monarchy
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A state headed by a monarch, but where the monarch’s political powers are severely limited by constitutional rules. Stands in contrast with an absolute monarch (see Chapter 6).
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Presidential executive
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An arrangement in which the executive and the legislature are separately and directly elected, and have separate powers and responsibilities.
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Limited presidential executive
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A presidential executive whose powers are limited by the constitution and by political realities.
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Separation of powers
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An arrangement in which executive, legislature, and judiciary are given distinct but complementary sets of powers, such that neither can govern alone and that all should, ideally, govern together.
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Parliamentary executive
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An arrangement in which the executive emerges from the legislature (most often in the form of a coalition) and remains accountable to it, and must maintain a working legislative majority in order to remain in office.
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Cabinet
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A body consisting of the heads of the major government departments. Sometimes known as a council of ministers. More important in parliamentary than in presidential systems.
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Coalition government
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An arrangement in which the government is formed through an agreement involving two or more parties which divide government posts between them.
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Semi-presidential executive
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An arrangement in which an elected president coexists with an appointed prime minister and separately elected legislature.
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Cohabitation
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An arrangement found in semi-presidential systems when the presidency is held by a member of one party and the legislature is controlled by another party.
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Unlimited presidential executive
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A presidential executive whose powers face few constitutional or political limits.
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Dictatorship
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A political system in which a leader or ruling elite uses a combination of repression and loyalty to remain in power.
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