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Table of Contents
Unit 1 Overview: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments
1.1 The Practice of Political Scientists
1.2 Defining Political Institutions
1.3 Democracy vs. Authoritarianism
1.4 Democratization
1.5 Sources of and Changes in Power and Authority
1.7 Federal and Unitary Systems
1.8 Political Legitimacy
1.9 Sustaining Legitimacy
1.10 Political Stability

🗳️ap comparative government review

1.2 Defining Political Institutions

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1.2 - Defining Political Institutions

Vocab anyone?! This topic is all about vocabulary. At the end of this topic you'll need to know the different ways that political institutions are defined. Do not forget as we go over the different institutions that they represent the power dynamics between the government and the people. So here we go!

Topic 1.2 Terms

  • Political Systems — The laws, the ideas, and the procedures that decide who has the authority to rule and what the government's influence should be politically and economically.
  • States — Political organizations that combine a permanent population with governing institutions in a defined territory with international recognition.
    • Must meet the following criteria:
      • Defined borders
      • Permanent Population
      • Holds sovereignty over domestic and international affairs
      • Recognized by other states
  • Regime — The method of rule by the group in power.
    • Typically endures from government to government unless a revolution or coup d'etat occurs.
    • Can be Authoritarian or Democratic.
  • Government — The institutions and individuals allowed to make legally binding decisions for a state.
  • Nation — A group of people who share commonalities in race, language, ethnicity, or religion, unified by a collective political identity.
    • A Nation does not require a state to exist (The Kurds & The Basque)

Definitions are the key to success in this class. You can't compare countries if you don't understand the terms and ways in which you are being asked to compare them. The College Board also wants you to show that you can explain and analyze! That means being able to discuss what a political system looks like in the countries of study. Here's a chart to help.

Institution Examples

TermUKRussiaChinaIranMexicoNigeria
Political SystemEvolved DemocracyConstitution AuthoritarianCCP and/or Authoritarian[Theocracy and/or AuthoritarianConstitutional DemocracyConstitutional Democracy
RegimeDemocraticAuthoritarianAuthoritarianAuthoritarianEmerging DemocracyEmerging Democracy
GovernmentUnitary, but turning more federalFederal but asymmetricUnitaryUnitaryFederalFederal
NationScottish, Irish, EnglishRussian, ChechenHan Chinese, TibetansPersians, AzerisMestizo, MexicaHausa, Yoruba

This topic is all about providing you with a way to define political institutions. The rest of the unit will have you break each of these down in more detail and begin to examine each in the course countries.

💡For the AP Exam you will have to know the difference between all of these institutions very clearly. A good way to approach it is to think what each institution does in terms of power. For instance, political systems determine who has the authority to rule. A nation, on the other hand, does not necessarily have power implications since it exists through a commonality between people, including but not limited to language, aspirations, ethnicity, etc.

Essential connections:

  • A state consists of the combination of a population and the governmental system of a nation
  • A government's authority derives from the state's legitimacy to exercise power
  • A regime does not change after a transition of government. Regimes are supposed to be enduring

Key Terms to Review (10)

Authoritarian: A form of government where power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or a small group, and citizens have limited political freedoms and rights.
Democracy: Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who exercise it directly or through elected representatives.
Federal System: A federal system is a form of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional or state governments. Each level of government has its own set of powers and responsibilities.
Government: A system or group of people that have the authority to make and enforce laws and decisions for a country or community.
Nation: A large group of people who share common characteristics such as language, culture, history, or ethnicity. It refers to a sense of identity and belonging among its members.
Political Systems: Political systems refer to the structures and processes through which a society makes collective decisions, exercises power, and governs itself.
Regime: A regime refers to the set of rules, institutions, practices, and norms that determine how power is exercised within a country. It encompasses both formal structures (such as constitutions) and informal arrangements (such as unwritten traditions).
States: States are independent political entities with defined territories, permanent populations, recognized sovereignty by other states, and functioning governments.
Theocracy: A theocracy is a form of government where religious leaders hold both political power and authority. Laws are based on religious principles, and religious texts often serve as the foundation for governance.
Unitary System: A system of government where all powers are held by a central authority or national government. Local governments exist but derive their powers from the central authority.
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1.3 Democracy vs. Authoritarianism