Revisions Olympics Activity – Archery Definitions

Limited Government

A form of government in which government power is subject to limitations and checks, providing protection for the individual; the opposite of arbitrary government.

Codified Constitution

A constitution in which key constitutional provisions are collected together within a single legal document, popularly known as a written constitution or the constitution.

Uncodified Constitution

A constitution that is made up of rules that are found in a variety of sources, in the absence of a single legal document or written constitution.

Unitary system

A system that concentrates sovereign power in a single body of national government.

Federal system

A system that is based on the principle of shared sovereignty, in that there are two relatively autonomous levels of government, the national/federal and the regional/state.

Royal Prerogative

The body of powers, immunities and privileges that are recognized in common law as belonging to the Crown; these powers are now more commonly exercised by ministers than by the monarch.

Convention

A non-legal rule; a rule of conduct or behavior.

Royal  Assent

The monarch’s agreement to legislation passed by the two houses of Parliament; by signing a Bill, it becomes an Act.

Sovereignty

The principles of absolute and unlimited power, implying either supreme legal authority (legal sovereignty) or unchallengeable political power.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that supreme authority is vested in the people directly, rather than in a representative institution.

Parliamentary sovereignty

The principle that supreme authority is vested in parliament, rather than in the people.

Rule of Law

The principle that law should ‘rule’, in the sense that it applies to all conduct and behavior and covers both private citizens and public officials.

Pooled sovereignty

The combination of the national sovereignties of member states to enhance their power and influence; the whole is greater than its parts.

Constitution

The set of laws, rules and principles specifying how a state is to be governed, and which define the relationship between the state and the individual.

Constitutional

Political behavior that is in accordance with accepted rules and norms.

Common Law

Law derived from decisions in court cases and from general customs.

Precedent

A judicial ruling that becomes an authority when deciding later cases.

Statute Law

Law derived from Acts of Parliament and subordinate legislation.

Devolution

The transfer of political power from central government to subnational government.

Federalism

The sharing of power, enshrined in a constitution, between national (federal) and regional (state) authorities.

Cabinet government

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

Civil Liberties

Fundamental individual rights that provide protection from interference by the state.

Accountability
Being answerable to a higher authority.

Authority
This is power with consent – i.e. power is exercised with the general approval of the governed.

Executive
This branch of government puts forward most bills to Parliament and implements the laws. Consists of Cabinet, PM, ministers, civil service and partly local government.

Globalisation
The emergence of a world economy and a network across the planet of instant communication and rapid transport.

Government
The body of persons authorised to administer the laws and to rule and control the state.

Influence
The ability to shape a decision or outcome by permission, pressure, or both.

Judiciary
This branch of government interprets and enforces the law.

Justice
This concept has been the subject of infinite debate and many interpretations but “fair and equal” is sufficient here.

Legislature
This branch of government creates the law via debate, amendments and voting. In the UK this is Parliament i.e. House of Commons and House of Lords.

Separation of Powers
The principle that executive, legislative and judicial power should be separated, via the construction of three independent areas of government activity.

State
This is the permanent entity or political association hat exercises sovereign power over groups and individuals via permanent institutions within a defined territory.

Power
The ability to make others do as one wishes, without their consent.

Representative Democracy
Citizens elect representatives to act on their behalf in an assembly.

Liberal Democracy
A form of democracy based on regular elections and representative institutions. It lays great stress on individual freedom and a limited role for government.

Mandate
The approval and authority given by the electorate to the policies contained in the manifesto of the party that is elected to office. In other words, manifesto pledges are given an electoral mandate by the voters to the party forming the government. This is like a binding contract.

Executive
The branch of government that is responsible for the implementation of laws and policies made by Parliament

Prime minister
The head of government and chair of the cabinet

Bureaucracy
The administrative machinery of government, literally it means ‘rule by officials’

Presidentialism
The tendency for political leaders to act increasingly like executive presidents, through the rise of personalised leadership.

Cabinet
The committee of leading ministers which is empowered to make official government policy

Core executive
An internal network of bodies and actors that play a key role in the policy process.

Kitchen cabinet
A loose and informal group of policy advisors consulted by the prime minister outside the formal cabinet, including senior ministers, officials and special advisors.

Vote of confidence
A vote on the life of the government itself; if defeated, the government is obliged to call a general election

Cabinet collegiality
A source of solidarity among cabinet members borne out of loyalty to the government and an awareness that they stand or fall together

Cabinet Office
The body that services the cabinet system, through the cabinet secretariat, and is responsible for co-ordinating policy across Whitehall departments and ensuring effective policy delivery; the nerve centre of government

Prime Minister’s Office
A collection of senior officials and political advisors (numbering over 100) who advise the prime minister about policy and implementation, communications, party management and government relations

Leadership style
The strategies and patterns of behaviour through which a leader seeks to achieve his or her goal

Political will
A determination to achieve desired outcomes based on an assumed understanding of the means of achieving them

Patronage
The granting of favours or privileges; patronage usually involves control over jobs and appointments

Cabinet system
The cabinet and he network of bodies linked to it, notably committees, sub-committees and the Cabinet Secretariat

Spin
The biased or distorted presentation of information so as to gain a desired response; being ‘economical with the truth’

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

Prime ministerial government
The view that the prime minister has become the dominant actor in UK government and is able to bypass the cabinet

Bilateral meeting
A meeting between the prime minister and is departmental minister in which policy is agreed

Civil servant
An official employed in a civil capacity by the Crown

Special advisor
A temporary political appointment made by a government minister

Compulsory competitive tendering
The policy that public bodies are completed to open up contracts to provide services to outside bodies

Executive agency
An agency performing a government policy delivery function that is subordinate to, but not controlled by, a government department