Religious Fundamentalism
The reassertion of fundamental principles of a faith
that rejects modern principles in some form or
manner.
Relatively recent development
Prevalent in all major religions
Political Cleaveages
When a political allegiance or policy is affected by a
National, Ethnic, Linguistic, and Religious Devision
When a Political System is affected by more than
one, it can be defined as a Cumulative or
Crosscutting Cleavage.
If Cumulative, the same groups of people are against
each other on a multitude of issues
If Cross-cutting, said groups may have a common
interest in one issue but are against eachother in
others.
Gross National Product
(GDP)
Th total economic output per person.
Purchasing Power Parity
(PPP)
An alternative to using an exchange rate to compare
the economies of countries that use different
currencies.
Takes into account the differences in price levels from
one country to another.
Undeveloped Countries have been often shown to
have a higher PPP than their exchange rate, and
some developed countries have the opposite.
Economic Inequality
When there is a large division in economic standing
between two groups in a country
Can be a cause of Social Conflict and Political
Cleaveage.
Democracy
A political system in which citizens enjoy a number of
basic civil and political rights.
Political leaders are elected and accountable by law.
Authoritarian Government
Defined as any form of government that lacks the
features of democracy.
Oligarchy
lit. meaning: Rule by the few
Form of government in which political rights are
witheld from the majority of the population.
Totalitarianism
A form of government in which constricts the rights
and privacy of its citizens in a particularly severe
manner.
Democratization
A trend indicating a large number of countries moving
towards a democratic form of government during the
past Century.
Trend has had peaks and recessions, and more
economically unstable countries have a greater
tendency to fall during recession periods.