Understanding Political Systems: Absolutism, Democracy, and Globalization
Understanding Political Systems
1. Absolutism and Dictatorship vs. Democracy
Absolutism is a form of government where the ruler’s power is not subject to institutional constraints or divine law. Dictatorship is a government where power is concentrated in a single individual, often through a de facto government. Both concentrate power, limiting the people’s influence.
2. What is a Political Regime?
A political regime is the set of institutions governing the struggle for power, its exercise, and the values that underpin these institutions.
3. What is Civil Society?
Civil society designates the diversity of people, as citizens, acting collectively.
4. What is Democracy?
Democracy is a form of organization where power resides in all members. It originated in ancient Greece in the 5th century BC.
5. What is Tele-Politics?
Tele-politics is the dissemination of new technologies for political participation of citizens.
6. What is Communism?
Communism is a set of historical and current groups aiming for the revolutionary abolition of capitalist society and the establishment of a socialist society as a step towards a communist social organization.
7. What is Public Opinion?
Public opinion is the trend or preferences, real or stimulated, in a society towards social facts of interest.
8. What is Globalization?
Globalization is an economic, technological, social, and cultural process of increased communication and interdependence among countries, uniting markets, societies, and cultures.
9. Multinational Company Example: Burger King
Burger King is an American fast-food chain founded in Miami in 1954, based on existing concepts.
10. Multinational Company: Monsanto
Monsanto is an agricultural company known for producing the herbicide Roundup and genetically modified seeds.
11. What is Biotherapy?
Biotherapy is a treatment to stimulate or restore the immune system’s ability to fight diseases. Some multinational companies have been criticized for their practices in this field.
12. What is a Multinational Company?
A multinational company operates not only in its country of origin but also in other countries, conducting business activities such as sales, purchasing, and production.
13. Factors Determining Globalization
Key factors include technology, communication, and transport.
14. Define Participatory Democracy
Participatory democracy allows citizens to organize and directly influence public decisions, often through referendums or plebiscites.
15. Define Representative Democracy
In representative democracy, people delegate sovereignty to elected officials through regular, free elections.
16. Differences Between Participatory and Representative Democracy
Representative democracy is characterized by less citizen activism, while participatory democracy encourages active citizen involvement.
17. What is National Debt?
National debt is the sum of a country’s debts to foreign entities, including state and private debts.