ISBN: 978 1 897922 34 7
Copyright 2024
To provide an A-Z guide of the key terms and thinkers on the Politics and Society Leaving Cert course.
AAbsolute - human rights cannot be taken away under any circumstances, or for any reason.
Appiah, Kwame Anthony
Racial identity is not innate, according to Appiah, it is a social construct and therefore not real.
The idea of a biological race is not justifiable scientifically. Everyone is from everywhere!
A cosmopolitanism has developed around the world… it is a common culture and value system of liberty, liberalism and progressive societal change;
e.g., the BLM movement was not an American movement, it was a world movement amongst people who shared the same values… Cosmopolitan values!
Anderson, Benedict
The nation is imagined, according to Anderson, because it entails a sense of communion or “horizontal comradeship” between people who often do not know each other or have not even met.
Despite their differences, they imagine belonging to the same collective, and they attribute to the latter a common history, traits, beliefs, and attitudes.
Arbitrarily - decisions & rules made based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
The use of authority without restraint.
Accountability of the press – the press are responsible for what they distribute (in whatever format) and therefore must careful as to what they see as news worthy.
Authority & legitimacy; power & accountability – a government can only rule if its power is recognised and respected by the citizens.
The elected are accountable to the electorate and if they abuse their power they can be removed from office by other representatives, legal officials, or at a general election.
BBicameral systems – is where the legislative branch of government is broken in two.
An upper and lower house.
For a law to be passed, both chambers must endorse the bill or legislation.
It allows for “checks & balances” within the legislative process.
Branches of Government – the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
CCabinet – is the decision-making group that effectively is the government.
Generally, ministers are appointed by the prime minister and confirmed by the head of state.
They are given responsibility for different government departments, such as foreign affairs, education, health, and finance.
They form and outline the legislation that the government wants to be made into law, in line with the programme for government.
Capitalism – is an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.
Centralists – someone in the centre of political spectrum.
They see the best way to represent the citizens of a state is to provide a framework,
like the social welfare system which is paid for by the taxpayer, but at the same time allow the rich and others the freedom to earn as they wish (within the law) as long as they pay tax accordingly.
Checks & Balances – in relation to political systems, it means that no one branch, or aspect, of the governmental system has overall power.
They are all accountable to each other.
Chomsky, Noam
In Chomsky’s view, although those in power might — and do — try to obscure their intentions and to defend their actions in ways that make them acceptable to citizens, it is easy for anyone who is willing to be critical and consider the facts to discern what they are up to.
Self-governance: Chomsky believes that there will be no need for political parties; we can govern via a form of direct government.
The media serve the interests of state and corporate power, which are closely interlinked, framing their reporting and analysis in a manner supportive of established privilege, and limiting debate and discussion accordingly.
Commissioner for Children and Young People - The Commissioner’s role is to safeguard and promote the rights and best interests of children and young people of Northern Ireland.
Coalition government – occurs when no one party has enough elected candidates to form a government.
They are responsible for leading and coordinating the work of the Commission, proposing legislation, and representing the EU on the global stage.
The President is elected by the European Parliament and serves a five-year term.
Communism – advocates that socialism is the driving political ideology and philosophy of the socioeconomic system within a country.
Parties will reach out to other parties and form a government based on a programme for government.
Commission President (EU) - The President of the European Commission is the head of the executive branch of the European Union.
Social responsibility, collective ownership and equality are hallmarks of this form of political system. Karl Marx is seen as a strong proponent of this.
Conclusion – a judgement or decision reached by reasoning.
Conservatism – advocates a retention of traditional values and tried & tested governmental structures, which they argue are the result of a long evolution. “If it is working, why fix it!”
Cosmopolitanism – philosophical idea that human beings have equal moral and political obligations to each other based solely on their humanity, without reference to state citizenship, national identity, religious affiliation, ethnicity, or place of birth.
Cosmopolitans argue that all human beings share a capacity for reason and are therefore, by nature, members of a universal community.
From this, cosmopolitanism makes the normative claim that political boundaries and national identities are morally arbitrary, and that all human beings should be held as the primary units of moral worth, as if they were equal citizens of a universal political community.
Paul McAndrew has been teaching since 2006. He now teaches Leaving Cert Politics & Society and Religious Education at The Institute of Education, Dublin, having taught there since 2012.
He has a Degree in Economics and Politics from UCD and a Graduate Diploma in Education from DCU. Paul worked for the State Examinations Commission from 2017 to 2019.
“Struggling to get full marks for definitions associated with Leaving Cert Politics & Society? Well, then, this is the book for you!
Written in line with the Leaving Cert Politics & Society syllabus and guidelines, this book is an alphabetical guide containing detailed descriptions of key terms and thinkers necessary for success in the exam.
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Cover Design: LUCKY TEN