📚 Year 11 CAIE Politics: Rapid Recall Guide to Key Terms | CAIE 政治关键词汇速记指南
Welcome to your quick reference glossary for CAIE Year 11 Politics. Mastering the precise definitions of political terminology is essential for analysing political systems, evaluating arguments, and achieving high marks in short-answer and essay questions. This guide pairs each key term with its Chinese equivalent, concise explanation, and memory-friendly structure, enabling efficient revision.
欢迎使用 CAIE 11 年级政治速查术语表。掌握政治术语的准确定义对于分析政治制度、评估论点、在简答和论述题中拿高分至关重要。本指南将每个关键术语与中文对应词、简洁解释和便于记忆的结构配对，助你高效复习。
1. Democracy and Authoritarianism | 民主与威权
Democracy – A political system in which supreme authority stems from the people, exercised either directly or through regularly elected representatives under conditions of political equality and freedom.
民主：最高权力源于人民的政治制度，在政治平等和自由的条件下由人民直接或通过定期选举的代表行使权力。
Direct democracy – A form of democracy where citizens vote on policy initiatives directly, without relying on elected intermediaries; used in referendums and ancient Athenian assemblies.
直接民主：公民直接对政策倡议投票而不通过选举代表的民主形式，常见于全民公决和古雅典公民大会。
Representative democracy – A system in which citizens elect officials to make political decisions on their behalf, ensuring accountability through periodic elections and institutional checks.
代议制民主：公民选举官员代表自己作出政治决策的制度，通过定期选举和制度制衡确保问责。
Authoritarianism – A regime where power is concentrated in a single leader or small elite, with limited political pluralism, suppressed opposition and minimal public accountability.
威权主义：权力集中在单一领袖或少数精英手中的体制，政治多元性受限、反对派受压制、公共问责微乎其微。
Totalitarianism – An extreme version of authoritarianism in which the state pursues total control over all aspects of public and private life, often driven by a single ideology and enforced through propaganda and terror.
极权主义：威权主义的极端形式，国家试图全面控制公共与私人生活，通常由一个意识形态驱动并通过宣传和恐怖手段强制实施。
2. State and Sovereignty | 国家与主权
State – A defined political entity with a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states (Montevideo criteria).
国家：拥有常住人口、确定领土、政府及与他国交往能力（蒙特维多标准）的政治实体。
Sovereignty – The supreme, absolute authority of a state to govern itself without external interference, both internally over its territory and externally in international affairs.
主权：国家不受外部干涉进行自我统治的最高、绝对权力，涵盖对内的领土管辖和对外的国际事务自主权。
Internal sovereignty – The location of ultimate legal authority within a state; for example, in the UK it lies with Parliament (parliamentary sovereignty).
对内主权：国内最高法律权威的归属；例如，英国的主权归于议会（议会主权）。
External sovereignty – Recognition by other states that a government has the legitimate right to control its territory and conduct foreign policy independently.
对外主权：其他国家承认某政府合法拥有控制其领土和独立开展外交的权利。
Nation-state – A sovereign state whose citizens are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language, culture or common descent, blending the political concept of the state with the cultural concept of the nation.
民族国家：公民在语言、文化或共同血统上相对同质的主权国家，将政治上的国家概念与文化上的民族概念融为一体。
3. Constitution and Rule of Law | 宪法与法治
Constitution – A body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state is governed, setting out the structure of government, the distribution of powers and citizens' rights.
宪法：治理国家的一套根本原则或既定先例，规定政府架构、权力分配及公民权利。
Codified constitution – A single written document that enshrines the core laws of the state, is entrenched and normally superior to ordinary statute law; examples include the US Constitution.
成文宪法：一部记录了国家核心法律的单一文件，具有刚性且通常高于普通法；如美国宪法。
Uncodified constitution – A constitution formed from various sources such as statutes, conventions and judicial decisions, not contained in a single document; the UK provides a classic example.
不成文宪法：由法规、惯例、司法裁决等多种来源构成、不集中于单一文件的宪法；英国是典型例子。
Rule of law – The principle that all individuals and institutions, including the government itself, are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced.
法治：包括政府在内的所有个人和机构都受法律约束、对法律负责，且法律得到公平适用和执行的原则。
4. Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances | 权力分立与制衡
Separation of powers – The doctrine that the legislative, executive and judicial functions of government should be divided among separate branches to prevent the concentration of power and safeguard liberty.
权力分立：政府立法、行政和司法职能应分配给不同部门的学说，以防止权力集中并保障自由。
Checks and balances – Mechanisms that allow each branch of government to limit or restrain the powers of the others, ensuring no single branch becomes dominant (e.g. presidential veto, judicial review).
制衡机制：允许各个政府部门限制或约束其他部门权力的机制，确保无一家独大（如总统否决权、司法审查）。
Fusion of powers – A system in which the executive and legislative branches are intermingled, typical of parliamentary systems where the government is drawn from and accountable to the legislature.
权力融合：行政与立法部门合为一体的制度，常见于议会制，政府由立法机关产生并向其负责。
Judicial independence – The concept that the judiciary should be free from interference by the executive or legislature, enabling courts to decide cases impartially on the basis of law.
司法独立：司法机关应不受行政或立法干涉，使法院能依法公正裁判的理念。
5. Political Parties and Party Systems | 政党与政党制度
Political party – An organised group of people with broadly shared political values who seek to win elections, form government and implement a set of public policies.
政党：具有广泛共同政治价值观的有组织团体，力求赢得选举、组建政府并推行一套公共政策。
Two-party system – A party system where two major parties dominate the political landscape, alternating in government, although smaller parties may exist; the USA is a leading example.
两党制：两大政党主导政局、轮流执政的政党制度，小党可能存在但影响力有限；美国是主要例子。
Multi-party system – A system in which several political parties have the capacity to gain control of government offices separately or in coalition, common in many European democracies.
多党制：多个政党有能力单独或联合获得政府职位的制度，在许多欧洲民主国家常见。
One-party system – A system where only one political party is legally permitted to exist and exercise power, often characterising authoritarian or totalitarian regimes.
一党制：法律上只允许一个政党存在并行使权力的制度，常为威权或极权政体的特征。
Party ideology – A coherent set of values, beliefs and objectives that shapes a party's policy platform, such as social democracy, conservatism or liberalism.
政党意识形态：塑造政党政策纲领的一套连贯的价值观、信念和目标，如社会民主主义、保守主义或自由主义。
6. Elections and Electoral Systems | 选举与选举制度
General election – A regular nationwide election in which adult citizens choose representatives for the national legislature; the timing is usually fixed or can be called by the executive.
大选：成年公民定期在全国范围内选举国家立法机构代表的选举，时间通常固定或可由行政长官召集。
First-past-the-post (FPTP) – A plurality electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a single-member constituency wins, even without an absolute majority; used in UK general elections.
简单多数制（FPTP）：在单人选区中得票最多（不需绝对多数）的候选人当选的选举制度；用于英国大选。
Proportional representation (PR) – An electoral system that allocates seats to parties in proportion to the number of votes they receive, aiming to produce a legislature that mirrors voter preferences more closely.
比例代表制（PR）：按政党得票比例分配议会席位的选举制度，旨在使立法机构更贴合选民意向。
Referendum – A direct vote by the electorate on a specific political or constitutional issue, bypassing the representative institutions; an instrument of direct democracy.
全民公决：选民就特定政治或宪法议题进行的直接投票，绕过代议机构，是直接民主的工具。
Suffrage – The right to vote in political elections; universal suffrage means every adult citizen has that right, regardless of gender, wealth or ethnicity.
选举权：在政治选举中投票的权利；普选权意味着每个成年公民不分性别、财富或族群都享有该权利。
7. Legislature, Executive and Judiciary | 立法、行政与司法
Legislature – The branch of government responsible for making and passing laws, debating policy and scrutinising the executive; often bicameral (two chambers) or unicameral.
立法机关：负责制定和通过法律、辩论政策并监督行政部门的政府分支；常为两院制或一院制。
Executive – The branch that implements and enforces laws; it comprises the head of state, head of government, cabinet and the wider bureaucracy.
行政机关：执行和落实法律的分支，包括国家元首、政府首脑、内阁及庞大的官僚体系。
Judiciary – The system of courts that interprets and applies the law, resolves disputes and protects the constitution through judicial review.
司法机关：解释和适用法律、解决纠纷并通过司法审查捍卫宪法的法院系统。
Cabinet – A body of senior government ministers, usually heads of departments, chosen by the prime minister or president to formulate policy and coordinate the work of the executive.
内阁：由首相或总统挑选的政府高级部长（通常为各部首长）组成的机构，负责制定政策和协调行政工作。
Parliamentary sovereignty – The principle that the legislature has supreme legal authority in a state, and that its enactments cannot be overridden by any other body or court; a cornerstone of the UK constitution.
议会主权：立法机关在一国中拥有最高法律权威、其立法不可被其他机构或法院推翻的原则；英国宪法的基石。
8. Human Rights and Civil Liberties | 人权与公民自由
Human rights – Fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every person regardless of nationality, enshrined in international law through documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
人权：每个人不分国籍均享有的基本权利和自由，通过《世界人权宣言》等文件在国际法中确立。
Civil liberties – Rights that protect individuals from government overreach, ensuring freedoms such as speech, assembly, religion and privacy within a democratic framework.
公民自由：保护个人免受政府过度干涉的权利，保障民主框架内的言论、集会、宗教和隐私等自由。
Bill of Rights – A formal statement of the rights of citizens, often entrenched in a constitution; the US Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments.
权利法案：公民权利的正式声明，常被纳入宪法；美国《权利法案》由前十项修正案组成。
Judicial review – The power of courts to examine the actions of the executive and legislature, striking down laws or decisions that violate the constitution or fundamental rights.
司法审查：法院审查行政和立法行为的权力，撤销违反宪法或基本权利的法律或决定。
9. Federalism, Unitary Systems and Devolution | 联邦制、单一制与权力下放
Federalism – A system dividing sovereignty between a central government and regional governments, each having its own sphere of authority protected by the constitution (e.g. USA, Germany).
联邦制：将主权在中央政府和地区政府之间进行分配的体制，各自拥有受宪法保护的权力范围（如美国、德国）。
Unitary state – A state in which supreme legal authority rests with the central government; regional or local authorities derive their powers from the centre and can be reorganised or abolished by it (e.g. UK, France).
单一制国家：最高法律权威由中央政府掌握的国家；地区或地方当局的权力来自中央，可被中央重组或废除（如英国、法国）。
Devolution – The statutory transfer of powers from the central government to regional or local bodies, but without altering the ultimate sovereignty of the central state; used in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
权力下放：中央政府依法将权力转移给地区或地方机构，但不改变中央的最终主权；适用于苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰。
Confederal system – A union of sovereign states where the central authority has only those powers that the member states choose to delegate, often in foreign policy or defence; historically seen in the Articles of Confederation (USA).
邦联制：主权国家的联合体，中央机关仅拥有成员国自愿授予的权力，常见于外交或防务领域；历史上如美国《邦联条例》。
10. Pressure Groups and Political Participation | 压力集团与政治参与
Pressure group – An organised group that seeks to influence government policy or public opinion without seeking to hold political office itself; can be sectional (defending members' interests) or promotional (advocating a cause).
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