📚 GCSE Eduqas Politics: Key Terms Quick-Memorisation Guide | GCSE Eduqas 政治：词汇术语速记指南
Mastering the specialised vocabulary of GCSE Politics is half the battle. This guide breaks down the essential terms you will encounter across the Eduqas specification and offers memory hooks, acronyms and simple explanations to make revision stick. Use these paired English–Chinese explanations to build your confidence in political literacy.
掌握 GCSE 政治的专业词汇是成功的一半。本指南将 Eduqas 考纲中你必须掌握的术语拆解开来，提供记忆钩子、首字母口诀和简洁的解释，让复习更牢固。活用这些中英配对的解释，稳步提升你的政治素养。
1. Key Concepts of Democracy | 民主关键概念
Democracy is the cornerstone of British politics. Understanding the difference between direct and representative democracy, and grasping ideas like legitimacy and accountability, helps you analyse how power operates in the UK today.
民主是英国政治的基石。理解直接民主与代议民主的区别，掌握合法性与问责等概念，有助于你分析当今英国的权力运作方式。
Democracy – a system of government in which citizens exercise power directly or by electing representatives. The word comes from Greek demos (people) and kratos (rule).
民主 —— 一种由公民直接或通过选举代表行使权力的政府体制。该词源自希腊语 demos（人民）和 kratos（统治），记作“人民统治”。
Direct democracy – citizens vote on every policy issue themselves, rather than electing others to decide. Classic examples include a referendum.
直接民主 —— 公民对所有政策议题自行投票，而不是选举他人来决定。典型例子是全民公投。联想：直接 = 每个人亲自上场。
Representative democracy – citizens choose representatives (MPs, councillors) to make decisions on their behalf. The UK is a representative democracy with some direct elements.
代议民主 —— 公民选择代表（议员、地方议员）代替自己作决策。英国是代议民主国家，兼有少量直接民主元素。记“代议”即“代替议事”。
Legitimacy – the rightful authority of a government or institution, usually gained through fair and free elections or long-standing acceptance.
合法性 —— 政府或机构正当的权威，通常通过自由公正的选举或长期的认可而获得。记忆技巧：合法的 = 大家承认的。
Accountability – the obligation of those in power to explain their actions and take responsibility for them. MPs are held accountable at elections.
问责制 —— 掌权者有义务解释其行为并承担责任。议员通过选举被问责。记“问责” = 有问必答。
2. Political Parties and the Spectrum | 政党与政治光谱
Political parties are organisations that seek to gain power by putting forward candidates for election. Understanding the left–right spectrum and core party values is essential for analysing manifestos, policies and government decisions.
政党是寻求通过推举候选人参加选举以获得权力的组织。理解左右光谱及主要政党的核心价值观，对于分析宣言、政策和政府决策至关重要。
Political party – a group of people with similar political beliefs who aim to win elections and form a government. The UK has a multi-party system dominated by the Conservatives and Labour.
政党 —— 一群持相似政治信念的人，目标是赢得选举并组建政府。英国实行多党制，但由保守党和工党主导。联想：政党像球队，目标都是执掌“政府”这枚奖杯。
Left wing – political ideas that favour social equality, state intervention in the economy and public services. Parties on the left (e.g. Labour) often support higher taxation to fund welfare.
左翼 —— 主张社会平等、国家干预经济和公共服务。左翼政党（如工党）通常支持通过较高税收为福利提供资金。记“左”与“助”谐音，帮助弱势群体。
Right wing – political ideas that emphasise individual freedom, lower taxation and a smaller role for the state. The Conservative Party is traditionally centre-right.
右翼 —— 强调个人自由、低税收和小政府的政治理念。保守党传统上属于中右翼。记住“右”联想到“you”（你自己），强调个人责任。
Centrism – a position between left and right, often combining elements from both. Liberal Democrats are often described as centrist.
中间派 —— 处于左右之间的立场，通常融合两方要素。自由民主党常被描述为中间派。联想：道路中间，兼顾左右。
Manifesto – a published list of promises and policies that a party pledges to implement if elected to government.
竞选宣言 —— 一份公开的承诺与政策清单，政党若当选将实施。联想：manifesto 是“明白说出的表”，记住要“明示”。
3. Elections and Voting Systems | 选举与投票制度
Elections turn the opinions of citizens into the composition of government. The UK uses different voting systems for different levels – from First-Past-the-Post in general elections to forms of proportional representation in devolved assemblies.
选举将公民的意见转化为政府的组成。英国在不同层级使用不同的投票制度——从大选中的简单多数制到地方议会中的比例代表制形式。
General election – an election held to choose Members of Parliament (MPs) for every seat in the House of Commons. By law it must take place at least every five years.
大选 —— 为选出下议院全部席位的议员而举行的选举。法律规定至少每五年举行一次。记“大选” = 全国大换血。
First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) – an electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat. It often leads to a strong single-party government but can be disproportional.
简单多数制（FPTP） —— 每个选区得票最多的候选人赢得席位。往往产生强势的一党政府但比例性较差。记忆：就像赛跑，第一个冲线的获胜，其他选手无奖。
Proportional representation (PR) – a family of voting systems designed to match the share of seats a party wins to its share of votes. Used for Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections.
比例代表制 —— 一类投票制度，旨在让政党获得的席位比例接近其得票比例。用于苏格兰议会和威尔士议会选举。记“比例”对应“按比例分配”。
Referendum – a direct vote by the electorate on a single political question, such as the 2016 EU membership vote. It is an example of direct democracy.
全民公投 —— 选民就单一政治议题进行的直接投票，如2016年欧盟成员身份公投。属于直接民主的一种。联想：referendum 类似“问全体人民”。
Electorate – all the people entitled to vote in an election. The size of the electorate determines constituency boundaries.
选民群体 —— 所有有权在选举中投票的人。选民群体的规模决定选区边界。记“elector” + “ate”（使） = 使可以选举的人。
4. The UK Parliament | 英国议会
Parliament is the supreme legislative body in the UK. It consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Monarch. Its main functions are making laws, scrutinising the government and representing the public.
议会是英国的最高立法机构，由下议院、上议院和君主组成。其主要职能是立法、监督政府和代表公众。
House of Commons – the lower but dominant chamber of Parliament, made up of 650 elected MPs. It is where most legislation is debated and where the Prime Minister and Cabinet are held to account.
下议院 —— 议会的下院，却是主导院，由650名民选议员组成。大多数立法在此辩论，首相与内阁也在此接受问责。记“下”为贴近民众，“Commons”联想到普通民众。
House of Lords – the upper chamber, an unelected body of life peers, bishops and hereditary peers. It revises legislation and acts as a check on the Commons, but cannot veto most bills permanently.
上议院 —— 上院，非选举产生，由终身贵族、主教和世袭贵族组成。它审查立法并对下议院起制衡作用，但不能永久否决大多数法案。记忆：Lords（勋爵）是“老”的，未经选举。
Royal Assent – the formal approval of the monarch to a bill that has passed through both Houses, turning it into an Act of Parliament. Today it is a ceremonial step.
御准 —— 君主对经两院通过的法案的正式批准，使之成为议会法令。如今纯属礼仪性步骤。联想：国王点头，法案生效。
Backbencher – an MP or peer who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial role. They sit on the back benches in the chamber and have more freedom to challenge their party.
后座议员 —— 不担任部长或影子部长职务的议员或贵族，他们在议事厅坐在后排席位，有更多自由挑战本党。记“后座”即离权力远一点。
Whip – a party official responsible for ensuring MPs attend votes and follow the party line. ‘A three-line whip’ is the strongest instruction to attend and vote.
党鞭 —— 负责确保议员出席投票并遵守政党路线的政党官员。“三线党鞭”是最强指令，必须出席并按规定投票。记忆：鞭子驱动议员去投票。
5. Government and the Executive | 政府与行政机构
The executive is the branch of government responsible for putting laws into action and running the country. In the UK the executive is drawn from Parliament and includes the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the civil service.
行政机构是负责执行法律和治理国家的政府部门。在英国，行政机构出自议会，包括首相、内阁和公务员体系。
Prime Minister (PM) – the head of the UK government, traditionally the leader of the largest party in the Commons. The PM appoints ministers, chairs the Cabinet and represents the UK abroad.
首相 —— 英国政府首脑，传统上是下议院最大党领袖。首相任命部长、主持内阁会议并代表英国对外活动。记“prime” = 第一的，部长中的第一人。
Cabinet – a committee of senior ministers, each heading a government department (e.g. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary). It is the supreme decision-making body of the executive.
内阁 —— 由资深部长组成的委员会，每位部长领导一个政府部门（如财政大臣、内政大臣）。它是行政机关的最高决策机构。联想：小房间（cabinet）里的大决策。
Civil service – politically neutral officials who serve the government of the day by carrying out policy and delivering public services. They remain in post when the government changes.
公务员 —— 政治中立的官员，为现任政府服务，执行政策并提供公共服务。政府更迭时他们继续留任。记“civil” = 公民，为公民服务的职业。
Royal prerogative – historical powers once held by the monarch that are now exercised by the Prime Minister or ministers, such as declaring war or making treaties.
皇家特权 —— 历史上属于君主的权力，现在由首相或部长行使，例如宣战或缔结条约。记忆：女王的名义，首相的实质。
Secondary legislation – laws made by ministers under powers granted by an Act of Parliament, without requiring a full new bill. Often used for technical updates.
次级立法 —— 部长根据议会法令所授权限制定的法律，无需全新的法案。常用于技术性修订。联想：主法律之下的“子法律”。
6. Devolution in the UK | 英国的权力下放
Devolution has transferred certain powers from the Westminster Parliament to national bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It creates a multi-layered government system while preserving the sovereignty of Westminster.
权力下放将部分权力从威斯敏斯特议会移交给苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰的地区机构，创造了多层次政府体系，同时保留了威斯敏斯特的主权。
Devolution – the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a sub-national level. In the UK it is not the same as federalism because Parliament can legally reverse it.
权力下放 —— 主权国家中央政府依法授予次国家层级政府权力。在英国，它不同于联邦制，因为议会在法律上可以收回下放的权力。记“de” = 向下， “volution” 类似 revolution，是权力流动的变革。
Scottish Parliament – a devolved legislature with powers over areas such as education, health and justice in Scotland. It sits at Holyrood.
苏格兰议会 —— 拥有苏格兰教育、卫生和司法等领域立法权的下放议会，驻地在荷里路德。记住“Holyrood”与“holy”无关，而是苏格兰自治的象征。
Welsh Senedd – the devolved parliament for Wales, with law-making powers in areas like health, education and transport. Originally called the Welsh Assembly.
威尔士议会（Senedd） —— 威尔士的下放议会，在卫生、教育和交通等领域拥有立法权。原名威尔士国民议会。Senedd 意为“议会”的威尔士语。
Reserved powers – policy areas that remain under the control of the UK Parliament, such as defence, foreign affairs and national security. Devolution only applies to matters not reserved.
保留权力 —— 仍由英国议会控制的政策领域，如国防、外交和国家安全。权力下放只适用于未被保留的事务。联想：Westminster 保留的，devolution 不能碰。
7. The UK Constitution | 英国宪法
The United Kingdom is unusual in having an uncodified constitution – its rules are spread across statutes, conventions, common law and authoritative texts. This flexibility is a key feature of the British political system.
英国与众不同之处在于它拥有一部不成文宪法——其规则分散在成文法、惯例、普通法和权威著作中。这种灵活性是英国政治制度的一大特色。
Constitution – the set of rules, principles and conventions according to which a state is governed. It outlines the structure of government and the rights of citizens.
宪法 —— 一套治理国家所遵循的规则、原则和惯例。它勾画了政府架构和公民权利。记忆：国家运行的“构成之法”。
Uncodified constitution – a constitution not written down in a single document. The UK’s constitution comes from multiple sources, making it flexible but sometimes unclear.
不成文宪法 —— 未写入单一文件中的宪法。英国宪法源出多处，因而灵活但有时不够清晰。联想：没有一本书叫《英国宪法》。
Statute law – laws passed by Parliament, such as the Human Rights Act 1998 or the Parliament Acts. Statute law is the highest form of law in the UK.
成文法 —— 议会通过的法律，如《1998年人权法案》或《议会法案》。成文法在英国是最高的法律形式。记“statute”似“立碑”，刻在石碑上的法律。
Convention – an unwritten rule considered binding, like the convention that the monarch appoints the leader of the largest party as Prime Minister. Not legally enforceable but obeyed through precedent.
宪法惯例 —— 被认为具有约束力的不成文规则，如君主任命最大党领袖为首相的惯例。无法律强制力，但因先例而遵守。联想：约定俗成的规矩。
Rule of law – the principle that everyone, including the government, is subject to the law. It ensures equality before the law and limits arbitrary power.
法治 —— 任何人包括政府都必须服从法律的原则。它保障法律面前人人平等并防止任意专断的权力。记忆：法的统治，无人凌驾于法律之上。
8. The Judiciary and the Law | 司法与法律
The judiciary interprets and applies the law, and in the UK it operates independently of the government and Parliament. The Supreme Court plays a vital role in clarifying constitutional questions and reviewing the legality of public actions.
司法机构解释并适用法律，在英国它独立于政府和议会运作。最高法院在澄明宪法问题和审查公共行为合法性方面起着关键作用。
Judiciary – the branch of the state responsible for dispensing justice through courts. Judges are appointed for their expertise and are politically neutral.
司法机构 —— 国家负责通过法院行使正义的分支。法官因专业能力而获任命，政治中立。记“judiciary”含“judge”。
Supreme Court – the highest court in the UK, established in 2009 to replace the House of Lords as the final court of appeal. It hears cases of the greatest public importance.
最高法院 —— 英国最高司法机构，2009年成立，取代上议院成为终审法院。审理最具公共重要性的案子。简记“supreme” = 至高无上。
Judicial review – a process by which the courts examine the lawfulness of a decision or action by a public body. It is a key mechanism for holding the government to account under the rule of law.
司法审查 —— 法院审查公共机构决定或行为是否合法的程序。是依据法治原则约束政府的关键机制。记忆：法官“审查”政府。
Common law – law developed by judges through decisions in courts, rather than through statutes. Much of contract law and tort law comes from common law.
普通法 —— 法官通过法院判例发展出的法律，而非成文法。大部分合同法和侵权法源自普通法。联想：通过案例“普遍”形成的法律。
Judicial independence – the principle that judges should be free from political interference. Guaranteed by security of tenure and an independent appointments process.
司法独立 —— 法官应不受政治干涉的原则。由终身任职保障和独立的任命程序予以保证。记“independent” = 法官不拿政府的“指挥棒”。
9. The UK and the European Union | 英国与欧盟
Although the UK left the European Union in 2020, understanding the EU’s structure and the Brexit debate remains relevant. It also introduces key terms about sovereignty, trade and supranational organisations.
尽管英国已于2020年脱离欧盟，但理解欧盟架构和脱欧辩论仍有必要。这还引出了关于主权、贸易和超国家组织的关键术语。
European Union (EU) – a political and economic union of 27 European member states, with a single market and shared institutions. The UK was a member from 1973 to 2020.
欧洲联盟（欧盟） —— 27个欧洲成员国组成的政治经济联盟，拥有单一市场和共同机构。英国于1973年至2020年为成员国。记“union” = 联合。
Brexit – the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, following the 2016 referendum. The term combines ‘Britain’ and ‘exit’.
英国脱欧 —— 继2016年公投后，英国退出欧盟的进程。该词由“Britain”和“exit”合成。直接记作“不列颠出口”。
Sovereignty – supreme legal authority within a territory. In the UK context, parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament can make or unmake any law. EU membership involved sharing sovereignty.
主权 —— 一领土内的最高法律权威。就英国而言，议会主权意味着议会可以制定或废除任何法律。欧盟成员身份涉及主权共享。联想：国王的权杖，决定一切。
Supranational organisation – an international body in which member states pool some sovereignty, such as the EU or the United Nations. Decisions can override national law in certain areas.
超国家组织 —— 成员国让渡部分主权的国际机构，如欧盟或联合国。其决定在某些领域可以凌驾于国家法律之上。记忆：“supra-”超越国家之上。
Frictionless trade – a situation where goods and services cross borders without tariffs, customs checks or regulatory barriers. Leaving the EU single market ended frictionless trade for the UK.
无摩擦贸易 —— 货物和服务跨境流动无关税、无海关检查或监管障碍的状态。离开欧盟单一市场结束了英国的无摩擦贸易。联想：货物像滑冰一样过境。
10. Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities | 公民身份、权利与责任
Active citizenship involves knowing your rights and carrying out responsibilities. In the UK these are rooted in statute law, the Human Rights Act and common law traditions. Pressure groups and the media also shape how citizens engage with politics.
积极公民包含知晓权利与履行义务。在英国，这些权利根植于成文法、人权法案和普通法传统。压力集团和媒体也塑造着公民参与政治的方式。
Citizen – a legally recognised member of a state, who enjoys rights and owes duties to that state. British citizens have the right to vote in UK elections and live permanently in the UK.
公民 —— 法律上被承认的国家成员，享有权利并对国家承担责任。英国公民有权在英选举中投票并在英国永久居住。记“公民” = 公共的人。
Human Rights Act 1998 – an Act of Parliament that incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. It allows individuals to defend their rights in UK courts.
《1998年人权法案》 —— 一项将《欧洲人权公约》纳入英国法律的议会法令。允许个人在英国法院维护自身权利。联想：1998，人权法“救救吧”。
Pressure group – an organised group that seeks to influence government policy without seeking election itself. Examples include Greenpeace (cause groups) and the British Medical Association (interest groups).
压力集团 —— 试图影响政府政策但不寻求当选的有组织团体。如绿色和平（倡议型）和英国医学会（利益型）。记“压力”指的是对决策者施压。
Lobbying – the activity of trying to influence MPs, ministers or other decision-makers on behalf of a group, business or cause. Lobbyists often provide research and arguments.
游说 —— 代表某团体、企业或事业试图影响议员、部长或其他决策者的活动。游说者通常提供研究和论据。联想：在议会走廊（lobby）抓住议员游说。
Media and democracy – the media (newspapers, TV, social media) acts as a ‘watchdog’ on government and a platform for public debate. However media bias and disinformation can challenge democratic engagement.
媒体与民主 —— 媒体（报纸、电视、社交媒体）充当政府的“看门狗”和公共辩论的平台。但媒体偏见和虚假信息可能对民主参与形成挑战。记“watchdog” = 盯着的狗。
Responsibilities of citizenship – these include obeying the law, paying taxes, serving on a jury when called, and participating in the democratic process through voting.
公民责任 —— 包括遵守法律、纳税、被传唤时担任陪审员，以及通过投票参与民主过程。记“责任” = 对权利的回馈。
Published by TutorHao | Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com
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