PO111 Study Guide - Mixed-Member Proportional Representation, Plurality Voting System, Liberal Democracy

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Power: politics always involves the exercise of power. Power is the ability of one actor (or group) to impulse his/her will on others. Sometimes described as hard(force) or soft (manipulation) power. Influence: you sway the opinions and preferences of others. The state: an organization that has the monopoly of legitimate use of force in certain areas. Functions of state: supposed to provide human security for citizens and adjudicate disputes, according to commonly held values of a society. States also provide a political framework for participation in politics, protection of rights and support of national and regional institutions. Sovereignty: the state has a monopoly on use of force within a territory and it is externally recognized. Government: a specialized activity of those individuals and institutions that make and enforce collective decisions in a state. It is both a set of activities and also a collection of institutions that carry out these activities.