Historical, Political,
Constitutional and Diplomatic Terms
Adjournment Motion : A motion moved by a
member in a legislature,
when it is desired to draw the attention of the executive to
a matter of urgent
public importance or interest.
Amendment : An alteration made in a law or constitution.
By-election : It is an election to a seat in a local body or
a legislature,
rendered vacant during the normal life of an elected body.
Bandh : A device resorted to by political parties and trade
unions, and
effort is made to focus attention on some local issues by
bringing the entire normal life to a standstill.
Balance of Power : To preserve equality of strength between
countries
so that no single country becomes powerful. enough to be a
source of danger
to others.
Brain Drain : It is a term applied to the exodus of
technicians and
scientists to other countries where they get more and better
opportunities.
Bicameral System : The form of legislature which has two
Chambers or
Houses as opposed to unicameral system having only one House
of Legislature.
Bureaucracy : The form of government which is conducted by
officials,
who are specially trained for the services. These officers
control the policy
of the government; they are responsible only to their chiefs
and not to the
public.
Buffer State : A smaller state lying between potentially
hostile larger
states, lessening the risk of direct war between them.
Poland was a buffer
State between Germany and Russia; Belgium is a buffer State
between
France and Germany.
Civil Disobedience : Non-cooperation with government,
without resorting to violence. This form of agitation was adopted by the
Indian National
Congress to secure independence.
Collective Security : The principle, formerly laid down in
the League of
Nations, that all nations should collectively guarantee the
security of each
individual nation. NATO and the Warsaw Pact are examples of
collective
security organisations. The Warsaw Pact was dissolved on
March 31, 1991.
Communalism : The political theory or trend of thought which
insists too
much upon the rights and interests of a particular religion,
as distinguished
from those of the nation at large. The 1991 elections were
marked by appeal
to communal sentiments.
Communism : It may mean either the type of society in which
right to
property is vested in the community, every individual
receiving what he needs and working according to his
capacity, or it may mean the revolutionary movement which seeks to achieve that type of society by
overthrowing
the capitalist system and establishing a dictatorship of
the proletariat.
Modern communism has its basis in Marxism, as developed by
the Russian
revolutionary leader, Lenin(1870-1924). Communism now
survives only in
China, Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba. However, in India the
communists
still enjoy a clout.
Carte Blanche : Blank cheque, i.e., to give
full powers.
Casting Vote : It is the deciding vote of the Chairman, when
there is a
tie, i.e., equality of votes.
Constituent Assembly : An assembly of elected representatives
convened
for the purpose of framing a constitution of the country.
Coup d'etat : A political strategy or action resulting in
the change of
government, generally initiated by military personnel. A
sudden change of
government brought about by force. It is different from a
revolution which
involves the participation of the masses.
Curfew : An order under which people have to be indoors
within certain
hours. Such restrictive orders are imposed when there is
apprehension of
breach of peace.
Cabinet Government : The form of government in which
the Executive, a Council of Ministers, is responsible to the
legislature. It is also called parliamentary system.
Conscription : Compulsory enlistment for the defence
services; there can be conscription of labour as well.
Coalition : An alliance of political parties for a
special purpose. A coalition or coalition government is
formed either to deal with a national crisis or when no
party is able to secure an absolute majority in the
legislature.
Cold War : A state of apparent peace between two
powerful countries or blocs, but they show malice against
each other through press, radio, etc. The term was first
used by Bernard M. Maruch while addressing the South
Carolina Legislative Body, on April 16, 1947. It is often
used to describe the relationship that had existed between
the Soviet Union and the Western Powers since 1947. The
break up and weakening of USSR resulted in virtual end of
Cold War and has resulted in a unipolar world dominated by
the United States of America. Its writ runs ,large allover
the world, in early 1998 Iraq was almost invaded by an
American led rag tag alliance.
Democracy : The form of government run by the people
or their elected representatives. Abraham Lincoln defined it
as "government of the people, by the people, for the
people."
Deadlock : A situation in which further negotiations
are impossible.
Dictatorship : A form of government in which all
power rests in a single individual or the system of one-man
rule, as the rule of Hitler in pre-war Germany, and that of
Mussolini in pre-war Italy.
Doctrine of Lapse : The East India Company laid down
a principle that on the death of an Indian ruling prince
without a direct descendant, the British Government could
refuse to sanction the adoption of an heir and declare the
dominions of the deceased as lapsed to the sovereign power.
It was initiated and acted upon by Lord Dalhousie. It was
one of the causes of the national rising of 1857.
Fourth Estate : It applies to the press, first used
by Edmund Burke.
Franchise : The right to vote. It is also called
suffrage.
Fascism : A nationalist, anti-communist and
authoritarian political system evolved by Mussolini and his
followers in Italy after 1922. Italian fascism served as a
model to similar movements in other countries including
Germany where it assumed the form of Nazism.
Feudalism : Asocial and political system existing in
Europe during the Middle Ages, based on the relationship
between lord and vassal.
Fifth Column : It applies to those people who work
secretly against the interests of their own country by
carrying on. false propaganda or by other means; they are
sympathisers of the enemy.
Fundamental Rights : The basic rights of the citizen
of a state generally embodied in modern constitutions, such
as the right to property, the right to freedom of speech,
the right to freedom of movement, the right to freedom of
religion. etc.
Federal Government : It s a form of government in which regions
{called
provinces, states, etc.) enjoy autonomy in certain spheres.
The regions are
not at the mercy of the Centre, as is the case in a unitary
government.
Glasnost : A term coined by Mr. Gorbacliev. It implied more
openness of
the society and freeing the Media from the overwhelming
control of the
state.
Guillotine : A method adopted in a legislature to cut short
discussion on
a bill by fixing time for taking votes.
Habeas Corpus : A writ requiring the authorities to produce a person/prisoner
before a judge or court in person and state the
reasons for his being in prison.
Hegemony : Dominant influence, especially of one State over
others.
