Political Science Concepts

noun a situation in which nations of similar strength have equal power and can prevent any one country from dominating the others

• The balance of power in the region shifted after the treaty was signed.
• The balance of power between the two teams is pretty even.
• The balance of power in the office changed when the new boss came in.
• In any negotiation, it's important to understand the balance of power between the two parties.

noun a foreign policy strategy in which one nation pushes a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome

• The two countries engaged in brinkmanship as they both tried to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
• The siblings were constantly playing a game of brinkmanship, always trying to one-up each other.
• The students' brinkmanship in class was getting out of hand, with each one trying to outsmart the other.
• The CEO's brinkmanship in the business world paid off as he successfully navigated through risky decisions.

verb to establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely

• The new policy aims to entrench the company's position in the market.
• We need to entrench ourselves in the industry by building strong relationships.
• Let's entrench ourselves at the front of the line for the concert.
• His beliefs were deeply entrenched and difficult to change.

adjective not regulated by or based on law; unlawful

• The lawless behavior of the group led to their arrest.
• The town has become a bit lawless since the sheriff retired.
• The party last night was totally lawless.
• His mind was a lawless jungle of conflicting thoughts.

adjective relating to or characteristic of dispossessed, unskilled, and uprooted individuals or groups in society

• The lumpen proletariat is a term used to describe the lowest and most marginalized social class.
• The lumpen guys at the bar always cause trouble on Friday nights.
• I can't believe he's dating that lumpen chick, she's so basic.
• His mind felt like a lumpen mass of confusion after the accident.

adjective describing a person or behavior that does not cooperate or work together with others

• The noncooperative attitude of the employees is hindering the progress of the project.
• The noncooperative behavior of my teammates is really getting on my nerves.
• I can't stand working with that noncooperative dude, he's always causing problems.
• Her mind was a noncooperative puzzle, refusing to reveal its secrets.

noun a person who is involved in politics or who holds a political office

adjective relating to the government or public affairs of a country

• The political landscape in the country is constantly changing.
• I try to avoid discussing political topics at family gatherings.
• I'm not really into all that political stuff, you know?
• The decision had major political implications that reverberated throughout the region.

noun the academic study of government and the state

• The study of politics is essential for understanding how societies are governed.
• I try to avoid discussing politics at family gatherings to prevent arguments.
• I'm so over all the drama in politics these days.
• In the game of politics, you have to know when to make your move.

noun the office or period of office of a protector

• The country became a protectorate of the larger empire, ensuring its security and sovereignty.
• The smaller nation was basically under the protection of the bigger one, like a protectorate or something.
• They had a sort of buddy-buddy relationship, with one being the protectorate and the other the protector.
• Her older brother always acted like a protectorate, looking out for her in any situation.

noun the act of reducing or cutting back on expenses or costs, especially in a business or organization

• The company had to resort to retrenchment in order to cut costs and stay afloat.
• Many employees were laid off due to retrenchment at the company.
• I heard there's going to be a massive retrenchment round next month.
• In times of crisis, retrenchment may be necessary to survive.

noun a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole, in particular

adjective relating to or affecting the entire system

• The new operating system is designed to improve efficiency and security.
• I can't figure out how to navigate this new system.
• The system is so glitchy, it's driving me crazy.
• She has a system in place for staying organized and on top of things.

noun a word or phrase that connects ideas or clauses in a sentence

adjective relating to or characteristic of a process or period of transition

• The government is implementing a transitional plan to shift towards renewable energy sources.
• We're in a transitional phase right now, so things might be a bit chaotic.
• I'm in a transitional period in my life, trying to figure things out.
• The butterfly's transitional stage from a caterpillar symbolizes transformation and growth.

noun a formally concluded and ratified agreement between countries

• The two countries signed a treaty to establish trade agreements.
• Hey, did you hear about the treaty between those two countries?
• The treaty they made is gonna be lit for both sides.
• The treaty between work and relaxation is finding the right balance in life.

noun a unicameral system of government

adjective relating to a single legislative chamber or house

• The country's government operates under a unicameral legislative system.
• In this unicameral system, there is only one legislative chamber.
• The unicameral setup makes decision-making faster and more efficient.
• The unicameral structure of the organization ensures streamlined communication.

noun a desk or workspace where decisions are made or where information is analyzed and decisions are determined

• The decision desk is responsible for making the final call on election results.
• I heard the decision desk will announce the winner soon.
• Let's see what the decision desk has to say about this.
• In my mind, the decision desk represents the ultimate authority on the matter.

noun a condition or state of having two opposite or contradictory tendencies, opinions, or aspects

adjective relating to or characterized by the presence of two opposing or contrasting forces or elements

• The concept of bipolarity in psychology refers to the presence of two opposing extremes.
• Some people believe that bipolarity is just a fancy term for being moody.
• I heard she got diagnosed with bipolarity, but I think it's just a phase.
• The political landscape was marked by bipolarity, with two dominant parties vying for power.

noun a method of voting or social choice that determines the majority preference in a group by comparing each possible pair of candidates or options in a series of rounds

• The Condorcet method is a voting system that selects the candidate who would win in a head-to-head competition against every other candidate.
• I heard they're using the Condorcet method for the upcoming student council elections.
• The Condorcet method is like the ultimate showdown of candidates.
• Using the Condorcet method is like pitting candidates against each other in a political battle royale.

verb to govern or manage poorly or incompetently

• The corrupt government misgoverns the country, leading to widespread unrest.
• The politicians really know how to misgovern the whole system.
• Those politicians are just straight up misgoverning everything.
• His reckless decisions misgoverned the course of his life.

noun a person who benefits from something without paying for it

• The free rider problem occurs when individuals benefit from a public good without contributing to its costs.
• Don't be a free rider and make sure to pitch in for the group project.
• Stop being a free rider and start pulling your weight.
• In life, being a free rider will only get you so far before people catch on to your actions.

noun a state that is under the control of a more powerful state

• The small kingdom became a vassal state under the rule of the larger empire.
• The little kingdom had to do whatever the big empire said, like a vassal state.
• The tiny kingdom was basically the big empire's puppet, just a vassal state.
• In the world of business, sometimes a smaller company can feel like a vassal state to a larger corporation.

noun the practice or skill of conducting or participating in high-level meetings or conferences between heads of state or government

• The success of the summitry between the two countries led to a historic peace agreement.
• The summitry meeting went well and both leaders seemed pleased with the outcome.
• I heard the summitry was lit, everyone was excited about the decisions made.
• The summitry at the conference brought together different perspectives to reach a common goal.

noun a set of measures taken to prevent the spread of a disease

• The government implemented a cordon sanitaire to contain the spread of the virus in the affected area.
• They set up a cordon sanitaire around the crime scene to keep everyone out.
• The cops put up a cordon sanitaire so nobody could get in or out of the building.
• She created a cordon sanitaire around herself, keeping her emotions guarded from others.

noun a social class formed by people suffering from precarity, which is a condition of existence without predictability or security

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite; in this case, 'the' is specifying 'precariat' as a specific social class

• The precariat refers to a social class characterized by instability and insecurity in terms of employment and income.
• Many young people today belong to the precariat, constantly moving from one temporary job to another.
• The gig economy has created a new breed of workers who are part of the precariat.
• In the modern economy, the precariat are like nomads, never settling in one place for too long.

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'all other things being equal'

adverb used to indicate that a particular situation is being considered in isolation from other factors

• In economic theory, ceteris paribus is used to analyze the impact of a single variable while holding all other variables constant.
• Ceteris paribus, if we increase the price of the product, we can predict a decrease in demand.
• Let's say, ceteris paribus, if we ditch the study session, we might fail the test.
• Ceteris paribus, if we remove the toxic people from our lives, we can expect to feel happier and more at peace.

noun the state or condition of being abolished or the act of abolishing something

• The abolitiondom of slavery was a significant moment in history.
• I heard they're talking about abolitiondom in the upcoming election.
• Abolitiondom is so important, we can't let it be forgotten.
• The abolitiondom of outdated traditions is essential for progress.

noun a method or approach that is created or adapted for a specific purpose or situation, often without consideration for long-term implications or consequences

• The company's decision-making process was plagued by ad hocism, resulting in inefficiency and inconsistency.
• We need to stop the ad hocism and come up with a solid plan for the project.
• Let's ditch the ad hocism and get our act together.
• Ad hocism is like trying to build a house without a blueprint - it's chaotic and ineffective.