Agencies - Organisations and bodies in that are part of a major institution, the UN of EU

Aggravating Circumstances - Something that makes a crime more serious

Anarchy - A system where no form of government operates, when there is total breakdown of society

Autumn Statement - An annual statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House of
Commons about the spending plans of the government

Backbenchers - Members of the House of Commons who are not government ministers or opposition
spokespersons. They sit behind the front row of seats in the Chamber, hence the name

Barristers - Graduates who become specialist in a narrow aspect of law and are employed by solicitors on
behalf of their clients to represent them in the higher courts

Bicameral - The name given to a parliament made up of two chambers

Boycott - Refusing to buy goods or use a service to achieve a desired political outcome (the term comes
from Captain Boycott whose tenants refused to pay their rent)

British Values - The values associated with living in Britain

Budget - An annual statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House of Commons about
the taxation policy for the forthcoming year

By-election - An election held in seat after the retirement or death of a sitting member

Census - A governmental survey taken every 10 years to gather information about the life in the UK

Central Government - term used to describe the government of the UK

Chief Constable - The chief police officer with each regional police force responsible for day-to-day
management of police resources to fight crime

Citizens Advice - Community-based charity that provides help and advice, including free legal advice
throughout the UK

Citizenship - A legal status given to members of the state, indicating their membership of the state

Civil Law - The type of law that deals with disputes between individuals where damages are awarded

Civil Service - Employees of the state who administer our public policy

Closed party list system - The electoral system used in England, Scotland and Wales to elect MEPs

Closed Regional list system - A proportional voting system used in the UK for European Parliamentary
elections

Command equality - A national economy where all elements of the economic system are controlled by the
government

Common Law - Law based on judges' ruling in court

Commonwealth Charter - A document that lays down the principles associated with the commonwealth
membership

Competence - Relates to the areas of policy delegated by countries to the EU

Conservatism - An 18th century political ideology based upon the traditional belief in the family and the
church and nationalism. It has a paternalistic approach to community affairs, this ideology has evolved to
encompass the New Right to Christian Democrats

Constituencies - A named geographical area consisting on average of about 65,000 voters which elects a
single MP to the UK Parliament

Core executive - The most important policy makers within the executive around the Prime Minister

Council of Europe - Founded in 1949 and is an intergovernmental body which aims are to promote human
rights, democracy and rule of law within its 47 member states, this body established the European
Convention on Human Rights

Council of the European Union - Meetings of ministers from states in the EU

Councillors - Citizens who are elected to serve on local councils

Criminal Law - The type of law where individuals are charged by the state with an offence and if they are
found guilty, they are punished by the state

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - An independent governmental body that determines whether charges
should be brought, they prosecute charges on behalf of their state

Custodial - A sentence that involves imprisonment

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen 1789 - Following the French Revolution, the new
National Assembly declared that: 'the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole
cause of public calamities and of corrupt governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration
the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man'

Democracy - A political system based upon the concept of giving the people the power to decide through
an electoral system where electors can choose their party of group

Department select committees - Committees of the House of Commons made up of MPs who monitor the
work of the government and publish reports on the work of the department

Deterrence - Use of sentencing to prevent the offender committing the offence

Devolution - The transfer of power from a greater to lesser body

Devolved and reserved powers - Devolved powers are transferred by the UK to the devolved governments.
Reserved powers are those which are still held by the UK government

Devolved government - name given to the bodies created under the policy of devolution e.g. the Scottish
Parliament

Dictatorship - Ruled by one person or a group, this group or person is all-powerful, often associated with a
military takeover of a state

Direct democracy - A system of government in where all citizens take part in the decision-making. A
modern form of democracy is the use of referendums

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) - The title given to the head of the CPS

Discrimination - Treating a group of people unfairly

E-media - All forms of media that are related to the internet (e stands for electronic)

Employers' Association - Industry or regionally based bodies in that seek to represent the interests of
groups and employers

Equality Act 2010 - 116 pieces of information brought together to protect individuals from their unfair
treatment and promote an equal and fair society

Euro - The common currency used by the Eurozone (18 members of the EU)

European Arrest Warrant - A system within the European Union that allows a police force in one countries
to ask a police force in another to arrest someone

European Commission - Appointed officials of the member countries of the EU who draft policy initiatives
and the direct workings of the EU

European Convention on Human Rights - A Convention that lays down basic rights, it is based on the
UNDHR and is overseen by the Council of Europe

European Council - Meetings of the heads of governments of EU member states

European Court of Human Rights - Court of Human Rights that sits in Strasbourg and rules on the
European Convention of Human Rights (Not to be confused with the European Court of Justice which is
under the court of the European Union)

European Parliament - The directly elected Parliament of the European Union

Executive - An element of government made up of government ministers, advisers and senior civil
servants who determine the policy of government

Fairness - Treating People more equally according to the circumstances

Federalist - A person that supports the EU integration leading to a United States of Europe

First past the post - An election system based upon the person with the highest number of votes cast being
elected

Freedom - The ability to act or think as one thinks

Frontbenchers - Government ministers or shadow ministers who sit on the front row of seats in the House
of Commons chamber, facing each other across the table

General Election - An election where the entire UK Parliament is elected. Elections are held after a fixed
five-year period after the previous election

Geneva Conventions - The most important convention on how civilians should be treated during a time of
war

Global Identity - some aspects of identity are now global in nature

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - The value of all the goods and services created in the country, normally
measured annually

Gross National Income (GNI) - GDP minus income earned by non-residents plus income received from
non-residents

Group Identity - Identities associated with a group

Hague Convention - Deals with rules governing the conduct of war

Hard Power - The ability to use military or economic power to achieve one's aims

House of Commons - The first chamber of the Parliament made up of 650 elected members. The
government is formed based on the composition of this chamber. It is a legislative chamber that also holds
the government to account

House of Lords - The second house in the chamber. Since 1911, it has far less importance than the House
of Commons. Its main purpose is a revising chamber, made up of non-elected members

Human Right - A fundamental right to every person is entitled to have, to be and to do

Human Rights ACT (HRA) - Passed in 1998 and came into force in 2000, this Act brought together of
numerous pieces of human rights legislation and enabled UK citizens easier to the European Court of
Human Rights

Humanitarian Aid - Non-military aid given to countries with people in need, e.g. food, shelter and medical
help

Identity - The characteristics that determine who a person is

Individual Liberty - In modern democracy, people have the freedoms to make their own choices and
decisions

Inflation - The rate at which prices and wages increase on an annual basis

International Criminal Court - Set up to try persons indicated for crimes against humanity or war crimes,
120 nations have agreed to work with this court

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) - IHL is a body of law associated with international disputes and
the conduct of war and the people affected by law

Judiciary - The part of the UK system of governance that is responsible for its legal system that consists of
all the judges in its court of law

Jury Service - Citizens are required to serve on juries as a civic service, twelve people are selected at
random from the register of voters

Justice - Behaviour of treatment that is morally right and fair

Legal Executives - Legally qualified specialists employed mainly by solicitors

Legislation - Or statute law, laws passed by parliament

Legislature - A body normally elected that decides upon laws that apply to a state, in the UK, Parliament is
the legislature and in the USA, Congress is the legislature

Liberal democracy - A system of government based upon representative democracy and linked to freedoms
and right for citizens

Liberalism - A political philosophy dating from the 18th century, based on individual liberty, freedom of
worship and free trade. It evolved into social liberalism, with a concern for welfare right. It encompasses
Liberal parties to Free Democrats to Radical Parties
Local Election - Elections held for the councillors to local councils, held on a fixed date in May after the
fixed term of office has expired

Lord Chief Justice - The senior Judge in the UK and head of the judiciary

Lord Speaker - The Speaker of the House of Lords

Lords Spiritual - The 26 bishops of the Church of England who are members of the House of Lords

Magistrates - Part-time community volunteers who after training determine verdicts and sentences in a
local Magistrates' courts, they sit on a bench of three and agree their decisions

Magna Carta - Known as the Great Charter, singed in 1215, it established the rights and powers of the
King and the people of England

Manifesto - A document produced by the political party at the time of the of an election outlining the
policies it would like to introduce

Market economy - A national economy where most of the economy is run by the private sector and the
state owns and runs limited elements

Mass Media - The means of communicating to a large number of people at the same time; these include
television, newspapers and the internet

Mediation - A process of involving outsiders in a dialogue to try to resolve a dispute between two parties

Member of Parliament (MP) - A citizen elected to parliament who serves as an MP, usually as a member
of a political party

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) - an elected citizen to the Parliament of European Union,
normally representing a political party

Metropolitan Police - The title that is given to the police force responsible in the London area

Mitigating Circumstances - Something that makes the offender's culpability less serious

Mixed economy - A national economy that has elements runs by the state and others run by the private
sector

Multi-party system - A political system where several parties are vying for power

Multicultural Society - A society that comprises of cultural and religious backgrounds

Multiple Identity - That a person can assume different identities at different times and in different
situations

NACRO - a body that seeks to represent the view of offenders

National Identity - An identity associated with a specific country

Nationalised - Where the state owns and runs a part of the economy

Nature Vs Nurture - A debate whether a person�s personality and identity are most affected by their
biological background

Neighbourhood Watch - A voluntary scheme in which people are given a set area with the police to help
reduce crime
New Media - All forms of non-traditional media

New Right - A view of conservatism linked to Ronald Reagan in the USA and Margaret Thatcher in the
1980s, that limiting the impact on business and lowering taxation and what services the state provided, was
the best means of increasing national wealth and allowed for personal empowerment and increased social
mobility

Non-custodial - a criminal sentence that doesn't involve imprisonment

Non-democratic - A system of government that lacks some or all of the elements that make up some of a
democratic political system

Non-Departmental Governmental Bodies (NDPBs) - Formerly Quangos

Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) - NGOs can be national or international, many of these charities
provide services to help those in need, many work with governmental agencies and can receive funds from
the government

Ofcom - The Office of communications is a governmental regulator of the media industry

Office of National Statistics (ONS) - A governmental body that provides background data

One-party State - A state where only one political party exists and runs a country, often associated with
communism e.g. North Korea

Petition of Rights 1628 - A petition to King Charles 1 demanding a return in taxation for human rights

PMQs - 30 minutes on each Wednesday in which the Prime Minister faces questions from MPs in the
chamber of the House of Commons. Six questions are allocated to the Leader of the Opposition

Police and community support officers - Local employed uniformed staff which help the police in local
communities, they do not have police powers

Police and Crime Commissioners - Directly elected officials who are responsible for running the regional
police force outside London

Pressure Groups - Organised bodies of citizens who share the same interest in an issue and through a
variety of actions promote their cause

Principles - A basic truth of idea that underpins the beliefs associated with a given society

Private Member's Bill - A bill, a draft for the law that is proposed by a MP. A lottery is held each year and
if an MP comes out toward the top, they stand a good chance of their bill becoming law

Proportional - A system of voting whereby the number of people elected related to the number percentage
of votes cast

Quangos - Quasi Autonomous NGOs. These bodies which works with the government, sometimes carrying
out services on behalf of government and funded from government, but partially independent from
government. Government uses the term NDPBs to describe them, as the word Quango is associated with
negative media coverage of these bodies

Queens Council - Barristers May apply to become QCs, or KCs if there is a king on the throne, this is
recognition of their profession and that they have become experts in their own field
Question Time - The time allocated each weak in parliament where ministers face Questions from the
Members of Parliament and are held to account for their actions

Real government spending - The change in the amount of government spends after taking in account of
inflation

Recorded Crime - Crimes that are reported to the police and recorded

Referendum - A vote on a single issue, where views of the government or other bodies wish to seek the
views of electors of an issue, e.g. Brexit referendum

Rehabilitation - An aim of sentencing seeking to change the behaviour of the offender

Reparations - Where an offender has to pay towards the damage they have caused

Representative democracy - A system of government where citizens are elected to represent other in an
assembly, e.g. in the UK, a MP or councillor

Responsibility - The state or fact of having to do something

Right - A moral of legal entitlement to have or do something

Salisbury convention - A post-war convention whereby the House of Lords does not vote down a proposal
from the Commons if it was the election manifesto of the government

Sanctions - Measures taken by a state to others achieve a change in policy or action

Secondary Action - When a worker not directly involved in a trade dispute takes action to support others

Security Council - The major decision making body of the United Nations, made up of 5 permanent and 10
elected member countries, UK is a permanent member country

Single transferable vote (STV) - A proportional voting system used in parts of the UK

Social Media - The ways in which people interact with each other on the internet, such as Twitter and
Facebook

Socialism - A political ideology dating mainly for the 19th century, based upon the common ownership of
the economy, equality and opportunity. It encompasses parties from Communism to Social Democrats

Soft power - The ability to influence others through your culture, political and foreign policy values

Solicitors - Mainly Graduates who cover a range of legal work of both civil and criminal and have to be
formally qualified

Sovereignty - The power and authority that a country has to make decisions and its relations with others

Special Advisor - Specialist and political advisers to ministers and opposition spokes-persons, can have
temporary civil service status, paid for by the taxpayer

Special Constables - Volunteers who help the police on a part time basis in their local community, they do
not have police powers but they wear a police uniform and assist the police in their community

Strike - The withdrawal of one's labour, refusing to work

Supplementary vote - A voting system where voter have a second vote which is used in the election
process if no candidate gets 50% of the first-choice votes
Supreme Court - Is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases, and for criminal cases in England,
Northern Ireland and Wales, it hears cases of constitutional importance affecting the whole population

The Electoral Commission - A government-established body that monitors and oversees all UK elections
and referendums

The Equality and Human Rights Commission - An independent statutory body established to help
eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality and Protect Human Rights

The Howard League for Penal Reform - A long-established pressure group that advocates prison reforms

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) - Set up to handle complaints and conduct
investigations into standard and compliance

The monarchy - A system of hereditary power which is passed down a family line. In the UK, we have
constitutional monarchy where the head is the monarch but most of their powers have been transferred to
the government

The Prime Minister - The Prime Minister is the head of government in the UK, the monarch is the head of
state. In the USA, the President is holds both posts. The Prime Minister is normally the head of the biggest
party in the House of Commons and is an MP, he or she is appointed by the monarch after a General
Election, they have the title of First Lord of the Treasury

The Rule of Law - A basic principle of a democratic society that the law applies equally to everyone

The Speaker - A Member of Parliament elected by the other members of the House of Commons and
manage the business of the House

Theocracy - Where religious leaders run the state e.g. Iran

Tiers - another term for level of government

Tolerance - A concept in modern society which people show understanding of others with different views
and opinions

Trade Union Congress (TUC) - A national body representing most trade unions in the UK

Trade Unions - A legally recognised employment-based group of employees who seek to represent
workers in regard to the conditions of employment e.g. wages.
E.g., the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) who represent those
workings on the London Underground

Traditional Media - Newsprint, radio, television and cinema

Transnational groupings - A political grouping the European Parliament made up of MEPs from several
countries

Two-party system - A political system that is dominated by two political parties, each of which at some
time may form a government

Ultra Vires - Acting beyond your legal power or authority

United Nations Charter - A document which lays down the aims of the United Nations

Universal Declaration of Human Rights - An international Law which sets out the universal human rights
under the UN
US Declaration of Independence 1789 - A declaration related to the founding of the USA following of
independence from Britain. The Declaration protects freedom of speech and religion and the right to keep
and bear arms, the freedom of assembly and to petition

Values - Standards of behaviour accepted by a society

Veto - To be able to vote down any decision

Volunteering - Giving your time to help others without pay

Voter apathy - A lack of interest by citizens in the electoral and political process

Voter Turnout - The number of voters who actually vote, against the number of people who could vote,
expressed as a percentage

Whips - Members of Parliament appointed by their party leader to organise their MPs, ensuring their
attendance and their vote