📚 SQA National 5 Politics: Key Terminology Quick Revision Guide | SQA National 5 政治：词汇术语速记指南
This guide provides a concise and memorable overview of the essential political terms you need to master for the SQA National 5 course. Whether you are revising for the final exam or building your political vocabulary, the following paired explanations and memory aids will help you recall definitions quickly and accurately.
本指南为 SQA National 5 课程必修的政治学术语提供了简洁易记的概述。无论你是在为期末考试复习还是扩充政治词汇，以下的中英对照解释和记忆技巧将帮助你快速准确地回忆定义。
1. Power and Authority | 权力与权威
Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of others, even against their will. It can take several forms: coercive (force), political (laws), economic (money), and ideological (ideas). Think of power as the ‘raw strength’ to make things happen.
权力是影响他人行为的能力，即便违背其意愿。它可表现为多种形式：强制权力（武力）、政治权力（法律）、经济权力（金钱）和意识形态权力（思想）。可以把权力想象成让事情发生的“原始力量”。
Authority is legitimate power; people accept it as right and proper. Max Weber identified three types of authority: traditional (based on customs, like a monarchy), charismatic (based on personal qualities, like a revolutionary leader), and legal-rational (based on rules and laws, like an elected official). A quick memory trick: ‘TCL’ – Traditional, Charismatic, Legal.
权威是合法的权力；人们接受其为正当合理。马克斯·韦伯区分了三种权威类型：传统型权威（基于习俗，如君主制）、魅力型权威（基于个人品质，如革命领袖）和法理型权威（基于规则和法律，如民选官员）。速记窍门：记住“TCL” —— 传统 (Traditional)、魅力 (Charismatic)、法理 (Legal)。
2. Democracy and Participation | 民主与参与
Direct democracy is a system where citizens vote on laws and policies themselves, without representatives. Ancient Athens is the classic example. The key word ‘direct’ reminds you that people decide directly.
直接民主是一种公民自己对法律和政策进行投票的体制，无需代表。古雅典是经典范例。关键词“直接”提醒你人民直接做出决定。
Representative democracy is the more common modern form: citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. The UK Parliament works this way. Link ‘representative’ to ‘represent’ – someone speaks for you.
代议制民主是更常见的现代形式：公民选举代表代替他们做决策。英国议会就是这样运作的。把“代议”和“代表”联系起来——有人为你发声。
Participation can be conventional (voting, joining a party) or unconventional (protesting, boycotting). A quick way to separate them: conventional = inside the system; unconventional = outside the normal channels.
参与可分为常规参与（投票、加入政党）和非常规参与（抗议、抵制）。简单的区分方法是：常规 = 体制内参与；非常规 = 超出正常渠道。
Turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote in an election. Low turnout is often seen as a sign of political apathy – lack of interest or engagement. To remember ‘apathy’, think of ‘a’ (without) + ‘pathos’ (feeling) = without feeling.
投票率是指在选举中实际投票的合格选民百分比。低投票率常被视为政治冷漠的标志——缺乏兴趣或参与。要记住“冷漠”(apathy)，可以拆解为“a”（无）+“pathos”（感情）= 没有感情。
3. The State and Government | 国家与政府
The state is a permanent political entity with four key features: a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and sovereignty (the highest authority within that territory). It is not the same as the government – the state is the whole apparatus, while the government is the group currently in charge.
国家是一个拥有四个关键特征的永久政治实体：固定的领土、常住人口、政府以及主权（该领土内的最高权威）。国家不等于政府——国家是整个机器，而政府是当前掌权的班子。
Sovereignty means supreme power. Internally, it means the state has the final say over its affairs. Externally, it means no other state can interfere. The concept is often linked to the Treaty of Westphalia (1648). Think ‘sovereign’ like a king – nobody above.
主权意味着最高权力。对内，它指国家对自身事务有最终决定权；对外，它意味着任何其他国家不得干涉。这一概念常与1648年《威斯特伐利亚和约》关联。联想“君主”(sovereign) —— 没有人凌驾其上。
The government is the group of people who run the state, make policies, and enforce laws. It can change after elections, but the state remains. Remember: government = steering wheel; state = the whole car.
政府是负责管理国家、制定政策、执行法律的一群人。选举后政府可以更替，但国家依然存在。记住：政府好比方向盘；国家好比整辆汽车。
4. Political Ideologies | 政治意识形态
An ideology is a set of beliefs about how society should be organised. The main ones on the left–right spectrum are:
意识形态是一套关于社会应如何组织的信念体系。左右光谱上的主要意识形态有：
Liberalism: Emphasises individual freedom, limited government, and equality of opportunity. Key phrase: ‘negative liberty’ (freedom from interference).
自由主义：强调个人自由、有限政府与机会平等。关键词：“消极自由”（免于干涉的自由）。
Conservatism: Values tradition, authority, and gradual change. They prefer ‘tried and tested’ methods. Think ‘conserve’ – to keep things as they are.
保守主义：重视传统、权威与渐进的变革。他们偏好“久经考验”的做法。联想“conservation”（保护）—— 维持事物原状。
Socialism: Advocates social ownership or strong regulation of the economy, aiming to reduce inequality. Key term: ‘collectivism’ – the group is more important than the individual in some respects.
社会主义：主张社会所有制或对经济的强有力监管，以减少不平等。关键词：“集体主义”—— 在某些方面，集体比个人更重要。
Nationalism: The belief that the nation should be the central unit of political loyalty, often seeking self-determination. Remember ‘nation’ = a group with shared culture, history, language.
民族主义：认为民族应当是政治忠诚的核心单元，常常追求民族自决。记住“民族” = 拥有共同文化、历史、语言的群体。
A quick left–right table:
| Left | Centre | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Equality, state intervention (Socialism) | Balance, meritocracy (Liberalism) | Individual responsibility, free market (Conservatism) |
左中右速查表：左翼强调平等与国家干预（社会主义）；中间注重平衡与贤能政治（自由主义）；右翼强调个人责任与自由市场（保守主义）。
5. Electoral Systems | 选举制度
First Past the Post (FPTP): The candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins; no need for a majority (over 50%). It tends to produce strong, single-party governments but can be disproportional. Memory aid: ‘First past the post’ like a horse race – only the winner takes the seat.
简单多数制（FPTP）：在一个选区内得票最多的候选人获胜，无需达到绝对多数（超过50%）。它倾向于产生强大的单一政党政府，但可能造成票数不成比例。记忆窍门：就像赛马“先到终点者赢”—— 只有胜者赢得席位。
Proportional Representation (PR): Seats are allocated in proportion to the votes each party receives. More representative, but often leads to coalition governments. The Scottish Parliament uses the Additional Member System (AMS), a mixed PR system. ‘Proportional’ directly hints at proportion.
比例代表制（PR）：席位按照各政党所获选票比例分配。更具代表性，但常常产生联合政府。苏格兰议会采用附加议员制（AMS），一种混合比例代表制。“比例”一词直接指向按比例分配。
Single Transferable Vote (STV): Voters rank candidates in order of preference. A candidate needs a quota (minimum number of votes) to be elected. Used for Scottish local councils. Think ‘transferable’ – your vote transfers to your next choice if your top candidate is eliminated.
单一可转移投票制（STV）：选民将候选人按偏好顺序排名。候选人必须达到某个票数门槛（配额）才能当选。用于苏格兰地方议会。联想“可转移”——如果你最支持的候选人被淘汰，你的选票会转移至你的下一选择。
6. Political Parties | 政党
A political party is an organised group that seeks to gain power (or share it) by putting forward candidates for election. Their ideologies, manifestos, and policies distinguish them. In Scotland, the main parties are SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Greens.
政党是有组织团体，通过推举候选人参加选举来获取（或分享）权力。其意识形态、竞选纲领和政策使其彼此区分。在苏格兰，主要政党有苏格兰民族党、工党、保守党、自由民主党和绿党。
Manifesto: A public declaration of policies a party promises to implement if elected. Voters use it to hold parties accountable. Think ‘manifest’ – to make clear. It is the party’s visible plan.
竞选纲领：政党若当选许诺要实施的政策的公开宣言。选民用它来追究政党责任。联想“manifest”（彰显）—— 使之明确。这是政党的可见计划。
Whip system: In the UK Parliament, ‘whips’ are party officials who ensure members vote according to the party line. A ‘three-line whip’ is a strict instruction to attend and vote. To remember, imagine a whip cracking to enforce discipline.
党鞭制度：在英国议会中，“党鞭”是确保本党议员按照党派路线投票的党务官员。“三线党鞭”是最严格的指令，要求必须出席并投票。可想象鞭子抽响以强制执行纪律。
7. Pressure Groups and Social Movements | 压力团体与社会运动
Pressure groups are organisations that seek to influence government policy without standing for election. They are different from parties – they do not seek to govern. Two main types: insider groups (have direct access to decision-makers, e.g. BMA) and outsider groups (rely on public campaigns, e.g. Extinction Rebellion).
压力团体是不参加竞选、但试图影响政府政策的组织。它们与政党不同——它们不寻求执政。主要有两类：圈内团体（能直接接触决策者，如英国医学会）和圈外团体（依赖公众运动，如灭绝叛乱）。
A social movement is a more loosely organised, larger network of individuals and groups acting together for social change, such as the civil rights movement or feminist movement. The key difference: pressure groups are typically formal; social movements are broader and can include many groups.
社会运动是组织更为松散、规模更大的个人与团体网络，为争取社会变革而共同行动，例如民权运动或女权主义运动。关键区别：压力团体通常较为正式；社会运动范围更广，可包含众多团体。
Methods used: lobbying (meeting politicians), demonstrations, petitions, strikes, and media campaigns. Fast recall: Lobbying = talking; Demonstrating = marching.
使用的方法包括：游说（与政治家会面）、示威、请愿、罢工和媒体造势。快速记忆：游说 = 谈话；示威 = 游行。
8. Constitution and Rights | 宪法与权利
A constitution is a set of rules that establishes how a state is governed. It defines the powers of institutions, the rights of citizens, and the relationship between the state and individual. The UK has an uncodified constitution – not written in one single document but found in statutes, conventions, and legal judgements.
宪法是确立国家如何治理的一套规则。它界定机构的权力、公民的权利以及国家与个人之间的关系。英国有一套不成文宪法——并非载于单一文件，而是分散在成文法、惯例和司法判决中。
Codified constitution: one written in a single authoritative document, usually entrenched (hard to change). Example: the US Constitution. ‘Codify’ = to arrange into a code or book.
成文宪法：载于单一权威文件，通常具有刚性（难以修改）。例如美国宪法。“Codify” 意为编排成法典或书籍。
Bill of Rights: a formal list of citizens’ rights and freedoms. In the UK, the Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law. ‘Bill’ here means a list – think of an itemised bill.
权利法案：一份正式的公民权利与自由清单。在英国，1998年《人权法案》将《欧洲人权公约》纳入了国内法。这里的“Bill”指清单—— 联想细目账单。
Rule of law: the principle that everyone, including those in government, is subject to the law. No one is above the law. Memory: ‘rule’ meaning ‘government’ and ‘law’ meaning ‘legal limits’ – government by legal limits.
法治：所有人（包括政府成员）都受到法律约束的原则。无人凌驾于法律之上。记忆：“rule” 指治理，“law” 指法律限制——在法律限制下的治理。
9. Branches of Government: Separation of Powers | 政府分支：权力分立
The separation of powers divides government into three branches to prevent tyranny:
权力分立将政府分为三个分支，以防止专制：
Legislature (Parliament) makes laws. In Scotland, the Scottish Parliament passes acts on devolved matters. ‘Legis’ = law (think ‘legal’), ‘lature’ = bringing forth.
立法机关（议会）制定法律。在苏格兰，苏格兰议会就权力下放事务通过法案。“Legis” = 法律（联想“legal”），“lature” = 产生。
Executive (Government) implements laws. The Scottish Government runs public services and develops policy. ‘Execute’ means to carry out.
行政机关（政府）执行法律。苏格兰政府管理公共服务并制定政策。“Execute” 意为执行。
Judiciary (Courts) interprets laws and ensures they are applied fairly. Judges are independent. ‘Judic’ = judge (think ‘judicial’).
司法机关（法院）解释法律并确保其公正应用。法官独立。“Judic” = 法官（联想“judicial”）。
In the UK, the separation is not complete – the executive sits within the legislature (fusion of powers), but there are checks and balances like judicial review.
在英国，这种分立并不彻底——行政机关坐落在立法机关之中（权力融合），但也存在司法审查等制衡机制。
10. Media and Public Opinion | 媒体与民意
Mass media includes television, radio, newspapers, and social media. It plays a key role in shaping public opinion and setting the political agenda. Agenda-setting theory says the media does not tell us what to think, but what to think about.
大众媒体包括电视、广播、报纸和社交媒体。它在塑造民意和设定政治议程中起关键作用。议程设置理论认为，媒体并不告诉我们要怎样想，而是告诉我们该想些什么。
Public opinion is the collection of attitudes held by the public on political issues. Measured through opinion polls, it can influence government decisions. A ‘snap poll’ is a quick survey following a major event. ‘Snap’ suggests speed.
民意是指公众对政治议题态度的总和。通过民意调查来衡量，它能影响政府决策。“快速民调”是在重大事件后立即进行的调查。“Snap” 暗示迅速。
Spin and soundbites: ‘Spin’ is the manipulation of information to present a favourable view. A ‘soundbite’ is a short, catchy phrase used by politicians. Think ‘spin’ like twisting a ball – twisting the truth. A soundbite ‘bites’ into your memory.
舆论导向与精句：“舆论导向”（Spin）指操纵信息以呈现有利的观点。“精句”（Soundbite）是政客使用的简短易记的短语。可以把“Spin”想象成旋转球——扭曲事实。精句会“咬一口”你的记忆。
11. International Relations | 国际关系
Sovereignty remains crucial; states interact through diplomacy, trade, and treaties. The United Nations (UN) is the main international organisation, aiming to maintain peace and security. The UN Security Council has five permanent members – UK, USA, France, Russia, China – with veto power. “Veto” means “I forbid” in Latin.
主权依然至关重要；国家通过外交、贸易和条约进行互动。联合国（UN）是主要的国际组织，旨在维护和平与安全。联合国安理会有五个常任理事国——英、美、法、俄、中——拥有否决权。“Veto” 在拉丁语中意为“我禁止”。
European Union (EU): a political and economic union of 27 member states. The UK left the EU (Brexit) in 2020. Key concepts: single market (free movement of goods, services, capital, people) and customs union (no internal tariffs).
欧洲联盟（EU）：由27个成员国组成的政治经济联盟。英国于2020年脱离欧盟（脱欧）。关键概念：单一市场（商品、服务、资本、人员自由流动）和关税同盟（内部无关税）。
NATO is a military alliance based on collective defence – an attack on one is an attack on all (Article 5). ‘Collective’ = together; ‘defence’ = protection.
北约是以集体防御为基础的一个军事联盟——对一国的攻击即被视为对所有成员国的攻击（第五条）。“集体” = 一起；“防御” = 保护。
12. Devolution and Multi-Level Governance | 权力下放与多层治理
Devolution is the transfer of certain powers from central government to regional or national governments while sovereignty remains with the centre. The Scotland Act 1998 created the Scottish Parliament, which can legislate on devolved matters such as health and education, but not on reserved matters like defence and foreign policy.
权力下放是指在不转移主权的前提下，中央政府将某些权力移交给地区或国家政府。1998年《苏格兰法》设立了苏格兰议会，它可就卫生、教育等权力下放事项立法，但国防与外交等保留事项除外。
Reserved powers: those kept by Westminster (e.g. immigration, currency). Devolved powers are transferred. Quick check: if it affects the whole UK, it is likely reserved.
保留权力：由威斯敏斯特保留的权力（如移民、货币）。下放权力则是已移交的权力。快速判断：若影响整个英国，大概率是保留权力。
Multi-level governance describes the overlapping authority among local, devolved, national, and international bodies. In Scotland, decisions are influenced by the local council, Holyrood, Westminster, and sometimes the EU or UN.
多层治理描述了地方、下放、国家和国际机构之间相互重叠的权威。在苏格兰，决策受地方议会、荷里路德、威斯敏斯特，有时还有欧盟或联合国的影响。
Published by TutorHao | SQA National 5 Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com
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