IGCSE CAIE Politics: Key Vocabulary & Memory Guide | IGCSE CAIE 政治：词汇术语速记指南

📚 IGCSE CAIE Politics: Key Vocabulary & Memory Guide | IGCSE CAIE 政治：词汇术语速记指南

Mastering political terminology is the first step to success in IGCSE CAIE Politics. This guide groups high-frequency terms by theme, gives clear English definitions, and pairs them with Chinese explanations to help you memorise faster and use them accurately in exam answers.

掌握政治学术语是 IGCSE CAIE 政治考试成功的第一步。本指南按主题整理高频词汇，给出清晰的英文定义，并搭配中文解释，帮助你更快记忆、在考试答题中准确使用。

1. Power, Authority and Legitimacy | 权力、权威与合法性

Power is the ability to make others do something, even against their will. It can be exercised through force, persuasion, or rules.

权力是让他人做某事的能力，即使违背其意愿。它可以通过武力、说服或规则来行使。

Authority is the recognised right to exercise power. A teacher has authority in the classroom because the school system grants that right.

权威是公认的行使权力的资格。教师在课堂上有权威，因为学校制度赋予了这种资格。

Legitimacy means the acceptance by the people that a government has the right to rule. Without legitimacy, power depends heavily on coercion.

合法性指人民接受政府有统治权。没有合法性，权力就严重依赖强制。

Sovereignty is the supreme and final authority within a state. It means no external power can legally override the state’s decisions.

主权是一国之内最高和最终的权力。它意味着没有外部力量可以合法地凌驾于国家的决定之上。

Memory tip: think of authority as a uniform that gives the right to act, while legitimacy is whether people accept that uniform as valid.

记忆提示：可以把权威想象成赋予行动资格的制服，而合法性则是人民是否认可这件制服有效。

---

2. Forms of Government | 政府形式

A democracy is a system in which citizens choose their leaders in free and fair elections. Key features include political equality, majority rule, and protection of minority rights.

民主制是公民通过自由公正的选举选择领导人的制度。关键特征包括政治平等、多数决和少数群体权利保护。

A dictatorship is a system where one person or a small group holds absolute power without constitutional limits or free elections. Opposition is usually suppressed.

独裁制是由个人或小团体掌握绝对权力的制度，没有宪法限制或自由选举。反对派通常受到压制。

A constitutional monarchy has a monarch as head of state, but the monarch’s powers are limited by a constitution and elected government.

君主立宪制以君主为国家元首，但君主的权力受到宪法和民选政府的限制。

A republic has no monarch; the head of state is usually a president, elected directly or indirectly by the people.

共和制没有君主；国家元首通常是总统，由人民直接或间接选举产生。

A unitary state concentrates power in the central government, while a federal state divides powers between central and regional governments.

单一制国家将权力集中在中央政府，而联邦制国家在中央和地区政府之间划分权力。

---

3. Constitution and Rule of Law | 宪法与法治

A constitution is a set of fundamental rules that define how a state is governed. It may be written in one document, as in the USA, or unwritten, as in the UK.

宪法是规定国家如何治理的一套基本规则。它可能成文于一部文件，如美国；也可能不成文，如英国。

The rule of law means everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law. It requires fair trials, clear laws, and equality before the law.

法治意味着所有人，包括政府官员，都受法律约束。它要求公正审判、明确的法律以及法律面前人人平等。

Judicial independence is the principle that courts should be free from interference by the legislature and executive. It protects the rule of law.

司法独立是指法院应不受立法和行政机关干预的原则。它保护法治。

Constitutionalism is the idea that government power should be limited by higher law, not by the whims of rulers.

宪政主义认为政府权力应受更高法律限制，而不是受统治者一时兴起的想法支配。

---

4. Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances | 三权分立与制衡

Separation of powers divides government into three branches: legislature, executive, and judiciary. Each has separate functions and personnel.

三权分立将政府分为三个部门：立法、行政和司法。各自职能和人员相互独立。

Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the power of the others. For example, the executive may veto laws, but the legislature may override the veto.

制衡机制允许每个部门限制其他部门的权力。例如，行政可以否决法律，但立法机关可以推翻否决。

Fusion of powers is the opposite model, found in parliamentary systems. The executive is drawn from the legislature, so the two branches overlap.

权力融合是相反的模式，存在于议会制中。行政机构从立法机关中产生，因此两个部门有所重叠。

In the US system, the president is separately elected and cannot sit in Congress. In the UK, the prime minister must be a member of Parliament.

在美国制度中，总统单独选举产生，不能兼任国会议员。在英国，首相必须是议会议员。

---

5. Legislature, Executive and Judiciary | 立法、行政与司法

The legislature is the law-making body. In the UK, it is Parliament; in the USA, it is Congress. It debates, amends, and passes laws.

立法机关是制定法律的机构。在英国是议会；在美国是国会。它辩论、修正并通过法律。

The executive is the branch that implements and enforces laws. It includes the prime minister or president, cabinet, civil servants, and police.

行政机关是执行和实施法律的部门。它包括总理或总统、内阁、公务员和警察。

The judiciary interprets the law and settles disputes. Courts can review whether government actions are lawful.

司法机关解释法律并解决纠纷。法院可以审查政府行为是否合法。

The cabinet is the group of senior ministers chosen by the head of government to lead major departments and make policy decisions.

内阁是由政府首脑挑选的高级部长组成的团体，负责领导主要部门并作出政策决定。

A bill is a proposed law that has not yet been passed. Once the legislature approves it and it receives formal assent, it becomes an act.

法案是尚未通过的拟定法律。一旦立法机关批准并获得正式同意，它就成为法律。

---

6. Elections and Voting Systems | 选举与投票制度

Universal suffrage means all adult citizens have the right to vote, regardless of gender, race, or wealth.

普选制指所有成年公民都有投票权，不分性别、种族或财富。

First-past-the-post (FPTP) is a simple plurality system. Voters choose one candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.

简单多数制是一种相对多数选举制度。选民选一名候选人，得票最多者胜出，即使未过半数。

Proportional representation (PR) allocates seats according to the share of votes each party receives. It tends to produce coalition governments.

比例代表制根据各党得票比例分配席位。它往往产生联合政府。

A referendum is a direct vote by citizens on a single issue, such as leaving the EU. It bypasses elected representatives on that question.

全民公投是公民就单一议题进行的直接投票，例如脱欧。在该问题上绕过民选代表。

Turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote. Low turnout may weaken the legitimacy of the result.

投票率是合格选民中实际投票的人数百分比。低投票率可能削弱结果的合法性。

---

7. Political Parties and Pressure Groups | 政党与压力团体

A political party is an organised group that seeks to win government power by contesting elections. Parties produce manifestos and select candidates.

政党是通过参加选举争取执政的组织。政党制定竞选纲领并推选候选人。

A pressure group is an organisation that tries to influence government policy without seeking elected office. Examples include trade unions and environmental groups.

压力团体是试图影响政府政策但不谋求公职的组织。例子包括工会和环保团体。

An interest group promotes the concerns of a specific section of society, such as doctors or farmers. A cause group promotes a principle, such as human rights.

利益团体推动特定社会群体的关切，如医生或农民。事业团体推动某种原则，如人权。

Lobbying is the act of trying to persuade politicians or officials to support a cause, often through meetings, research, and campaigns.

游说是试图说服政客或官员支持某一事业的行为，常通过会议、研究和宣传活动进行。

A manifesto is a public declaration of a party’s policies before an election. Voters use it to judge what a party would do in office.

竞选纲领是政党在选举前公开的政策宣言。选民用它来判断政党执政后会做什么。

---

8. Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities | 公民身份、权利与责任

Citizenship is the legal status of being a member of a state, with rights such as voting and responsibilities such as obeying the law.

公民身份是作为国家成员的法律地位，拥有投票等权利和守法等责任。

Civil liberties are protections against government interference, such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly.

公民自由是保护个人免受政府干预的权利，如言论、宗教和集会自由。

Human rights are universal rights that belong to every person, regardless of nationality. They include the right to life, education, and a fair trial.

人权是每个人不论国籍都拥有的普遍权利。包括生命权、受教育权和公正审判权。

Responsibilities are duties citizens should fulfil, such as paying taxes, serving on juries, and respecting the rights of others.

责任是公民应履行的义务，如纳税、担任陪审员和尊重他人权利。

Accountability means that rulers and officials must answer for their actions to the people, usually through elections, media scrutiny, and the courts.

问责制意味着统治者和官员必须通过选举、媒体监督和法院对人民负责。

---

9. Sovereignty, Nationalism and International Relations | 主权、民族主义与国际关系

Nationalism is the belief that a nation, often sharing culture, language, or history, should govern itself. It can unite people but also fuel conflict.

民族主义是认为一个通常共享文化、语言或历史的民族应自治的信念。它可以团结人民，也可能引发冲突。

Supranational organisations, such as the European Union, have authority above individual states in certain policy areas. Member states pool some sovereignty.

超国家组织，如欧盟，在某些政策领域拥有高于单个国家的权力。成员国集中了部分主权。

Globalisation is the increasing interconnectedness of countries through trade, communication, and culture. It affects national sovereignty and policy choices.

全球化是各国通过贸易、通讯和文化日益相互联系的过程。它影响国家主权和政策选择。

A treaty is a formal agreement between states, ratified by each side, that creates legal obligations under international law.

条约是国家间的正式协议，经各方批准后在国际法下产生法律义务。

Interdependence describes a situation where states rely on each other for security, trade, or environmental protection, making isolation costly.

相互依赖描述的是国家在安全、贸易或环境保护方面相互依赖，使孤立行动代价高昂。

---

10. Key Opposites and Exam Confusions | 常见易混淆反义术语

Democracy contrasts with dictatorship; authority contrasts with raw power; unitary states contrast with federal states.

民主与独裁相对；权威与赤裸权力相对；单一制国家与联邦制国家相对。

English Term	中文术语	Memory Trap
Parliamentary system	议会制	Not the same as legislature; it describes the relationship between executive and legislature.
Federalism	联邦制	Power is shared between central and regional governments; do not confuse with unitary rule.
Referendum vs initiative	公投与公民创制	A referendum is usually called by government; an initiative is started by citizens.
Civil liberties vs human rights	公民自由与人权	Civil liberties are national legal protections; human rights are universal moral claims.

When answering exam questions, define the term before giving examples. If a question asks for differences, use paired opposites to structure your answer.

在回答考试问题时，先定义术语再举例子。如果题目要求区分，用成对反义词来组织答案。

Published by TutorHao | Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com

更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）