📚 IGCSE Cambridge Politics: Core Knowledge Checklist | IGCSE Cambridge 政治：核心知识点梳理
This revision guide sets out the essential concepts, institutions and processes that underpin the study of politics at IGCSE level. It focuses on how power is organised, how governments are formed and held accountable, and how citizens participate in political life.
本复习指南梳理 IGCSE 阶段政治学习的基础概念、制度与过程，重点关注权力如何组织、政府如何产生并接受监督，以及公民如何参与政治生活。
1. What is Politics and Power? | 什么是政治与权力
Politics is the process through which groups of people make collective decisions. It involves competing interests, negotiation and the exercise of power in society.
政治是人们组成群体并作出集体决定的过程。它涉及利益竞争、协商以及在社会中行使权力。
Power is the ability to influence or control the behaviour of others, even against their will. It can be exercised through force, persuasion, authority or the distribution of resources.
权力是影响或控制他人行为的能力，即使他人并不情愿。权力可以通过强制、说服、权威或资源分配等方式行使。
In IGCSE questions, you need to distinguish between hard power, which relies on coercion, and soft power, which relies on attraction and influence.
在 IGCSE 考试中，你需要区分硬权力和软权力：硬权力依赖强制，软权力依赖吸引力和影响力。
Politics also operates at different levels: local, national and international. These levels interact, so a local decision may have national consequences.
政治还在不同层面运作：地方、国家和国际。这些层面相互影响，因此一个地方决定可能产生全国性后果。
2. Key Political Concepts: Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty | 核心政治概念：权威、合法性、主权
Authority means the recognised right to give orders and expect obedience. It differs from raw power because it is accepted by those who are governed.
权威是指被认可的发号施令并期待服从的权利。它不同于赤裸裸的权力，因为被统治者接受这种权利。
Legitimacy is the belief that a government has the right to rule. A government can be legal but still lack legitimacy if citizens regard it as unfair or unrepresentative.
合法性是指人们相信某个政府有统治的权利。一个政府可以合法但缺乏合法性，如果公民认为它不公平或不具代表性。
Sovereignty is the supreme authority of a state to govern itself without outside interference. It is a central principle of international law.
主权是指一个国家在没有外部干涉的情况下管理自身的最高权力，这是国际法的核心原则。
Authority means rightful influence; legitimacy means perceived right to rule; sovereignty means supreme legal power within a territory.
权威意味着正当的影响力；合法性意味着被认可的统治权利；主权意味着领土内的最高法律权力。
3. Forms of Government: Democracy vs Authoritarianism | 政府形式：民主与威权
A democratic government draws its authority from the people, usually through free and fair elections. Key features include political equality, civil liberties and the rule of law.
民主政府通过自由公正的选举从人民那里获得权威。主要特征包括政治平等、公民自由和法治。
Authoritarian regimes concentrate power in a single leader or small elite. Opposition is restricted, the media are controlled, and elections, if held, are not genuinely competitive.
威权政权将权力集中在单一领导人或少数精英手中。反对派受到限制，媒体受到控制，即使举行选举也不具备真正的竞争性。
Within democracy, there is also a distinction between direct democracy, where citizens vote on policies themselves, and representative democracy, where they elect officials to decide on their behalf.
在民主内部，还需要区分直接民主和代议制民主：直接民主由公民直接对政策投票，代议制民主由公民选举官员代为作出决定。
Exam tip: use examples such as ancient Athens for direct democracy and the United Kingdom or the United States for representative democracy.
考试提示：可以用古代雅典作为直接民主的例子，用英国或美国作为代议制民主的例子。
4. Parliamentary and Presidential Systems | 议会制与总统制
In a parliamentary system, the executive is drawn from the legislature and is accountable to it. The prime minister and cabinet must maintain the confidence of parliament to stay in office.
在议会制中，行政机关产生于立法机关并向其负责。总理和内阁必须保持议会的信任才能继续执政。
The United Kingdom is a classic example: the prime minister is usually the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons.
英国是一个典型例子：首相通常是下议院多数党的领袖。
In a presidential system, the president is elected separately from the legislature and serves a fixed term. The president cannot be removed by a simple vote of no confidence in the same way as a prime minister.
在总统制中，总统与立法机关分开选举，并担任固定任期。总统不能像总理那样通过简单的不信任投票被罢免。
The United States has a clear separation between the executive branch, headed by the president, and the legislative branch, Congress.
美国实行明确的权力分立：以总统为首的行政机关与立法机关国会相互独立。
A hybrid model, the semi-presidential system, can be seen in France, where a president and a prime minister share executive power.
半总统制是一种混合模式，例如法国，总统与总理共享行政权力。
5. Constitutions and Separation of Powers | 宪法与权力分立
A constitution is a set of fundamental rules that establish how a state is governed. It may be written in a single document, as in the United States, or uncodified and spread across many sources, as in the United Kingdom.
宪法是确立国家治理方式的一套基本规则。它可以是成文的单一文件，如美国；也可以是不成文的、分散于多种来源，如英国。
The separation of powers divides government into three branches: the legislature, which makes laws; the executive, which implements laws; and the judiciary, which interprets laws.
权力分立将政府分为三个分支：立法机关制定法律，行政机关执行法律，司法机关解释法律。
Checks and balances prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. For example, a court may declare a government action unlawful, or a legislature may refuse to approve a budget.
制衡机制防止任何一个分支权力过大。例如，法院可以宣布政府行为违法，立法机关可以拒绝批准预算。
At IGCSE, be ready to explain why separation of powers supports the rule of law and protects individual rights.
在 IGCSE 考试中，要准备好解释为什么权力分立有助于法治并保护个人权利。
6. Elections and Voting Systems | 选举与投票制度
Elections translate public preferences into political representation. They provide a mechanism for holding governments accountable and for peaceful transfer of power.
选举将公众偏好转化为政治代表，提供了问责政府与和平移交权力的机制。
First-past-the-post (FPTP) is a simple plurality system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority. It tends to produce stable single-party governments but can underrepresent smaller parties.
简单多数制（FPTP）是一种相对多数制度，得票最多的候选人获胜，即使未获得绝对多数。它往往产生稳定的单一政党政府，但可能使小党代表性不足。
Proportional representation (PR) allocates seats according to the share of votes each party receives. It produces fairer representation but often leads to coalition governments.
比例代表制（PR）根据各政党得票比例分配席位。它能更公平地代表各方，但往往导致联合政府。
Make sure you can compare FPTP and PR using criteria such as fairness, government stability, simplicity and the link between voters and representatives.
务必能运用公平性、政府稳定性、简便性以及选民与代表之间的联系等标准，比较简单多数制和比例代表制。
7. Political Parties and Party Systems | 政党与政党制度
A political party is an organised group that seeks to win government power by contesting elections and promoting a shared set of policies or ideology.
政党是有组织的团体，通过参加选举和推广共同的政策或意识形态来争取执政权。
Party systems describe how parties compete and interact. In a one-party system, only one party is legally allowed to hold power.
政党制度描述政党如何竞争和互动。在一党制中，法律上只允许一个政党掌权。
In a two-party system, two major parties dominate, as in the United States, though smaller parties may exist. In a multi-party system, several parties win seats and coalition government is common, as in Germany or the Netherlands.
在两党制中，两个主要政党占主导地位，如美国，尽管小党也可能存在。在多党制中，多个政党获得席位，联合政府很常见，如德国或荷兰。
Parties perform key functions: recruiting candidates, formulating policy, mobilising voters and providing a government or a loyal opposition.
政党发挥关键功能：招募候选人、制定政策、动员选民以及组织政府或形成忠诚反对派。
8. Rights, Freedoms and the Rule of Law | 权利、自由与法治
Rights are legal or moral entitlements that protect individuals from abuse. Civil liberties include freedom of speech, assembly, religion and the right to a fair trial.
权利是保护个人免受侵害的法律或道德资格。公民自由包括言论自由、集会自由、宗教自由和获得公正审判的权利。
The rule of law means that everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law. No one is above the law, and laws should be clear, public and applied equally.
法治意味着包括政府官员在内的所有人都受法律约束。没有人凌驾于法律之上，法律应当明确、公开并平等适用。
In a rights-respecting state, courts can protect citizens from unlawful government action. In authoritarian states, rights may be ignored or removed in the name of security or stability.
在尊重权利的国家，法院可以保护公民免受政府非法行为的侵害。在威权国家，权利可能以安全或稳定为名被忽视或取消。
For IGCSE, use case examples: the right to protest, restrictions during emergencies, and the balance between security and freedom.
在 IGCSE 中要运用案例：抗议权、紧急状态下的限制，以及安全与自由之间的平衡。
9. The Role of the Judiciary and Judicial Independence | 司法机关与司法独立
The judiciary interprets and applies the law. In democratic systems, judges are expected to act impartially and independently from political pressure.
司法机关解释和适用法律。在民主制度中，法官应当公正行事，并独立于政治压力。
Judicial independence means that courts can make decisions without interference from the executive or legislature. This is protected by security of tenure, fixed salaries and appointment processes that limit political control.
司法独立意味着法院可以在不受行政机关或立法机关干预的情况下作出裁决。这通常通过法官任期保障、固定薪酬和限制政治控制的任命程序来保护。
An independent judiciary supports the rule of law and allows citizens to challenge government decisions through judicial review.
独立的司法系统支持法治，并允许公民通过司法审查挑战政府决定。
Be prepared to discuss the difference between criminal law, which deals with offences against the state, and civil law, which settles disputes between individuals or organisations.
要准备好讨论刑法与民法的区别：刑法处理针对国家的犯罪行为，民法解决个人或组织之间的纠纷。
10. International Relations and Global Governance | 国际关系与全球治理
International relations is the study of how states interact with one another and with international organisations. It covers conflict, cooperation, trade, human rights and environmental issues.
国际关系研究国家之间以及国家与国际组织之间的互动，涵盖冲突、合作、贸易、人权和环境问题。
Sovereign states operate in an anarchic international system, meaning there is no single world government. They cooperate through institutions such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and regional bodies.
主权国家在一个无政府的国际体系中运作，即没有单一的世界政府。它们通过联合国、世界贸易组织以及区域机构等开展合作。
The United Nations aims to maintain international peace and security, promote human rights and support development. Its Security Council can pass binding resolutions, but the five permanent members hold veto power.
联合国旨在维护国际和平与安全、促进人权和支持发展。其安理会可以通过具有约束力的决议，但五个常任理事国拥有否决权。
For IGCSE, understand concepts such as national interest, foreign policy, diplomacy, sanctions and humanitarian intervention, and be able to use one current example of global cooperation or conflict.
在 IGCSE 中，要理解国家利益、外交政策、外交、制裁和人道主义干预等概念，并能运用一个当代全球合作或冲突的例子。
Published by TutorHao | Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
屏轩国际教育cambridge primary/secondary checkpoint, cat4, ukiset,ukcat,igcse,alevel,PAT,STEP,MAT, ibdp,ap,ssat,sat,sat2课程辅导，国外大学本科硕士研究生博士课程论文辅导