📚 IGCSE Cambridge Politics: Key Vocabulary Memory Guide | IGCSE 剑桥政治：关键词汇术语速记指南
This revision guide helps IGCSE students master essential political terms for Cambridge-style exams. Each entry pairs an English definition with a Chinese equivalent so you can build precise, exam-ready vocabulary for short-answer, source-analysis and essay questions.
本速记指南帮助 IGCSE 学生掌握剑桥政治类考试中的核心术语。每个术语以英文定义搭配中文释义，帮助你建立准确、应考实用的词汇体系，适用于简答题、材料分析题和论述题。
1. Foundational Concepts | 基础概念
A state is a political community with a permanent population, defined territory, government and sovereignty. A nation is a group of people who share identity, culture or history, but a nation does not always have its own state.
国家是一个拥有常住人口、确定领土、政府和主权的政治共同体。民族是一群共享身份、文化或历史的人群，但民族并不一定拥有自己的国家。
Sovereignty means supreme legal authority within a territory. A sovereign state can make and enforce its own laws without external interference.
主权是指一个领土内的最高法律权威。一个主权国家可以在不受外部干涉的情况下制定和执行自己的法律。
Government refers to the institutions and officials that make and enforce public policy. Legitimacy is the accepted right to rule, while authority is legitimate power that people generally obey.
政府是指制定和执行公共政策的机构与官员。合法性是公众接受的统治权利，而权威是人们普遍服从的合法权力。
Power is the ability to influence or control behaviour. Citizenship is legal membership of a state, carrying rights such as voting and duties such as obeying the law.
权力是影响或控制行为的能力。公民身份是一国的法律成员资格，既包括投票等权利，也包括守法等义务。
2. Forms of Government | 政府形式
Democracy means rule by the people. In a direct democracy, citizens vote on laws and policies themselves, as in ancient Athens or modern referendums.
民主意味着人民统治。在直接民主中，公民亲自对法律和政策进行投票，例如古代雅典或现代的公投。
In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. Most large modern states, including the UK, use this system.
在代议制民主中，公民选举代表代表他们作出决策。大多数现代大国，包括英国，都采用这种制度。
Autocracy is a system in which one person holds unlimited power. A dictatorship is an autocratic state usually maintained by force, censorship and repression of opposition.
专制政体是一个人拥有无限权力的制度。独裁政体通常依靠武力、新闻审查和镇压反对派来维持统治。
A monarchy has a king, queen or emperor as head of state, often hereditary. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch’s powers are limited by law; in an absolute monarchy, the monarch rules with few legal limits.
君主制的国家元首是国王、女王或皇帝，通常世袭。在君主立宪制中，君主的权力受法律限制；在君主专制中，君主几乎不受法律约束。
A republic has no monarch as head of state; the head of state is usually a president, either elected directly or chosen by parliament.
共和国没有君主作为国家元首；国家元首通常是总统，由选民直接选举或由议会选出。
3. Constitutions and the Rule of Law | 宪法与法治
A constitution is the set of rules and principles that sets out how a state is governed. It may be codified in a single written document, such as the US Constitution, or uncodified and spread across laws, conventions and court rulings, as in the UK.
宪法是规定国家如何治理的一套规则和原则。它可以是成文的单一文件，如美国宪法；也可以是不成文的，分散在法律、惯例和法院判决中，如英国。
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 fairly enforced.
法治意味着包括政府官员在内的所有人都受法律约束。没有人可以凌驾于法律之上，法律应当明确、公开并公平执行。
The separation of powers divides government into three branches: the legislature makes laws, the executive implements laws, and the judiciary interprets laws. Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the others to prevent abuse of power.
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。制衡机制允许每个分支限制其他分支，以防止权力滥用。
Judicial review is the power of courts to decide whether laws or government actions are constitutional. Constitutionalism is the principle that government power should be limited by a constitution.
司法审查是法院判断法律或政府行为是否违宪的权力。宪政原则是指政府权力应当受到宪法的限制。
4. The Three Branches of Government | 政府三大权力机构
The legislature is the law-making branch, often called parliament, congress or assembly. In the UK, Parliament consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch.
立法机关是制定法律的机构，通常称为议会、国会或大会。在英国，议会由下议院、上议院和君主组成。
The executive is the branch that puts laws into action and runs the day-to-day administration of the state. It includes the prime minister, cabinet and government departments.
行政机关是执行法律并负责国家日常行政管理的分支。它包括首相、内阁和政府各部门。
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets laws, settles disputes and upholds the rule of law. Judges should be independent from political pressure.
司法机关是解释法律、解决争端和维护法治的法院体系。法官应当独立于政治压力。
Federalism divides power between a central government and regional governments, as in the USA, Germany and India. A unitary state keeps most power at the centre, as in the UK and France, although devolution may transfer some powers to regions.
联邦制在中央政府和地方政府之间划分权力，如美国、德国和印度。单一制国家将大部分权力集中在中央，如英国和法国，尽管权力下放可能将部分权力移交给地区。
5. Elections and Representation | 选举与代表
An election is a formal process in which citizens choose representatives or decide policy. The electorate is the body of people entitled to vote, and suffrage means the right to vote.
选举是公民选择代表或决定政策的正式过程。选民是享有投票权的人群，而选举权是指投票的权利。
Universal suffrage means that all adult citizens have the right to vote, regardless of gender, race, wealth or religion. A constituency is a geographical area represented by one or more elected officials.
普选权意味着所有成年公民都有投票权，不论性别、种族、财富或宗教。选区是由一名或多名当选官员代表的地理区域。
First-past-the-post is an electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, even if that total is less than half. Proportional representation allocates seats according to the share of votes each party receives.
简单多数制是一种选举制度，得票最多的候选人获胜，即使其得票未超过半数。比例代表制根据各党得票比例分配席位。
A referendum is a direct vote by citizens on a single issue. A mandate is the authority given to a government or representative by an election win. Turnout is the percentage of registered voters who actually vote.
公投是公民就单一议题进行的直接投票。授权是选举获胜赋予政府或代表的权力。投票率是实际投票的登记选民所占的百分比。
6. 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. Its manifesto is a public statement of policies it promises to carry out if elected.
政党是组织起来的团体，通过参加选举谋求执政权。其竞选纲领是公开承诺若当选将实施的政策声明。
Left-wing positions usually support social equality, welfare programmes and government intervention in the economy. Right-wing positions usually favour free markets, lower taxes and traditional social values. The centre tries to balance these approaches.
左翼立场通常支持社会平等、福利计划和政府干预经济。右翼立场通常支持自由市场、低税收和传统社会价值观。中间派试图平衡这些做法。
A pressure group is an organisation that tries to influence government policy without seeking elected office. Lobbying is the act of trying to persuade politicians or officials to support a cause.
压力团体是试图影响政府政策但不谋求公职的组织。游说是指试图说服政治家或官员支持某项事业的行为。
A trade union is an association of workers that campaigns for better pay and conditions. A social movement is a larger, looser network of people pushing for broad social change, such as the environmental movement.
工会是工人组成的协会，为改善工资和工作条件而开展活动。社会运动是由追求广泛社会变革的人们组成的更大、更松散的联合体，例如环保运动。
7. Rights, Freedoms and Civil Liberties | 权利、自由与公民自由
Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person simply because they are human. They include the right to life, freedom from torture and the right to a fair trial.
人权是每个人仅仅因为生而为人就享有的基本权利和自由。它们包括生命权、免受酷刑的自由和接受公正审判的权利。
Civil liberties are freedoms that protect individuals from government overreach, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press.
公民自由是保护个人免受政府过度干预的自由，例如言论自由、集会自由和新闻自由。
Equality before the law means that all people must be treated equally by the legal system. Discrimination is unfair treatment based on characteristics such as race, gender, religion or disability.
法律面前人人平等意味着法律体系必须平等对待所有人。歧视是基于种族、性别、宗教或残疾等特征的不公平对待。
Minority rights protect ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities from being dominated or excluded by the majority. Habeas corpus is the legal principle that a detained person must be brought before a court to justify their detention.
少数群体权利保护少数族裔、宗教或语言群体不受多数群体的支配或排斥。人身保护令是一项法律原则，要求被拘留者必须被带到法庭以证明拘留的正当性。
8. Citizenship and Political Participation | 公民身份与政治参与
A citizen is a legally recognised member of a state, with rights such as voting and duties such as paying taxes. Naturalisation is the legal process by which a non-citizen becomes a citizen.
公民是一国法律上承认的成员，享有投票等权利并承担纳税等义务。入籍是非公民成为公民的法律程序。
Civic duty refers to the responsibilities of citizens, such as obeying the law, serving on a jury and voting. The voting age is the legal age at which a person can vote, usually 18 in many democracies.
公民义务是指公民的责任，例如守法、担任陪审员和投票。投票年龄是一个人获得投票权的法定年龄，许多民主国家通常为 18 岁。
Activism is the use of direct action or campaigning to bring about political or social change. Protest is a public expression of objection, such as a march, sit-in or demonstration.
积极行动是利用直接行动或开展运动来实现政治或社会变革。抗议是对异议的公开表达，例如游行、静坐或示威。
A petition is a formal written request signed by many people asking the government to take action. Public opinion is the collection of attitudes held by the population on political issues, often shaped by the media.
请愿书是由许多人签署的正式书面请求，要求政府采取行动。民意是公众在政治问题上的态度的总和，往往受到媒体的影响。
9. International Relations and Global Governance | 国际关系与全球治理
International relations is the study of how states, international organisations and non-state actors interact. Diplomacy is the practice of conducting negotiations between states through official representatives.
国际关系研究国家、国际组织和非国家行为体如何互动。外交是通过官方代表在国家间进行谈判的实践。
A treaty is a formal agreement between two or more states that is binding under international law. States often sign treaties on trade, defence, human rights or the environment.
条约是两个或多个国家之间达成的、根据国际法具有约束力的正式协议。国家经常在贸易、防务、人权或环境领域签署条约。
The United Nations (UN) is an international organisation founded in 1945 to maintain peace, promote development and protect human rights. The Security Council is the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, with five permanent members holding veto power.
联合国是 1945 年成立的国际组织，旨在维护和平、促进发展和保护人权。安理会是联合国负责维护国际和平与安全的机构，五个常任理事国拥有否决权。
Sanctions are measures taken by states or international bodies, such as trade embargoes or asset freezes, to pressure a government to change its behaviour. Humanitarian intervention is the use of military force by outside states to prevent severe human rights abuses.
制裁是国家或国际机构为迫使一国政府改变行为而采取的措施，如贸易禁运或资产冻结。人道主义干预是外部国家为防止严重人权侵害而使用的军事力量。
Globalisation is the increasing interconnectedness of economies, cultures and political systems. An NGO, or non-governmental organisation, is a non-profit group such as Amnesty International or Greenpeace that operates across borders to influence policy and provide aid.
全球化是经济、文化和政治体系日益相互联系的过程。非政府组织是无国界运作以影响政策和提供援助的非营利组织，如国际特赦组织和绿色和平组织。
10. Key Word Comparison Table | 关键词易混对比表
The table below contrasts commonly confused terms. Use it to check your understanding before an exam.
下表对比了容易混淆的术语。请在考前用它检查你的理解。
| Term A | Term B | Key Difference |
| Power | Authority | Power is the ability to influence; authority is power accepted as legitimate. |
| State | Government | The state is the permanent political community; the government is the current set of rulers. |
| Nation | Country | A nation is a shared identity; a country is a geographic and political territory. |
| Direct democracy | Representative democracy | Citizens vote on laws directly in direct democracy; citizens elect representatives in representative democracy. |
| Civil liberties | Human rights | Civil liberties are freedoms from government interference; human rights are universal moral claims. |
| Pressure group | Political party | A pressure group influences policy; a political party seeks to win office and govern. |
11. Memory Tips and Exam Applications | 速记技巧与考试应用
Use word roots to remember meanings: ‘demo’ comes from the Greek for people, so democracy is people rule. ‘Auto’ means self, so autocracy is rule by one self.
利用词根记忆含义：’demo’ 来自希腊语，意为人民，因此 democracy 是人民统治。’Auto’ 意思是自我，因此 autocracy 是一个人统治。
Learn terms in opposite pairs, such as codified/uncodified, federal/unitary, direct/representative and left wing/right wing. Pairing opposites makes recall faster in exams.
成对学习相反术语，例如成文宪法的/不成文宪法的、联邦制/单一制、直接/代议制、左翼/右翼。成对记忆可以加快考试时的回忆速度。
For each term, practise writing a one-sentence definition and one real-world example. For instance, define ‘referendum’ as a direct vote on a single issue, then cite the 2016 UK EU referendum.
对每个术语，练习写一句定义和一个现实例子。例如，将 ‘referendum’ 定义为就单一议题进行的直接投票，然后举出 2016 年英国脱欧公投的例子。
Use acronyms to group concepts. For example, SEP can remind you of the three branches: Separation of powers, Executive, Parliament and Judiciary.
使用首字母缩略词来分组概念。例如，SEP 可以帮你记住三个分支：权力分立、行政、议会和司法。
When answering Cambridge-style questions, always define the key term in the first sentence, then apply it to the source or case study. This shows the examiner that you understand precise political vocabulary.
在回答剑桥风格的题目时，始终在第一句定义关键术语，然后将其应用于材料或案例研究。这向考官表明你准确理解了政治词汇。
Published by TutorHao | IGCSE 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Cancel reply