Political Ideologies
What is totalitarianism?
A political system in which the state seeks extensive control over political, social and private life, with no political opposition.
What is an institution of global governance?
An organisation or institution that helps establish rules, cooperation or decision-making between global actors.
What type of system protects competitive elections, political freedoms and the rule of law?
A liberal democracy.
What is misinformation?
False or inaccurate information shared without necessarily intending to deceive.
What is hybrid warfare?
The coordinated use of political, economic, informational, technological and other methods to achieve objectives, often below the threshold of conventional warfare.
What is liberalism?
An ideology emphasising individual freedom, rights, equality before the law, limited government and the rule of law.
Which UN body has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and includes five permanent members with veto power?
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
What is an illiberal democracy?
A system that maintains elections but weakens or restricts liberal democratic features such as rights, checks on government, judicial independence or media freedom.
What is disinformation?
False or manipulated information deliberately created or spread to deceive or influence people.
Name three forms of interference evident around Moldova's 2025 parliamentary election.
Examples include disinformation, cyberattacks, illicit political financing, vote-buying and foreign information manipulation.
What is authoritarianism?
A political system that concentrates political power in the hands of one individual or group and significantly restricts political freedoms, opposition and participation.
What is the difference between the ICJ and ICC?
The ICJ deals primarily with disputes between states, while the ICC prosecutes individuals for specified international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression and war crimes.
What is one major difference between an illiberal democracy and an authoritarian system?
An illiberal democracy retains meaningful democratic institutions or electoral competition, while authoritarian systems place much greater restrictions on genuine political competition and participation.
How can cyber interference threaten democracy?
It can disrupt elections or institutions, steal information, manipulate political debate and undermine public trust.
How were social media and technology used to influence Moldova's information environment?
Networks used methods including bots, troll farms, AI-generated material and coordinated manipulative content to amplify political narratives.
What is populism?
A political approach that presents politics as a struggle between ‘the people’ and a supposedly corrupt or self-serving ‘elite’.
Name two economic institutions of global governance?
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organization (WTO).
Why are checks and balances particularly important to liberal democracy?
They prevent power being concentrated in one institution or individual and provide mechanisms for accountability.
Why can disinformation be more dangerous than simply convincing people of a false claim?
It can create confusion, polarisation and distrust, making citizens less confident about which information or institutions they can trust.
Why is vote-buying particularly damaging to democratic principles?
It undermines free political choice, political equality and electoral integrity by using money or benefits to manipulate citizens' votes.
Why can theocracy undermine the principles of liberal democracy?
Religious authority can take precedence over popular sovereignty, individual rights and political pluralism, particularly where religious law restricts political participation or equality.
Why can institutions of global governance struggle to enforce the rules-based international order?
They depend heavily on state cooperation and compliance, while state sovereignty and competing national interests can limit their power.
A country holds elections but the government controls much of the media, weakens independent courts and uses state institutions against opponents. Which concept should students investigate?
Illiberalism — particularly whether democratic institutions remain while liberal checks, freedoms and protections are being weakened.
Name four challenges to democracy identified in the VCE Politics Study Design.
Any four of authoritarianism, illiberalism, populism, misinformation/disinformation, cyber interference, perceived Western cultural bias, and problems with the rules-based international order.
Outline the political significance of Russia's actions in Moldova.
Russian-linked interference has sought to influence Moldova's political environment through methods including disinformation, illicit financing and other hybrid tactics. Its significance lies in its potential to weaken trust in democratic institutions, affect electoral integrity and political participation, increase polarisation, and influence Moldova's geopolitical direction, including its relationship with the EU.