Political ideology characterized by an emphasis on nationalism, often accompanied by dictatorial power, suppression of dissent, and in many instances, racism. Emerged in the aftermath of World War I and found expression in several regimes during the interwar period.
Fascism
"The end justifies the means."
Niccolo Machiavelli
Refers to the conditions under which States may resort to war or to the use of armed force in general.
Jus ad bellum
The top two candidates go through to a second election and voters choose their favourite.
Two-Round System
Taylor Swift
Political system where the state seeks to control nearly every aspect of public and private life. Characterized by a single-party rule often led by a dictator, these regimes rely on an official ideology that dictates the beliefs and actions of the populace.
“The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.”
John Rawls
Principle that claims that the injustice or harm suffered must justify the decision to go to war and cause widespread suffering.
Principle of proportionality/Proportionality
Term coined in 1812 which consists in the practice of (re)drawing electoral district boundaries to advance the interests of the controlling political party, group, or socioeconomic class.
Gerrymandering
"The past shouldn’t be feared for it guides our future.”
Moana (2016)
A central concept in Karl Marx's philosophy and social theory, it seeks to explain the dynamics of economic and social change. It posits that human beings derive meaning from their material conditions and the products they create, asserting that these relationships are never static.
Historical Materialism
“Like other tyrannies, the tyranny of the majority was at first, and is still vulgarly, held in dread, chiefly as operating through the acts of the public authorities."
On Liberty-John Stuart Mill
How to fight a war justly; regulates the conduct of parties engaged in an armed conflict.
Jus in bello
Procedure used by members of a legislative body (generally the lower house in a bicameral system) to remove a government (the prime minister and his cabinet) from office.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Nirvana song (1991)
This philosopher claims that in the state of nature, resources are limited, and individuals must compete for survival. This competition is not just for food or shelter but also for power and social status. This relentless competition leads to a “war of all against all,” where everyone is pitted against each other in a struggle for dominance.
Thomas Hobbes
"The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil."
The Banality of Evil-Hannah Arendt
Is synonymous with jus in bello; it seeks to minimize suffering in armed conflicts, notably by protecting and assisting all victims of armed conflict to the greatest extent possible.
IHL: International Humanitarian Law
Electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party. For example, if a party gained 40% of the total votes, a perfectly proportional system would allow them to gain 40% of the seats.
Proportional Representation
"When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming."
Finding Nemo (2003)
A process of interactive decision-making that allows still-sovereign states to engage in sustained cooperation and, at times, undertake collective action.
Global Governance
"Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains."
Karl Marx
Name of the Iranian Supreme Leader recently killed by airstrikes conducted by the USA and Israel in Tehran, Iran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The simplest form of plurality/majority electoral system, using single member districts and candidate-centered voting. The voter is presented with the names of the nominated candidates and votes by choosing one, and only one, of them. The winning candidate is simply the person who wins the most votes.
FPTP-First Past The Post
Winner of the 2026 Eurovision contest (country, name of the singer and name of the song).