AP Comparative Government & Politics Cheat Sheet 2026
The 6 Required Countries — Quick Comparison
| Country | Regime Type | Government Structure | Head of State | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Liberal democracy | Unitary, parliamentary, constitutional monarchy | Monarch (ceremonial); PM (executive) | Westminster model; fusion of powers; FPTP elections; no written constitution |
| Russia | Hybrid/illiberal ("managed democracy") | Federal (nominally), semi-presidential | President (dominant); Prime Minister | Dominant party system (United Russia); superpresidentialism; kleptocracy; state-controlled media |
| China | Authoritarian (single-party) | Unitary, presidential-ish, CCP dominance | President/General Secretary (same person) | CCP controls all; NPC rubber-stamps; guanxi (relationships); civil society suppressed |
| Iran | Theocratic republic ("Islamic Republic") | Unitary, mixed clerical-republican | Supreme Leader (top); President (executive) | Guardian Council vets candidates; Supreme Leader controls military, judiciary; dual sovereignty |
| Mexico | Liberal democracy (transitional) | Federal, presidential | President (combined head of state + government) | PRI one-party dominance ended 2000; currently MORENA; federalism + strong presidency |
| Nigeria | Federal republic (democracy with challenges) | Federal, presidential, multi-ethnic | President | Ethnically divided (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo); oil-dependent; North/South tensions; corruption |
United Kingdom
Key Institutions
- Parliament: House of Commons (elected, 650 seats) + House of Lords (unelected — life peers, bishops)
- Prime Minister: Leader of majority party; accountable to Commons (vote of no confidence)
- Monarch: Head of state, ceremonial; "reigns but does not rule"
- Supreme Court: Separated from Parliament in 2009; judicial review of statute
Key Concepts
- Parliamentary sovereignty — Parliament can legislate on anything
- FPTP (First Past the Post) electoral system — winner-take-all, single-member districts
- Devolution — power transferred to Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland
- No codified constitution — based on statutes, conventions, common law
- Question Time — PM answers questions weekly in Commons
Russia
Key Institutions
- President: Dominant executive — appoints PM, controls military/security
- State Duma: Lower house of parliament; controlled by United Russia party
- Federation Council: Upper house; represents federal subjects
- Constitutional Court: Limited independence; rubber-stamp in practice
- Security services (FSB): Major informal power center
Key Concepts
- Superpresidentialism — formal and informal power concentrated in president
- "Managed democracy" — elections occur but outcomes controlled
- Siloviki — security/military elite with political power
- Oligarchs — business elites who benefited from 1990s privatization
- Mixed electoral system (proportional + single-member districts)
- State corporatism — state controls key sectors
China
Key Institutions
- CCP (Chinese Communist Party): Only party; overlaps with all state institutions
- National People's Congress: Formal legislature; ~3,000 members; meets annually; rubber-stamp body
- State Council: Cabinet-like executive body, led by Premier
- Politburo Standing Committee: 7-member inner circle — actual power center
- PLA (People's Liberation Army): Reports to CCP, not state
Key Concepts
- Democratic centralism — decisions made centrally, implementation downward
- Cadre system — career officials evaluated on performance metrics
- Special Economic Zones — market economy areas within socialist state
- One-child policy (ended 2015) → now 3-child
- Internet censorship ("Great Firewall") — political control of information
- Nomenklatura — list of approved candidates for government positions
Iran
Key Institutions
- Supreme Leader: Highest authority — controls military, judiciary, foreign policy
- President: Elected; runs day-to-day government; subordinate to Supreme Leader
- Majles (Parliament): 290 elected members; can pass laws (if Guardian Council approves)
- Guardian Council: 12 clerics/jurists; vets legislation AND candidates for office
- Expediency Council: Resolves disputes between Majles and Guardian Council
- Assembly of Experts: 88 clerics; elects and can remove Supreme Leader
Key Concepts
- Velayat-e Faqih — guardianship of the Islamic jurist; Supreme Leader's authority from Islam
- Reformists vs. Conservatives — factional divisions within the clerical establishment
- Dual sovereignty — clerical institutions vs. elected institutions
- Bonyads — clerical-controlled foundations; parallel economy
- Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) — military + economic power base
Mexico
Key Institutions
- President: Single 6-year term (sexenio); no re-election; combined head of state + government
- Congress: Senate (128 seats) + Chamber of Deputies (500 seats); bicameral
- Supreme Court (SCJN): Growing independence since 2000
- MORENA: Currently dominant party (successor to PRI dominance era)
Key Concepts
- PRI (1929–2000) — near-total one-party dominance for 71 years
- Sexenio — 6-year presidential term; power rotates via party selection
- Corporatism — PRI organized labor, peasants, military into state structure
- Democratization — free elections since 2000; PAN won presidency (Vicente Fox)
- Federal system — 31 states + CDMX; growing role of state governments
- Drug cartel violence — major governance challenge; questions over state legitimacy
- Maquiladoras — export-processing zones near US border
Nigeria
Key Institutions
- President: Directly elected; both head of state and government; 4-year terms (max 2)
- National Assembly: Senate (109) + House of Representatives (360)
- Federal character principle: All ethnic/regional groups represented in government
- INEC: Independent National Electoral Commission
Key Concepts
- Three major ethnic groups: Hausa-Fulani (north, Muslim), Yoruba (southwest), Igbo (southeast)
- North-South divide: Muslim north vs. Christian south; political power-sharing norm
- Oil dependency — ~90% of export earnings; "resource curse"
- OPEC member; Niger Delta oil production and conflict
- Military coups (1966, 1983, 1993, 1999 return to democracy)
- Corruption — major challenge; Transparency International rankings
- Boko Haram — Islamist insurgency in northeastern Nigeria
Key Comparative Concepts & Definitions
| Concept | Definition | Example Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal democracy | Free elections + rule of law + civil liberties + civil society | UK, Mexico (post-2000) |
| Authoritarian | Centralized power; limited political freedom; no meaningful elections | China, (Iran partially) |
| Theocracy | Religious authority as basis of government legitimacy | Iran |
| Parliamentary system | Executive emerges from legislature; PM accountable to parliament | UK |
| Presidential system | Separate election of executive; fixed terms; checks between branches | Mexico, Nigeria, Russia (nominally) |
| Semi-presidential | Elected president + PM responsible to legislature | Russia, France |
| Unitary state | Central government holds sovereignty; regions get delegated authority | UK, China, Iran |
| Federal state | Constitutional division of power between national and regional governments | Russia, Mexico, Nigeria |
| Legitimacy | Belief that a government's authority is rightful; sources: traditional, charismatic, rational-legal | All 6 |
| Civil society | Organizations independent of state (NGOs, unions, churches) | Strong in UK; suppressed in China/Iran |
| Corporatism | State organizes interest groups into officially sanctioned bodies | Mexico (PRI era), China |
| Rentier state | State earns large revenue from natural resources; less dependent on taxation | Nigeria, Iran (oil) |
| Democratization | Transition from authoritarian to democratic rule | Mexico (1990s–2000); Russia (failed) |
| Coup d'état | Sudden, unlawful seizure of state power, usually by military | Nigeria (multiple); Russia (1991 attempt) |
AP Comp Gov FRQ Strategy
FRQ Types
- Conceptual analysis: Define a concept and apply it to 1–2 countries
- Comparative: Compare two countries on a specific dimension (elections, civil liberties, federal structure)
- Country-specific: Explain a political process, institution, or trend in one country
- Argument: Support a claim about political systems using evidence from course countries
Strong FRQ Formula
- Define the concept using precise political science language
- Apply to the specified country with specific, accurate evidence
- Explain the significance or causal relationship
- Compare if asked — always use "In contrast" or "Unlike X, Y..."
Key phrase for comparisons: "Unlike the UK's parliamentary system where the executive is fused with the legislature, China's National People's Congress formally separates these institutions but in practice the CCP controls both."
Electoral Systems Comparison
| Country | System | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| UK | FPTP (single-member plurality) | Two-party dominance; winner-takes-all; small parties disadvantaged |
| Russia | Mixed: proportional + single-member districts | United Russia dominates; manipulation possible |
| China | NPC "elections" at local level only; CCP selects candidates | No real electoral competition |
| Iran | Presidential + parliamentary; Guardian Council vets candidates | Appearance of elections; reformists often blocked |
| Mexico | Presidential: plurality for president; mixed for congress | Three-party competition (PRI, PAN, MORENA) |
| Nigeria | Plurality; ethnically/regionally structured parties | Ethnic voting patterns; two main parties (APC, PDP) |
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