目次
Politics & Governance Vocabulary（政治・統治）英検1級ボキャブラリー【30語厳選】
はじめに
英検1級では、政治や統治に関するテーマが、語彙問題・長文読解・英作文・面接のすべてで頻繁に出題されます。特に、民主主義、政府の役割、政策決定、国際政治といった話題では、抽象度が高く、ニュース英語特有の語彙力が求められます。
本記事では、英検1級レベルとして押さえておきたい
Politics & Governance Vocabulary（政治・統治）を、実際の試験や実用英語で使えるものに絞って30語厳選しました。単なる暗記ではなく、文脈の中で使える語彙として理解できるよう、例文付きで整理しています。
これらの語彙は、
-
語彙問題での正確な意味判断
-
長文読解での論理構造の理解
-
英作文・面接での説得力ある意見表現
すべてに直結します。
政治・統治分野を苦手に感じている方も、この30語を軸に学習することで、英検1級に必要な語彙力を効率的に強化できます。
Politics & Governance Vocabulary（政治・統治）｜英検1級必須30語
1. governance
意味：統治、統治の仕組み
Effective governance is essential for long-term political stability.
2. sovereignty
意味：主権
The nation sought to protect its sovereignty from foreign influence.
3. legislation
意味：立法、法律
The new legislation aims to strengthen data protection.
4. executive branch
意味：行政機関
The executive branch is responsible for implementing policies.
5. judiciary
意味：司法、裁判制度
An independent judiciary is a cornerstone of democracy.
6. separation of powers
意味：三権分立
The separation of powers prevents the concentration of authority.
7. authoritarian
意味：権威主義的な
The government adopted increasingly authoritarian measures.
8. democratic accountability
意味：民主的説明責任
Democratic accountability enhances public trust in government.
9. political legitimacy
意味：政治的正統性
The election strengthened the government’s legitimacy.
10. policy implementation
意味：政策実行
Poor policy implementation led to public dissatisfaction.
11. constitutional reform
意味：憲法改正
Constitutional reform sparked nationwide debate.
12. civil liberties
意味：市民的自由
Civil liberties must be protected even during emergencies.
13. political dissent
意味：政治的反対意見
Political dissent was met with harsh punishment.
14. public mandate
意味：国民からの信任
The leader claimed a strong public mandate after the election.
15. electoral system
意味：選挙制度
The electoral system has been criticized for being outdated.
16. populism
意味：ポピュリズム
Populism often thrives during economic uncertainty.
17. political polarization
意味：政治的分極化
Political polarization has deepened social divisions.
18. regime change
意味：政権交代
The uprising resulted in sudden regime change.
19. checks and balances
意味：抑制と均衡
Checks and balances limit the abuse of political power.
20. foreign policy
意味：外交政策
Foreign policy priorities shifted after the crisis.
21. bureaucratic inefficiency
意味：官僚機構の非効率
Bureaucratic inefficiency delayed policy reforms.
22. political ideology
意味：政治思想
Political ideology influences decision-making.
23. governance transparency
意味：統治の透明性
Governance transparency reduces corruption risks.
24. international sanctions
意味：国際制裁
International sanctions were imposed on the regime.
25. political stability
意味：政治的安定
Political stability is vital for economic growth.
26. state intervention
意味：国家介入
State intervention increased during the financial crisis.
27. authoritarian crackdown
意味：権威主義的弾圧
The authoritarian crackdown drew global criticism.
28. public sector reform
意味：公共部門改革
Public sector reform is necessary for efficiency.
29. political corruption
意味：政治腐敗
Political corruption undermines democracy.
30. governance framework
意味：統治枠組み
A new governance framework was introduced.
英検1級 語彙問題｜Politics & Governance
問題1
The government’s lack of transparency seriously damaged its political ( ).
A. dissent
B. legitimacy
C. intervention
D. ideology
問題2
An independent ( ) is essential to ensure that laws are applied fairly.
A. executive branch
B. legislation
C. judiciary
D. electorate
問題3
The concentration of power in one branch threatens the principle of the ( ).
A. public mandate
B. regime change
C. separation of powers
D. foreign policy
問題4
The president claimed a strong ( ) after winning the election by a large margin.
A. political dissent
B. public mandate
C. state intervention
D. bureaucratic inefficiency
問題5
Political ( ) has increased, making compromise between parties difficult.
A. legitimacy
B. polarization
C. sovereignty
D. transparency
問題6
The country imposed strict controls as part of its economic ( ).
A. foreign policy
B. civil liberties
C. authoritarian crackdown
D. public sector reform
問題7
Many citizens protested against the government’s increasingly ( ) approach.
A. democratic
B. accountable
C. authoritarian
D. transparent
問題8
The failure was not due to policy design but poor policy ( ).
A. ideology
B. intervention
C. implementation
D. legitimacy
問題9
The regime attempted to silence political ( ) through censorship.
A. stability
B. dissent
C. mandate
D. governance
問題10
Economic growth is difficult to sustain without long-term political ( ).
A. corruption
B. ideology
C. stability
D. sanctions
解答・解説
-
B. legitimacy
政治的正統性。信頼・正当性の文脈。 -
C. judiciary
司法の独立が公平性を担保。 -
C. separation of powers
三権分立。 -
B. public mandate
国民からの信任。 -
B. polarization
政治的分極化。 -
A. foreign policy
経済制裁や統制は外交政策の一環。 -
C. authoritarian
権威主義的。 -
C. implementation
政策「実行」。 -
B. dissent
反対意見・異議。 -
C. stability
政治的安定。
英検1級 長文読解｜Politics & Governance
Passage
In recent years, concerns about governance and democratic accountability have intensified across many countries. While democratic systems are designed to protect civil liberties and ensure political legitimacy, their effectiveness depends largely on transparent institutions and an independent judiciary.
One major challenge facing modern democracies is political polarization. As ideological divisions deepen, cooperation between political parties becomes increasingly difficult. This polarization often undermines policy implementation, as governments struggle to pass legislation or maintain public trust. In such environments, populism tends to flourish, appealing to citizens who feel excluded from the political process.
At the same time, some governments have responded to instability with more authoritarian measures. Under the justification of maintaining political stability, restrictions on political dissent and civil liberties have expanded. Critics argue that these actions weaken democratic accountability and erode the separation of powers, allowing the executive branch to accumulate excessive authority.
Internationally, issues of sovereignty and foreign policy further complicate governance. Governments facing internal unrest may encounter international sanctions, which can pressure regimes to reform but may also worsen economic conditions. As a result, balancing state intervention, public sector reform, and governance transparency remains a complex task for policymakers worldwide.
問題
問題1
According to the passage, political polarization makes it difficult for governments to:
A. maintain sovereignty
B. enforce international sanctions
C. implement policies effectively
D. reform the judiciary
問題2
The passage suggests that populism often emerges when:
A. foreign policy becomes aggressive
B. citizens feel excluded from politics
C. public sector reform is successful
D. authoritarian regimes collapse
問題3
Why do critics oppose authoritarian measures taken in the name of stability?
A. They increase international pressure
B. They weaken democratic accountability
C. They improve policy implementation
D. They strengthen the judiciary
問題4
What role do international sanctions play according to the passage?
A. They always lead to regime change
B. They guarantee economic stability
C. They can pressure governments to reform
D. They eliminate political dissent
問題5
Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
A. Democratic systems are no longer effective in modern societies
B. Governance challenges involve balancing democracy, stability, and reform
C. Authoritarian governments are more efficient than democracies
D. International relations are the main cause of political instability
解答・解説
問題1
C. implement policies effectively
分極化により協力が困難になり、政策実行が妨げられると述べられている。
問題2
B. citizens feel excluded from politics
ポピュリズムは政治から疎外されたと感じる人々に訴える。
問題3
B. They weaken democratic accountability
説明責任や三権分立を損なう点が批判されている。
問題4
C. They can pressure governments to reform
制裁は改革を促す可能性があるが副作用もある。
問題5
B. Governance challenges involve balancing democracy, stability, and reform
全文の要旨を最も的確に表している。
英検1級 英作文・面接｜Politics & Governance 模範例文
テーマ
Should governments prioritize political stability over civil liberties?
模範解答（英作文・面接 共通）
While political stability is undeniably important for economic growth and social order, governments should not prioritize it at the expense of civil liberties. A healthy democracy depends on democratic accountability, governance transparency, and respect for political dissent.
History shows that excessive state intervention and authoritarian crackdowns, often justified in the name of stability, tend to undermine political legitimacy. When the executive branch accumulates excessive power and weakens the separation of powers, public trust in governance rapidly declines. In contrast, societies with an independent judiciary and strong checks and balances are better equipped to manage crises without eroding fundamental rights.
Moreover, restricting civil liberties can deepen political polarization and fuel populism, making long-term stability even harder to achieve. Sustainable governance requires not only effective policy implementation but also the protection of individual freedoms. Therefore, governments should pursue political stability through inclusive policies and institutional reform rather than through authoritarian measures.
日本語要点（理解確認用）
政治的安定は重要だが、市民的自由を犠牲にすべきではない。
権威主義的対応は正統性を損ない、長期的には不安定化を招く。
民主的説明責任・三権分立・司法の独立が持続的統治の鍵。
面接で使える言い換え表現
-
prioritize stability over freedoms
-
undermine democratic accountability
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justify authoritarian measures
-
maintain political legitimacy
-
achieve sustainable governance
学習ポイント
-
抽象語彙（legitimacy, accountability, governance）を因果関係で使う
-
賛否型テーマでは
一部認める → 反論 → 結論 の構成が安定 -
面接では authoritarian / democratic の対比が高評価
まとめ
Politics & Governance（政治・統治）は、英検1級において語彙問題・長文読解・英作文・面接のすべてに直結する重要テーマです。民主主義、政府の役割、政策決定、国際関係といった話題では、単語の意味を知っているだけでなく、文脈の中で正確に使いこなす力が求められます。
本記事で紹介した30語は、ニュース英語や論説文で頻出し、英検1級レベルとして必ず押さえておきたい語彙です。これらの語彙を軸に学習することで、
-
語彙問題での正確な選択
-
長文読解での論理構造の理解
-
英作文・面接での説得力ある意見表現
が可能になります。
政治・統治分野は難解に感じられがちですが、頻出語彙と定型的な論点を整理すれば、安定して得点できる分野でもあります。今回のボキャブラリーと例文を繰り返し確認し、自分の言葉で使えるレベルまで定着させていきましょう。
