The word
regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.
Politics
In politics, a regime is the
form of governmentA form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...
: the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of government and its interactions with society. For instance, the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has one of the oldest regimes still active in the world, dating to the ratification of its
ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in 1789. Although modern usage often gives the term a negative connotation, like an authoritarian one, Webster's definition clearly states that the word "regime" refers simply to a form of government.
Science
In scientific discussions, a regime is a class of physical conditions, usually parameterised by some specific
measuresMeasurement is the process or the result of determining the ratio of a physical quantity, such as a length, time, temperature etc., to a unit of measurement, such as the metre, second or degree Celsius...
, where a particular physical phenomenon or boundary condition is significant. Very often a regime corresponds to a limiting condition. The region of measurable
parameterParameter from Ancient Greek παρά also “para” meaning “beside, subsidiary” and μέτρον also “metron” meaning “measure”, can be interpreted in mathematics, logic, linguistics, environmental science and other disciplines....
space that corresponds to a regime is very often loosely defined. Examples include "the
superfluidSuperfluidity is a state of matter in which the matter behaves like a fluid without viscosity and with extremely high thermal conductivity. The substance, which appears to be a normal liquid, will flow without friction past any surface, which allows it to continue to circulate over obstructions and...
regime", "the
steady stateA system in a steady state has numerous properties that are unchanging in time. This implies that for any property p of the system, the partial derivative with respect to time is zero:...
regime" or "the femtosecond regime".
In
geographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and
hydrographyHydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
, "regime" refers to the changing conditions of river beds and other features, such as systems of sandbars.
Other uses
Political use of "regime" concerns international regulatory agencies (see
International regimeInternational regimes are not subnational actors or non-governmental organizations. They are international actors, and sometimes, when formally organized, many of them can be considered intergovernmental organizations.-Definition and Types:Stephen D...
), which lie outside of the control of national governments. These have more power over a greater range than postal or telecommunications agreements, for example, and constrain national governments.
See also
- Ancien Régime
- Carbon audit regime
A carbon audit regime is a means of accounting for quantifiable greenhouse gas control efforts. It establishes that the claimed reductions in emissions or enhancements of carbon sinks, has actually occurred and is stable....
- Exchange rate regime
The exchange-rate regime is the way a country manages its currency in relation to other currencies and the foreign exchange market. It is closely related to monetary policy and the two are generally dependent on many of the same factors....
- International regime
International regimes are not subnational actors or non-governmental organizations. They are international actors, and sometimes, when formally organized, many of them can be considered intergovernmental organizations.-Definition and Types:Stephen D...
- Legal practice
Legal practice is sometimes used to distinguish the body of judicial or administrative precedents, rules, policies, customs, and doctrines from legislative enactments such as statutes and constitutions which might be called "laws" in the strict sense of being commands to the general public, rather...
- Regime change
"Regime change" is the replacement of one regime with another. Use of the term dates to at least 1925.Regime change can occur through conquest by a foreign power, revolution, coup d'état or reconstruction following the failure of a state...
- Regime shift
Regime shifts is defined as rapid reorganizations of ecosystems from one relatively stable state to another. The idea of a regime shift was first used in investigations of freshwater and terrestrial systems. It is now been used for marine and estuarine systems to describe rapid shifts between two...
- Regime theory
Regime theory is a theory within international relations derived from the liberal tradition that argues that international institutions or regimes affect the behavior of states...
- River regime
River regime can describe one of two characteristics of a reach of an alluvial river:* The variability in its discharge throughout the course of a year in response to precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, and drainage basin characteristics * A series of characteristic power-law...