click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Governance Vocabular
Governance Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| absolute authority | unlimited (100%) power to make all government decisions |
| autocracy | government in which one person has absolute authority |
| chief/head of state | formal head of government who publicly represents the country |
| confederation | a group of countries that voluntarily unite and give the central government limited power to make laws |
| constitution | document that outlines a government’s laws and the people’s rights |
| democracy | government in which the people elect their leaders and rule by majority |
| federal system/federation | government in which the central government and regional governments divide/share power |
| head of government | chief officer of the executive branch who runs the country |
| oligarchy | government in which only a few people hold power |
| parliamentary democracy | government in which the people elect the legislators who then elect the chief executive |
| presidential democracy | government in which the people elect the chief executive AND the legislators |
| unitary system | government in which one central government or authority holds all the power |