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Chapter 1: Forms
Forms of Government
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Government | the formal structures and institutions through which decisions are made for a body of people |
| Power | The government's authority and ability to get things done |
| Policy | Any decision made by government in pursuit of a particular goal |
| State | a political community made up by a group of people that lives within a clearly defined territory |
| Sovereignty | The supreme power of the state to act within its territory |
| Politics | The process by which government makes and carries out decisions as to whose interests will be served in society |
| Legitimacy | when rulers are seen as right and proper by important segments of a nation's population |
| Divine Right of Kings | a theory put forth by Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet that the king is answerable only to God, not the people he ruled |
| Social Contract Theory | theory of rule that says the first governments formed as a result of people agreeing among themselves to submit to the authority of a state, which in turn would protect and support them |
| Monarchy | a system of government headed by one person, such as a king or queen, who exercises absolute monarchy |
| Dictatorship | a system of rule in which one person, a dictator, or a small group of people can hold unlimited power over government |
| Oligarchy | a dictatorship led by a small group of people; means "rule by a few" |
| Direct Democracy | a system of government in which citizens meet regularly in a popular assembly to discuss issues and vote for leaders |
| Republic | an indirect form of democracy that places political decision making at least one step away from the people; instead, people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf |
| Unitary System | a system of government in which sovereignty, or ultimate authority, rests in a single national government |
| Federal System | A system of government in which power over people and territory is divided between a national government and smaller, regional levels of government |
| Confederal System | a system of government in which a confederation of independent states form a central government to pursue common interests |
| Presidential System | a system of government distinguished by having a president who is elected by the people for a limited term of office |
| Parliamentary System | a system of government in which the legislative and executive branches are combined |
| Ideal | a conception of something in its most perfect form |
| Liberty | the ability of people to act and think as they choose, as long as their choices do not harm the liberty or well-being of others |
| Equality | the principle that all people possess a fundamental, moral worth that entitles them to fair treatment under the law and equal opportunity in all aspects of life |
| Self-government | the belief that ordinary people could aspire to rule themselves and do so as political equals |
| Majority Rules | a decision-making system in which the candidate who receives more than half the votes cast, or more votes than any other candidate, wins the election |
| Minority Rights | The political rights held by groups who make up less than half of the population |
| Liberal Democracy | a form of democracy that protects the rights of the minority |
| Free Enterprise | an economic system in which people and businesses make their own choices about how best to produce, distribute, and exchange goods and services, with limited interference from the government |
Created by:
ersmith1