Vocabulary List - Foundations of Government
0506a
Anarchy
- 1 a : absence of government b :
a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental
authority c : a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete
freedom without government
Antifederalism The belief of opponents to a strong central government who campaigned against ratification of the Constitution in favor of a confederation of largely independent states. The belief that states rights are of fundamental importance and that the central governments power should be strictly limited
Bureaucracy
A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials. The departments and agencies of the US
government. The paper pushers who put
policy decisions into practice.
Confederation
A political system in which states or regional governments retain ultimate
authority except for those powers that they expressly delegate to a central
government.
Constitutionalism
The belief that government
should be limited by written, hard-to-change, and clearly-defined law.
Direct
Democracy A system of government in which citizens govern themselves and vote
on most issues
Federalism
A political system in which ultimate authority is shared between a central
government and state or regional governments.
Indirect
Democracy A system of government in which citizens elect representatives to
make decisions for them
Liberty
- 1 : the quality or state of being
free: a : the power to do as one pleases b :
freedom from physical restraint c : freedom from arbitrary or
despotic control d : the positive enjoyment of various social,
political, or economic rights and privileges e : the power of
choice
Nation
- A territorial division containing a body of people of one or more
nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and
independent status
Oligarchy
- Government
by the few
The
People A hypothetical (some might say fictional) construct that implies that
the population of a given State has a common will. The sum of all of the individuals in a given State.
Pluralism
The theory that American government is responsive to groups of citizens
working together to promote their common interest and that enough people belong
to interest groups to ensure that government eventually hears everyone, even
though most people to not participate in politics
Representative
Democracy A political system in which leaders and representatives acquire
political power by means of a competitive struggle for the peoples vote.
Republic
A system of government in which citizens elect representatives to make
decisions for them
Social
Contract An implied agreement between the people and their government in
which the people give up part of their liberty to the government in exchange for
the government protecting the remainder of their liberty
Sovereignty
Supreme or ultimate political authority; a sovereign government is one that
is legally and politically independent of any other government.
State
- 5 a : a politically organized body of
people usually occupying a definite territory; especially : one
that is sovereign b : the political organization of such a body
of people c : a government or politically organized society
having a particular character <a police state> <the welfare state>
Totalitarianism
- The political concept that
the citizen should be totally subject to an absolute state authority
Tyranny
of the majority A political
event where a democratic system empowers elected representatives acting on
behalf of the majority view to take action that oppresses a particular
minority.
Tyrant
- 1 a : an absolute ruler unrestrained by
law or constitution b : a usurper of sovereignty; 2 a :
a ruler who exercises absolute power oppressively or brutally b :
one resembling an oppressive ruler in the harsh use of authority or power
Unitary
Government A form of government in which the national government is supreme;
sub-national governments are created by the national government and have only
the power it allocates to them.
Note:
republic and indirect democracy have the same definition