Unit 1 Power, Forms of Government and Roots of American Democracy

in Chinese history, the divine approval thought to be the basis of royal authority

Mandate of Heaven

the belief that the authority of kings comes directly from God

Divine Right of Kings

An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed

Social Contract

A form of government in which power is divided and shared between a central government and state and local governments.

Federal System (Federalism)

Power held by independent states. Central government is a creature of the constituent governments.

Confederal System (Confederation)

type of government that centralizes all the powers of government into one central authority

Unitary System of Government

power to give orders and enforce rules that has been defined in a legal or official way

formal authority

specialized skill or technical knowledge; know-how; expertness

expertise

the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats

coercion

A kind of speaking or writing that is intended to influence people's actions.

Persuasion

power comes from the power holder's ability to give something of value, such as money, responsibility, or praise

Rewards

winning by giving to get

Horse Trading

(Political Game)

winning by refusing to play

Walkout

(Political Game)

winning by being smarter and stronger than the opposition

Power Struggle (Political Game)

winning by wiping out the opposition

Demolition Derby

(Political Game)

A nonviolent, public refusal to obey allegedly unjust laws.

Civil Disobedience (Political Game)

A government ruled by a king or queen

Monarchy

A form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority.

Dictatorship

A government controlled by religious leaders

Theocracy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

oligarchy

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.

Direct Democracy

A monarchy governed according to a constituion that limits the abilities of the leaders. The monarch usually attends to ceremonial duties.

constituional monarchy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Representative Democracy

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Checks and Balances

dividing the powers of government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

seperation of powers

A government in which the people rule by their own consent.

Popular Sovereignty

Life, Liberty, and Property

Natural Rights

A doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason.

Natural Law

the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events

Power

the legitimate exercise of power or right to use power

authority

belief by the people that a government has the right to rule

Legitimacy

the right to exercise supreme power and authority over a region, a group, or oneself

Sovereignty

the process by which government decides how to distribute power and resources in a society

Politics

Formal policymakers within the government, including the executive, legislature, judiciary and bureaucracy

Institutions of Government

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.

public policy

a commodity or service that is provided without profit to all members of a society, either by the government or a private individual or organization.

public goods