Civics Unit 1 KBAT

authority

the legal right or power to give orders and enforce rules

government

institutions and officials organized to establish and carry out public policy

power

the ability to cause others to behave as they might not otherwise choose to do

legitimacy

the quality of being accepted as an authority, often applied to laws or those in power

public good

a product or service that is available for all people to consume, whether they pay for it or not

nation-state

an independent state, especially one in which the people share a common culture. In a nation-state, people have a sense of belonging to one country, even if they have different ethnic backgrounds

sovereignity

the right to exercise supreme authority over a geographic region, a group of people, or oneself

politics

the process and method of making decisions for groups. Although generally applied to governments, politics is also observed in all human interactions

institution

an established organization, especially one providing a public service, and the rules that guide it

democracy

a system of government in which citizens exercise supreme power, acting either directly on their own or through elected representatives

direct democracy

a democratic form of government in which citizens make public decisions directly, either in a popular assembly or through a popular vote

representative democracy

a democratic form of government in which elected representatives make public decisions on behalf of the citizens

monarchy

a system of government in which a single ruler exercises supreme power based on heredity or divine right. In a monarchy, the right to rule passes from one generation of the ruling family to the next

constitutional monarchy

a system of government in which the powers of a monarch are limited by a constitution, either written or unwritten

constitutional democracy

a democratic government based on a written constitution

parliamentary democracy

a political system in which voters elect lawmakers to represent them in the nation’s parliament; the elected lawmakers choose a prime minister to head the executive branch

presidential democracy

a political system in which voters chose a president to lead the government as head of the executive branch

dictatorship

a system of government in which a single person or group exercises supreme power by controlling the military and police

despot

a tyrant or ruler with absolute powers

authoritarian regime

a system of government in which the state exercises broad control over the lives of its citizens

totalitarianism

an extreme form of authoritarian rule in which the state seeks to control every aspect of its citizens’ lives

communism

a system of government in which a single political party controls both the government and the economy; also, the theories developed by Karl Marx regarding the development of an ideal, classless society

fascism

a totalitarian system in which businesses remain in private hands but under government control

theocracy

a government headed by religious leaders

republic

a nation in which supreme power rests with the citizens and is exercised by their elected representatives

parliament

a legislative assembly in which elected representatives debate and vote on proposed laws

single-party state

a nation-state in which only one political party is allowed to rule under the constitution

unitary system of government

a political system in which the constitution concentrates power in the national, or central, government

federal system of government

a type of government in which power is shared between the national government and smaller regional governments within the nation

confederal system of government

a political system in which independent states form a nation but retain their power under a weak central government

market economy

an economic system that relies mainly on markets to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them

traditional economy

an economic system in which decisions about what to produce and how are made on the basis of customs, beliefs, and tradition

command economy

an economic system that relies mainly on the central government to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them

representative government

a political system in which power is exercised by elected leaders who work in the interests of the people

rule of law

the principle that government is based on clear and fairly enforced laws and that no one is above the law

limited government

a political system in which the powers exercised by the government are restricted, usually by a written constitution

individual rights

the rights and liberties that can be claimed by individuals by virtue of being human; also called natural rights or human rights

separation of powers

the idea that the powers of a government should be split between two or more strongly independent branches to prevent any one person or group from gaining too much power

popular sovereignity

the principle that the people are the ultimate source of the authority and legitimacy of a government

constitutionalism

the belief that governments should operate according to an agreed set of principles, which are usually spelled out in a written constitution

majority rule

the idea that decisions approved by more than half of the people in a group or society will be accepted and observed by all of the people

Declaration of Independence

issued in 1776, it declared the American colonies independent from British rule

Articles of Confederation

the first Constitution of the United States created a weak national (federal) government

Federalists

supporters of ratification of the U.S. Constitution, who favored the creation of a strong federal government that shared power with the states

Anti-Federalists

opponents of ratification of the U.S. Constitution, who favored the loose association of states established under the Articles of Confederation

Ratification

formal approval of an agreement, treaty, or constitution