history

Civic engagement

Civic engagement

individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern

Political engagement

citizen actions that are intended to solve public problems through political means

Government

an institution that creates and implements the policy and laws that guide the conduct of a nation and its citizens

Citizens

members of a political community–town, city, state, or country–who through birth or naturalization, enjoy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities attached to membership in a given nation

Sovereign territory

territory over which the government has the ultimate governing authority

Legitimacy

a quality conferred on government by citizens who believe its exercise of power is right and proper

Public goods

the services that the government provides

Commodities

commercially exchanged goods and services

Socialization

the process by which individuals develop their political values and opinions

Monarchy

a member of the royal family, usually a king or queen, has absolute authority over territory and its government

Constitutional monarchy

the monarch plays a ceremonial role but has little saying governance, which is carried out by elected leaders

Oligarchy

elite few hold power

Dictatorship

a small group, such as a political party or a military junta, supports a dictator

Totalitarianism

government controls every aspect of citizen life

Authoritarianism

the government holds strong power but they are checked by other forces within society

Constitutionalism

a form of government structured by the law that provides for limited government

Limited government

a government that is restricted in what it can do so that the rights of the people are protected

Divine right of kings

an argument that monarchies, as a manifestation of God's will, could rule absolutely without regard to the will or well-being of their subjects

Social contract

an agreement between people and their leaders were by the people give up some liberties so that their other liberties will be protected

Natural law

the assertion that the laws that govern human behavior are derived from the nature of humans themselves and can be applied universally

Popular sovereignty

the theory that government is created by the people and depends on the people for the authority to rule

Social contract theory

assumes that individuals possess free will and that every individual possesses the god-given right to self-determination and the ability to consent to be governed

Direct democracy

a structure of government in which citizens discuss and decide policy through majority rule

Indirect democracy

citizens elect representatives who decide policies on their behalf

Political culture

the people's collective beliefs and attitudes about government and the political process

Liberty

freedom from government interference in one's life and freedom to pursue happiness

Capitalism

an economic system in which the means of producing wealth are privately owned and operated to produce profits

Property

anything that can be owned

Consent of the governed

the idea that, in a democracy, the government's power derives from the consent of the people

Majority rule

the principle that, in a democracy, only policies with 50% plus one vote are enacted

Political ideology

an integrated system of ideas or beliefs about political values in general and the role of the government in particular

Liberalism

associated with the ideas of liberty and political equality

Conservatism

recognize the importance of preserving tradition–of maintaining the status quo or keeping things the way they are

Progressives

those who emphasize the need for societal reform that results in greater economic and social equality

Socialism

and ideology that, in its purest theoretical form, stresses economic equality achieved by having the government or workers own the means of production

Libertarianism

government should take a “hands-off” approach in most matters