Politics and Governance Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing essential concepts of politics, governance, political ideologies, faces and types of power, elements of the state, and social contract theories.

Politics

The study of "who gets what, when, and how," involving the exercise of power, science of government, making of collective decisions, and allocation of scarce resources.

Political Philosophy

A branch of political study with a speculative and normative character that focuses on what society ought to be.

Political Science

An empirical and analytical study that describes and defines the structure and behavior of political institutions.

Governance

The process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not implemented.

Ideology

A systematic body of concepts, cultural beliefs, values, and attitudes that underlie and justify the status quo or movements for change.

Political Ideologies

A set of related beliefs about political theory and policy held by an individual, group, or social class that forms the basis of how people view the world and the role of government.

Liberalism

A political ideology based on liberty and equality that focuses on individualism, self-reliance, personal responsibility, equality before the law, and limited government.

Socialism

An economic and political doctrine advocating governmental ownership and direction of production and services, emphasizing cooperation over competition and social equality.

Conservatism

A political ideology derived from "conservation" that supports the status quo, favors change only in moderation, and upholds tradition and established institutions.

Social Democracy

A moderate or reformist form of socialism that favors a balance between the market and the state without seeking to abolish capitalism.

Communism

An extreme left-wing economic, social, and political system based on the teachings of Karl Marx that advocates collective ownership of the means of production and a planned economy.

Fascism

A modern political ideology based on a heightened sense of national belonging or ethnic identity that seeks to regenerate a country's life while rejecting liberal ideas and democratic processes.

Power

The ability to get what you want, defined by Kenneth Boulding as the "ability to change the future."

First Face of Power

Also known as the Decision-Making or Open Face (associated with Robert Dahl), referring to direct power and the ability of one person to achieve compliance from others in open decision-making.

Second Face of Power

Also known as the Agenda or Secretive Face (associated with Bachrach and Baratz), referring to power exercised by setting the agenda and controlling the context behind closed doors.

Third Face of Power

Also known as the Manipulation or Deceptive Face (associated with Steven Lukes), referring to power exercised by manipulating people's psychology, perceptions, and beliefs about what is acceptable.

Coercive Power

A form of power that uses threats, punishment, and negative influences to force obedience, making it the least effective form due to creating resentment.

Reward Power

A form of power based on the ability to provide valued material benefits, such as pay increases, promotions, gifts, or time off.

Legitimate Power

Also called positional power, it is formal authority derived from an official position, title, uniform, or office within an organization or government.

Expert Power

A personal form of power based on specialized knowledge, skills, and expertise that creates credibility and respect.

Referent Power

A form of power based on charisma and interpersonal skills that attracts followers and creates loyalty through admiration.

State

A political institution derived from the word "status" (first used by Niccolò Machiavelli in "Prince") that is the most universal and powerful of all institutions.

Nation

A community of people bound together by shared cultural, historical, and psychological ties, forming a subjective and emotional bond.

People (Element of the State)

The mass of population living within the state that answers the question "who governs."

Territory (Element of the State)

The demarcated area including terrestrial, fluvial/maritime, and aerial domains that rightly belongs to the population, answering the question "where."

Government (Element of the State)

The agency or aggregate of institutions through which the will of the state is formulated, expressed, and carried out.

Sovereignty

The supreme power of the state to command and enforce obedience from its people and maintain freedom from foreign control.

Internal Sovereignty

The aspect of sovereignty signifying that the State is supreme over all its citizens and associations within its domain.

External Sovereignty

The aspect of sovereignty signifying that the state is independent and free from foreign or outside control.

Social Contract Theory

A theory explaining that society originated through an agreement or contract among individuals who are naturally born free and equal.

Thomas Hobbes' State of Nature

A state where naturally selfish humans are constantly in conflict, making life "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" until rights are surrendered to a strong authority.

John Locke's Social Contract View

The view that the state of nature was generally peaceful and free, but individuals established a government to address the lack of a recognized legal system and protect security.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's State of Nature

The view that humans lived as peaceful "noble savages" in innocence and equality until private property and population growth led to inequality and greed.

General Will

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's concept representing the collective interest, goodness, and wisdom of a public body or republic created through the social contract.