AP GOV UNIT 1

State

People, living in a defined territory, that have a government and political sovereignty

Legislative Power

the power to make a law and to frame public policies

Executive Power

the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

Judicial Power

the power to interpret laws

Government

Institution through which a society makes & enforces its public policies

Autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power; one-person dictatorship

Oligarchy

dictatorship where a small, self-appointed elite rule

Economics

study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly unlimited wants & needs through the use of limited resources

Unitary Government

A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency.

Federal Government (Federalism)

A form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several state & local governments.

Confederation

an alliance of independent states; states have the most sovereignty

Divine Right

Belief that a rulers authority comes directly from god.

Presidential Government

a form of government in which the executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent, and coequal

Parliamentary Government

A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official's cabinet; the executive comes from and is voted in by the legislative branch

Democracy

A system of limited government where people are the ultimate source of power.

Free Enterprise

Economic system in which individuals & businesses are allowed to compete for profit with a minimum of government interference; private ownership of capital goods; aka capitalism

Constitution

A body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures and processes of a government

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to control what happens in its territorial borders

Public Policy

Anything that a government decides to do; mainly laws & court decisions

Republic

Synonymous with Representative Democracy; system of limited government where people are the ultimate source of power (voting)

John Locke

Enlightenment Thinker who heavily influenced the American Revolution: natural rights of life, liberty & property

Participatory Democracy

Type/theory of representative democracy that depends on direct participation of many if not most people in society, not only in government but in public life as well.

Pluralist Democracy

Type/theory of representative democracy that emphasizes how important it is to have large numbers of diverse interest groups representing a wide variety of views.

Elite Democracy

Type/theory of representative democracy that says a ruling class composed of wealthy, educated individuals wields most of the power in government, the top universities, corporations, the military, and media outlets.

Magna Carta

1215 document that is the first-known implementation of limited government

Montesquieu

French political philosopher and American Democracy influence who advocated separation of powers and checks & balances

Laissez Faire

A policy/doctrine that advocates an economy free from government influence

Theocracy

A one-party system where religious leaders dominate the government

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of capital goods, competition, profit, and individual economic freedom

Socialism

economic system where the government owns the means of production, determines the use of resources, distributes the products and wages, and provides many social services; economic equality is a main goal.

Social Contract

An agreement where people give up certain freedoms in exchange for law & order and government protection of basic liberties.

Political Ideology

One's basic beliefs about the role of government and overall political values.

Legitimacy

The degree to which citizens believe that a government's exercise of power is right and proper; the trust people have in their government

Political Efficacy

A person's belief that he/she has the ability to achieve something desirable and that the government genuinely listens and is responsive to individuals

Conservatism

Political ideology advocating traditional values, order, stability, & economic freedom.

Liberalism

An ideology that advocates change in the social, political, and economic realms to better protect the well being of individuals

Libertarianism

Political ideology advocating absolute economic and social freedom; small gov't

Bourgeoisie

according to Marx, these are the capitalists who own the MOP & exploit workers.