Legitimacy, Democracy, and the Constitution

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture notes on legitimacy, democracy, and the constitution.

Constitution

Set of fundamental principles according to which a state or other organization is governed.

Power

The ability or potential of an individual to influence others and control their actions.

Authority

The legitimate legal and or formal right to command and make decisions

Charismatic Authority

Based on the charisma of a leader

Traditional Authority

A Form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a ruling regime is tied to tradition or custom

Legal Authority

A Form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a ruling regime is largely tied to legal rationality, legal legitimacy and bureaucracy.

Divine right of kings

A political and religious doctrine of political legitimacy; monarchies are a manifestation of god’s will.

The Enlightenment

The philosophical movement that stressed individuality, reason and scientific thought

State of Nature

Political theory of time before government or any political association, a time with the absence of law, justice and protection of property.

Social Contract

Individuals have agreed to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of a legitimate governing body.

Popular Sovereignty

Theory that government is created by the people and gets its authority from the people.

Declaration of Independence

A list of grievances for separation from King George of England- to convince colonists that this break was necessary.

Articles of Confederation

Created a loose confederation of states which had a one body national Congress with each state having one vote; created a weak national government with no power to tax and no power to operate directly on individuals.

Federalism (or Dual Sovereignty)

A system of government where ultimate authority is divided between 2 levels of government: Federal Government and State Government.

Supremacy Clause

Laws created by the national government are the supreme law of the land (as long as in line with the Constitution).

Separation of Powers

Power is split between 3 branches of government; legislative, executive, and judicial.

Checks and Balances

Each branch monitors and limits the powers of others

Enumerated powers

Are powers specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Powers not stated, seem to be implied by powers expressively stated.

Electoral College

Body of electors that formally elects the president and the vice president.

Federalists

Supported the Constitution as written w/o a Bill of Rights

Anti Federalists

Opposed ratification for fear of a strong centralized government- felt it needed a Bill of Rights