Forms of Representative Democracy & Limited Government

Participatory Democracy

broad participation in politics and civil society by citizens at various levels of socioeconomic status

Pluralist Democracy

group-based activism by citizens w/ common interests all striving for the same political goals

Elite Democracy

* discourages participation by the majority of citizens
* cede power to the educated & wealthy

Natural Rights

* John Locke
* Life, Liberty, and Property
* Derived from the Creator
* Granted to all humanity

Social Contract

humankind surrenders most extreme rights to self-preservation so they can enter into a commonwealth to protect natural rights

Commonwealth

community system of gov

Popular Sovereignty

Decisions are made about the actions of the state via the consent of the governed. We cannot govern without their consent to be governed

Republicanism

The consent of the governed is expressed via regular elections appointing representatives by the electorate