1.2 Defining Political Organizations

Political System

Comprised of the laws, ideas, and procedures that address who should have authority to rule and what the government’s influence on its people and economy should be

States

Political organizations that combine a permanent population with governing institutions to exercise control over a defined territory with international recognition

Regimes

Fundamental rules that control access to and the exercise of political power. Regimes endure form government to government. A regime can be characterized as democratic or authoritarian based on how it sets rules or makes decisions about how to exercise power

Government

The set of institutions or individuals legally empowered to make binding decisions for a state

Sovereignty

The power to govern itself without outside interference; independent legal authority over a population in a particular territory

Nation

A group of people with commonalities including race, language, religion, ethnicity, political identity, and aspirations