AP Gov Unit 1 Key Terms

Democracy

A system of government where power is held by the people.

Direct Democracy

A political system in which citizens vote directly on public policies.

Representative Democracy

A political system in which voters select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy. Also called a republic.

Constitutional Democracy

A democratic system with elected representatives in which the constitution is the supreme law.

Constitutionalism

Adherence to a system of constitutional government

Statism

The idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the individuals in the nation.

Popular Consent

The idea that governments draw their power from the consent of the governed.

Majority Rule

a core democratic principle where decisions are made by a vote of more than half the participants, but it must be balanced with minority rights

Plurality

When a candidate receives more votes than any other candidate

Theocracy

a government headed by religious leaders who rule in the name of God or are considered divinely guided, where political authority comes from religious doctrines and laws are based on religious texts

Autocracy

a system of government where one person holds absolute power and authority. This single ruler, the autocrat, makes all decisions without input from others, and the government is not subject to checks and balances from other branches or the public

Dictatorship

a form of government where a single ruler or a small group holds absolute power, maintaining control through repression, censorship, and limited political freedoms, often without the consent of the governed

Oligarchy

An oligarchy is a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of individuals or families.