Studied by 658 people
Constitutional Gov.
A system in which the powers of government are limited by a written constitution, as in the USA, or by an established political method and series of conventions, as in Britain. In both forms, the legality of what government does can be challenged and even overturned in independent law courts
Democracy
A system of government in which the citizens exercise power by electing representatives to form a legislative body, such as a parliament.
Joseph Stalin
He held power as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922–1952) and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union (1941–1953). Initially governing the country as part of a collective leadership, he consolidated power to become a dictator by the 1930s.
Shares
A means of investing money in businesses. Investing in a successful business rise in value. Investors aim to buy shares at low prices and then sell them when the value rises.
Unemployment Benefits
Payments made by a state to people who are unable to find a job.
Deflation
A general decline in prices, caused by a reduction in the supply of money and credit. During the Great Depression, it went out of control. As prices of their products fell, employers reduced the wages of their workers, leading to a further downward turn in prices. As unemployment increased, fewer people were able to buy products, leading to a further reduction in prices. Many businesses collapsed.
Adolf Hitler
Appointed chancellor of Germany in 1933 following a series of electoral victories by the Nazi Party. He ruled absolutely until his death by suicide in April 1945.
Storm Troopers
Nazi gangs that specifically used violence against Hitler’s opponents. Far from hiding these violent methods, Hitler boasted about them. Worried about the possibility of a communist revolution, the authorities did little to stop them. When the head of the Munich police force was told that such gangs were causing bloodshed throughout the city, he replied that it was a pity there were not more of them.
Munich Putsch
A failed coup by the Nazi Party that led to Hitler’s imprisonment.
Third Reich
The term used by Hitler that linked the present with Germany’s past glories.
Totalitarian
A system of government that is centralized, dictatorial, and requires complete subservience to the state.
Propaganda
The communication of a political or other message by appealing to people’s emotions rather than their reason, encouraging them to be excited rather than to think.
Mein Kampf
A 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany.
Lebensraum
The territory that a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development, especially associated with Nazi Germany. A German concept of expansionism.
Benito Mussolini
An Italian nationalist and the founder of Italian Fascism. He ruled Italy from 1922–1925 as Prime Minister, and from 1925–1943 as il Duce, the Fascist dictator.
Italian dictator and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party.
Constitutional Monarchy
A monarchy in which the king or queen is the head of the state, with powers limited by a written constitution of by an established political method or series of conventions, as in Britain. They do not instruct the government. They may appoint or dismiss governments, but only as a result of those governments winning or losing elections, or votes in a national parliament.
Francisco Franco
A general and the leader of the Nationalist forces that overthrew the Spanish democratic republic in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39); thereafter he was the head of the government of Spain until 1973 and the head of state until his death in 1975.
Civil War
A war between citizens of the same country
Popular Front
A political alliance that emerged in the 1930s. It was a coalition of left-wing political parties and organizations that aimed to counter the rise of fascism and promote social and economic reforms. They were formed in various countries, such as France and Spain, and sought to unite different leftist groups to achieve common goals.
CEDA
A Spanish political party. It was founded in 1933 and represented the conservative and right-wing factions in Spain. It aimed to protect the interests of the Catholic Church, landowners, and the business elite. It gained significant support and became one of the major political forces in Spain during that time. However, its rise to power and involvement in the government led to political tensions and contributed to the instability that eventually led to the Spanish Civil War.
Rearmament
The process of equipping military forces with a new supply of weapons.
Conscription
Compulsory military service for certain groups of society, such as men between certain ages.
Luftwaffe
The German air force. It was the largest and most formidable air force in Europe.
Anschluss
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. It was a political and military action that resulted in Austria becoming part of Germany.
Sudetenland
A region in Czechoslovakia inhabited by a significant German-speaking population. It became a focal point during the prelude to World War II when Adolf Hitler demanded its annexation to Germany in 1938. This led to the Munich Agreement, where the region was ceded to Germany.
Appeasement
A policy of giving in to, rather than confronting, demands made by aggressive nations.
Neville Chamberlain
A British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. He is known for his policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany, particularly his negotiations with Adolf Hitler over the issue of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. His signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, which allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, is a significant event in history. However, his policy of appeasement is widely criticized for failing to prevent World War II.
Biased
The support or opposition of a particular opinion in an unfair way, such as by manipulating or distorting evidence.
Manchuria
A region located in East Asia during the 1930s. It was under the control of the Japanese Empire at that time. The Japanese invasion in 1931 marked the beginning of their expansionist policies in the region. This event led to the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932, which was governed by the last Qing emperor, Puyi, under Japanese influence. This region became a significant industrial and agricultural base for Japan during this period.
Abyssinia
In the 1930s, this region was invaded by Italy under the leadership of Mussolini. This invasion resulted in the occupation of the area by Italian forces from 1936 to 1941.
World Disarmament Conference
Sixty countries sent delegates to the meeting that convened in Geneva in February 1932 to consider reductions in armaments, with particular emphasis on offensive weapons. This meeting failed and the arms race continued after it.
Second Sino-Jap War
China began a full-scale resistance to the expansion of Japanese influence in its territory. In 1937, they occupied Beijing, and then Nanjing. For six weeks in Nanjing, the army committed the Nanjing Massacre. The war came to an end in August 1945, after the United States detonated nuclear weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Russian troops invaded from the north and suppressed Japanese forces in Manchuria, while Japanese forces in China were ordered to surrender to Jiang Jieshi and the Nationalists.
Haile Selassie
The Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He was a prominent figure in the global community and was known for his efforts to modernize Ethiopia and for his role in promoting African unity. He was also an influential figure in the Rastafarian movement, which considers him to be a messianic figure.
Note 
Flashcard (102)