Defining Government and Political Systems - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the video lecture notes on government, politics, and economic systems.

Government

The means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits, such as economic prosperity, secure borders, safety and well-being; includes education, health care, and infrastructure.

Politics

The process of gaining and exercising control within a government to set and achieve goals, especially regarding the division of resources.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of production, competition, and profit, which advocates believe leads to prosperity; developed with ideas about liberty and self-government.

Industrial capitalism

Capitalism that developed during the industrial era, focusing on factories, mass production, and private profits.

Private goods

Goods provided by private businesses; they are excludable and rivalrous and are bought and sold in markets.

Public goods

Goods or services available to all citizens without charge and typically funded by taxes; examples include national security and public education; non-excludable and non-rivalrous.

Toll goods

Goods available to many people only if the user pays; a middle ground between public and private goods.

Common goods

Goods that are in limited supply and accessible to all; require regulation to prevent overuse; sustainability is a key concern.

Excludable

Capable of excluding individuals from using a good (e.g., via pricing or membership).

Non-excludable

A good that is not easily restricted from use by others.

Rivalrous

A good whose consumption by one person reduces availability for others.

Non-rivalrous

A good whose consumption by one person does not reduce availability for others.

National security

A public good involving defense and protection of the nation; funded through taxation.

Public education

Education provided by the government, free of charge from kindergarten through 12th grade; private schools exist but charge tuition.

Tax base

The total value of income, property, and consumption that is taxed to fund government services.

Regulation

Government rules that supervise or restrict business and industry to protect public safety, environment, and consumer rights.

Market

The system of voluntary exchanges led by private firms where goods and services are distributed through price signals.

Natural rights

Inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.

Consent to be governed

Idea that governments derive legitimacy from the consent of the governed.

Representative democracy

A system in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions and laws on their behalf.

Republic

A representative democracy in which power is held by elected officials rather than directly by the people.

Majority rule

Principle that the majority's preferences guide policy, with minority rights protected.

Minority rights

Legal protections ensuring that minority groups' rights are not violated by majority decisions.

Direct democracy

Direct participation of citizens in decision-making, such as referenda and ballots.

New England town meetings

Local tradition of direct democracy where residents discuss and vote on town issues.

Oligarchy

A form of government where a small group of elites holds power.

Monarchy

A government led by a single monarch; power can be absolute or constitutional.

Totalitarianism

A nondemocratic system in which the state controls nearly all aspects of life and dissent is suppressed.

Socialism

An economic system where the means of wealth generation are owned by the government and wealth is redistributed via social programs.

Civic engagement

The participation of citizens in politics and governance (voting, discussion, volunteering, protests, etc.).

Referendum

A direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal or law.