Introduction to Government, Political Power, and Democratic Systems

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards reviewing the core political science concepts from the lecture notes, including the foundations of political power, the four characteristics and purposes of a state, theories of the origin of government, Enlightenment philosophies, democratic evolution, comparative political structures, and markers of democracy.

Power

The ability to influence people's behavior or make them do something.

Authority

The recognized or accepted right to exercise power.

Legitimacy

The belief that a government or its leaders have a rightful claim to rule.

Sovereignty

The supreme authority of a state to govern itself and make its own decisions without being controlled by another state.

State

A political unit that has four essential characteristics: territory, population, government, and sovereignty.

Territory

A defined geographic area, such as the land within a nation's borders, essential to the existence of a state.

Government

An organization that makes and enforces decisions within a political unit, which can change while the state continues to exist.

Three Purposes of Government

The core, often-overlapping functions of government: provide (supply services and resources), protect (keep people safe and defend rights), and create order (establish rules and resolve conflicts).

Public Policy

A government decision, plan, rule, or course of action intended to address a public issue.

Public Services

Programs or activities provided or supported by the government to meet public needs.

Force Theory

The theory that government began when a powerful person or group conquered and forced others to obey.

Divine Right Theory

The theory of government origin where rulers claim their authority comes directly from God or a divine source.

Evolutionary Theory

The theory that government developed naturally and gradually as families grew into clans, tribes, and larger societies that required organization and leadership.

Social Contract Theory

The political theory arguing that people agree, explicitly or implicitly, to establish a government in exchange for protection, order, and the safeguarding of rights.

State of Nature

A hypothetical condition used in philosophy where people live without an established political authority.

Anarchy

The absence of a governing authority, meaning there is no central government enforcing rules (though not necessarily implying constant violence).

John Locke's Natural Rights

The Enlightenment philosophy stating people possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and property; government exists by consent to protect these rights and can be replaced if it violates them.

Thomas Hobbes's Political Theory

The Enlightenment philosophy emphasizing that insecurity and conflict in the state of nature drive people to accept a strong authority and strict laws to maintain peace and security.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle, emphasized by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, that legitimate political authority comes from the people forming a political community.

General Will

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's concept of the collective common good that citizens shape and follow through laws, rather than following a ruler's personal interests.

Stage 1: Concentrated Authority

The initial stage in the transition toward democracy, where kings, emperors, or ruling elites hold most political power and ordinary citizens have little to no influence.

Stage 2: Challenges to Authority

The historical stage where people question traditional rule and begin demanding rights, representation, and limits on government.

Stage 3: Constitutional Limits

The stage in democratic development where constitutions, elected legislatures, courts, and institutions begin to place institutional limits on rulers' power.

Stage 4: Expanded Democratic Participation

The stage of political development where voting rights, political representation, civil liberties, and opportunities to influence government expand to more citizens.

Influences on Government Organization

The four contextual factors explaining why governments are built differently: culture, historical experiences, physical geography, and shared beliefs or ideologies.

Autocracy

A system of government where political power is concentrated entirely in one ruler or individual without accountability or checks.

Oligarchy

A form of government where power is controlled and exercised by a small group of people, such as military leaders.

Authoritarianism

A political system in which political power is concentrated, while political freedoms are significantly restricted.

Totalitarianism

An extreme form of authoritarian rule in which the government attempts to exert extensive control over public and private life, including beliefs, information, and social organizations.

Six Characteristics of a True Democracy

The essential markers that confirm a country is democratic: free and fair elections, rule of law, civil liberties and human rights, freedom of the press and access to information, political participation and inclusion, and accountability and checks on power.