Foundations of Government

Legislative Power

Power to make laws and to frame public policies.

Executive Power

Power to execute, enforce, and administer laws.

Judicial Power

Power to interpret laws, determine their meaning, and settle disputes.

Constitution

A body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government.

Population (Characteristic of a State)

Every state must be inhabited, whether large or small.

Territory (Characteristic of a State)

Every state must have land with known and recognized borders.

Sovereignty (Characteristic of a State)

A state has absolute power within its territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies.

Government (Characteristic of a State)

The mechanism through which a state makes and enforces its policies.

Force Theory

The idea that states are formed by force.

Divine Right of Kings Theory

The belief that God created the state and that those of royal birth have absolute authority.

Evolutionary Theory

The theory that a population formed out of primitive families, led by the heads of families who became the government.

Social Contract Theory

The idea that a population within a given territory gives up some power to a government to promote the well-being of all.

Democracy

A form of government where supreme political authority rests with the people.

Direct Democracy

A system where people themselves formulate public policy.

Indirect Democracy

Also known as Representative Democracy; a group chosen by the people formulates public policy.

Theocracy

A government in which religious leaders control the laws and government.

Dictatorship

A form of government where a single leader or group holds absolute power, usually taken by force.

Oligarchy

A form of government where a small group of people control the nation.

Anarchy

A state of society without government or law; traditions are followed without a central authority.

Unitary Government

A centralized government where all power is held by a single, central agency.

Federal Government

A system where powers are divided between a central government and several local governments.

Confederate Government

An alliance of independent states that handles only matters assigned by member states.

Parliamentary Government

A form of government where the prime minister and cabinet are chosen from the parliament.

Presidential Government

A system where the executive and legislative branches are separate, independent, and coequal.

John Locke

A philosopher who influenced the U.S. government with his theories of the social contract and natural rights.

Thomas Hobbes

A philosopher whose ideas on social contract theory and the state of nature influenced the U.S. government's founding documents.

Mary Wollstonecraft

An advocate for women's rights who argued for equal education for women.

Voltaire

A philosopher known for his advocacy for freedom of religion, speech, and the separation of church and state.

Baron de Montesquieu

A philosopher who advocated for the separation of powers within government.

Cesare Beccaria

An advocate for criminal justice reform, emphasizing individual dignity and opposing torture and capital punishment.