AP Gov week 1

Authority

Right or use power (not always legitimate)

Political power

Ability of one person or group to follow another’s intentions

Monarchy

Sovereignty held by one person

Absolute monarchy

King or queen who has total power (Saudi Arabia and Qatar are examples)

Limited or constitutional monarchy

Power of the hereditary ruler is limited by countries law or constitution (ex: Great Britain and Spain)

Autocracy

One person controls government

Dictatorship

One person makes all decisions for a nation (ex: North Korea)

Oligarchy

Power rests with a small segment of society typically the most powerful, wealth, strength, ruthlessness, or political influence

Theocracy

Form of government which religion or faith plays a dominant role

Democracy

Form of government based on majority rule

Participatory democracy

Form of Democracy in which citizens have the power to make political decisions, emphasizes the broad participation of people in politics

Direct democracy (Aristotelian)

As there is a rule by many if not all they chose to participate by holding office or making policy (New England towns and town meetings and Athens, Greece)

Citizens must debate and vote

A representative democracy

Citizens choose small groups to represent them, make laws, and govern on their behalf

Why did the framers chose a representing government for the U.S.?

A. Felt gov should mediate and not mirror popular views and elected officials should represent and not register majority sentiment

B.A feeling that most citizens didn’t have the time, info, interest, or expertise to be directly involved

C.The highly educated could be manipulated by leaders that played on fear

D.Gov that can do great good quickly but also great harm quickly too

E.Insisted on protection of civil rights