Gov. Chapter 1 Vocab

Government

Government

An institution through which leaders exercise power to make and enforce laws affecting the people under its control

Nation

A group of people united by bonds of race, language, custom, tradition, and sometimes religion

State/ Country

A political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized gov.

Sovereignty

the supreme and absolute authority within territorial boundaries

Evolutionary Theory

That the notion of a state began with the family; they were the head of their group. Therefore, gov. were created because extended families needed to be organized and eventually became states.

Force Theory

A way in which a state was created or organized when one or more people took control

Divine Right Theory

The idea that people are chosen by a god or gods help to rule. To disobey the ruler is a sin against god.

Social Contract Theory

When people surrender to the state and the power needed to maintain order within their state. In return, the state agrees to protect its citizens.

Thomas Hobbes

Created the idea of a social contract; people gave up their power to the state.

John Locke

Philosopher who claimed that people had natural rights and the social contract was made between the people and gov.

Adam Smith

Economist who suggested that gov take a laissez-faire approach to the economy

Bourgeoisie

Capitalists who claimed that people had natural rights and the social contract was made between the people and the gov

Proletariat

workers who produce the goods

Karl Marx

Known as the father of communism

Unitary System

A gov. that gives all key powers to the national or central gov

Confederacy

A loose union of independent states

Federal System

A gov. that divides the powers of the gov. between the national gov. and state or local gov

Constitution

A plan that provides for the rules for gov.

Authoritarian

Controlling all aspects of citizens' economic, political, and social lives

Totalitarian

A system of gov. in which the gov has total control

Theocracy

A system of gov where there is no separation of church and state. The holy book is the book of law.

Dictatorship

a system of government in which power is in the hands of one person who has total control

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

Monarchy

system of gov. in which a king, queen, or emperor exercises supreme powers of gov.

Democracy

government by the people

Republic

a gov. in which voters hold sovereign power; elected representatives, responsible to the people, exercise that power

Institution

established practice, or social organization

economics

The study of how people and nations use limited resources to satisfy their needs and wants

Regulation

a rule or procedure that has the force of law.

Capitalism

an economic system in which private citizens own and use the factors of production in order to generate profits.

Free Market/ Free Enterprise

The opportunity to control one's own economic decisions and or decisions in the marketplace.

Mixed Economy

Economic system that combines elements of capitalism and socialism; the gov. regulates private enterprise

Socialism

An economic system in which the gov. owns most of the basic means of production, distributes the products and wages, and provides social services such as health care and welfare.

Command Economy

An economic system in which the gov. controls the factors of production

Communism

an economic system in which factors of production are collectively owned and the central gov directs all major economic decisions.