GOV UNIT 1 TERMS

autocracy

power all centralizes in one person whom can make decisions without other’s imput

dictatorship

power all centralizes in one person or group who wields all authority and little to no input from citizens

totalitarianism

all aspects of life controlled by a single person or group often surpressing freedom and expression

monarchy

a monarch with all centralized power to owning to a divine justification; often heriditary

theocracy

power ruled by the church/religious group from a divine justification

tyranny

a person or government who is rested with lots of power

democracy

government ruled by the people and through people’s input by direct or through representative middlemen

direct democracy

political decisions directly inputed by the citizens themselves; direct democratic participation

anarchy

state of nature/lawlessness, political and societal disorder due to absense of governmental authority.

republic

government ruled by representatives on behalf of its citizens and very replicated in modern democracries of today

constitution

a written rulebook of customs, traditions, and laws that a government must abide by

written constituion

a written record of the said customs, laws, and traditions for the government to abide by

unwrittten constitution

practices of customs traditions and laws that aren’t written

higher law

superiority of one body of power/law over another. Ex: no one can defy the u.s constituion lol.

limited government

restricted to protecting natural rights; proposed by John Locke

constitutional government

government limited by practice from its written constitution

delegated powers

powers delgated/assigned to bodies of power by the people

sepeartion of powers

dividing powers and decentralizing into branches

checks and balances

balancing/distribution of power through checks and balances; to prevent abuse of power

private domain

aspects the government cannot touch

equal protection

every citizen on paper is protected under the law

common good

the GOOD for all of society/community