Government, Economics, and Geography Flashcards

VOCABULARY flashcards covering forms of government, economic systems, economic activity levels, and elements of geography based on lecture notes.

democracy

A form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people.

monarchy

A form of government in which the supreme power is held by a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign.

republic

A system in which the people's elected representatives, not the people themselves, vote on legislation.

oligarchy

A government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority is generally based on wealth or power.

dictatorship

A form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power not restricted by a constitution or laws. Also, a system in which the citizens do not possess the right to choose their own leaders.

theocracy

A form of government in which a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (e.g., bishops, mullahs); a government subject to religious authority.

fascism

A form of authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.

anarchy

A condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.

balkanization

The division of a large state into smaller, more homogeneous states.

socialism

An economic system in which the means of production are regulated by the community as a whole, while individuals retain self-management of business.

capitalism

An economic system in which industry and trade are privately owned and operated, with profit being the end goal.

communism

An economic system in which all production and property are owned by the people, or owned in common, and shared equally.

traditional economy

An economic system in which people produce goods for their own use based on custom and tradition.

market economy

An economic system in which the people freely choose what they want to buy or sell based on the

command economy

An economic system in which the government decides which products to produce, where to produce them, and how much they will cost.

mixed economy

An economic system with a mixture of private ownership and government involvement.

gross domestic product

The total value of all goods and services produced by a nation.

primary economic activity

Involves taking or using natural resources directly.

secondary economic activity

Uses natural resources to produce something new.

tertiary economic activity

Sells finished goods and provides services to people and businesses.

quaternary economic activity

Involves the processing, management, and distribution of information.

GIS (geographic information system)

Software that takes layers of information on maps and combines the information with various pieces of data. Uses include: finding what is nearby, routing information, sending information alerts, mapping densities, mapping quantities, and locating and targeting customers.

world in spatial terms

This element of geography uses maps and other geography tools and seeks to understand and analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on the earth's surface.

physical systems

This element of geography considers how the pattern of the earth's surface is shaped by physical processes, such as weather, water, and volcanic or earthquake activity. The study of the earth's ecosystems is also part of this element.

environment and society

This element explores the ways that human actions modify the physical environment. It also considers the effect that physical systems, such as landforms and weather, have on human systems. Additionally, this element covers the study of natural resources, including why they are important and how they are used and distributed.

places and regions

This element refers to the physical and human characteristics of places. It is the element that considers the ways that people create regions to interpret the earth's complexity as well as how people's experiences affect the way they see the world.

human systems

This element considers human aspects of geography, such as the characteristics of different populations or groups of people. It includes the study of how people are distributed on the earth and the reasons they live where they do. This aspect also includes the study of why people move from one place to another and looks at politics, cultures, and economics.

the uses of geography

This element uses geographic knowledge to interpret the past in order to understand the present and plan for the future.