Civics (H) Ch. 1 Terms

Government

the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies

Force Theory

states that one person or a small group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that person's or group's rule

Evolutionary Theory

argues that the state evolved naturally out of the early family

Divine Right Theory

holds that God created the state and that God gives those of royal birth a "divine right" to rule

Social Contract Theory

argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people

Democracy

form of government in which supreme political authority rests with the people

Republic

form of government in which power is held by the people through the election of representatives

Autocracy

any system of government in which the power and authority to rule belongs to a single individual

Oligarchy

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

Communism

political theory in which the government plans and controls the economy and a single party holds power

Marxism

asserts that there will always be struggle between social classes, specifically between capitalists and workers in a society

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

Anarchy

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

Unitary Government

system in which all powers are held by a single, central agency

Confederate Government

system that has an alliance of independent states

Federal Government

system in which the powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments

Feudalism

a loosely organized system in which powerful lords divided their lands among other, lesser lords

Sovereignty

the utmost authority in decision making and maintaining order

Legitimacy

the belief of the people that a government has the right to make public policy

Mercantilism

an economic and political theory emphasizing money as the chief source of wealth to increase the absolute power of the monarchy and the nation