Capitalism - an economic system in which natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are privately owned
Government - a formal organization that directs the political life of a society
Socialism - an economic system in which natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are collectively owned
Political economy - the closely linked economic and political life of a nation or world region
Democracy - a political system in which power is exercised by the people as a whole
Authoritarianism - a political system that denies popular participation in government
Monarchy - a political system in which a single family rules from generation to generation
Corporations - businesses with legal existence, including rights and liabilities, separate from that of their members
Monopoly - the domination of an entire market by a single company
Oligopoly - the domination of the market by a few companies
Conglomerate - a giant cooperation composed of many smaller companies
Interlocking directorates - social networks made up of people who serve as directors of several companies at the same time
Special interest groups - political alliances of people interested in the same economic or social issue
Lobbying - the efforts of special interest groups and their representatives to influence government officials
Political action committees - organizations formed by special interest groups to spend and raise money in support of political goals
Gender gap - the tendency for women and men to hold different opinions about certain issues and to support different candidates
Welfare state - a range of government policies and programs that transfer wealth from the rich to the poor and provide benefits to needy members of society
Karl Marx - created socialism
1890 - Sherman Trust Act, passed by congress
2002 - Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
1870 - Fifteenth Amendment African American men can vote
1920 - Nineteenth Amendment- Women can vote
1971 - Twenty-Sixth Amendment, lowered voting age from twenty-one to 18
2016 - Virginia reinstated voting rights for felons