Unit 1: civics

Democratic: Everyone has a say or vote, but the final decision is made by what is most popular

Autocratic: one person decides for the whole group

Consensus: Group members discuss options and all must come to an agreement

Laissez faire: Everyone does what they need for themselves

Ideology: A set of beliefs and values on how society and government should be organized

Anarchy: when no one is in control

What is direct democracy? When the government asks citizens to vote directly on a specific question

What is indirect democracy? When Citizens elect representatives to decide the issue

What is a personally responsible citizen?

  • works + pay taxes

  • acts responsibly in his/her community

  • obeys laws

  • recycles, give blood

  • volunteers to lend a hand in time of crisis

What is a Participatory citizen?

  • active member of community organizations

  • organizes community efforts to care for those in need

  • knows how government agencies work

  • knows strategies for accomplishing collective tasks

* organizes food drive

What is a justice oriented citizen?

  • critically assesses social, politically, and economic struggles to see beyond surface causes

  • seeks out and addresses areas of injustice

  • knows about social movements and how to effect systematic change

*explores why people are hungry and acts to solve root causes

What are the forms of government?

Communism: in theory it promotes a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of property. Everyone is equal. Opposite of capitalism

Socialism: a form of government that has shared property and shared control of the system

Liberalism: a belief in individual freedoms (e.g in speech, thought, religion, etc) with a market economy (supply and demand with some government restrictions)

Conservation: government that favours tradition and gradual change, where tradition refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defines beliefs and customs

Capitalism: an economic and social system in which the means of production are privately owned

Theocracy: leadership and government is in support of the dominant religion in the state. Those who live in the country must abide by the demands of what political, and religious leaders demand

Fascism: government system that considers the individual less important than the state. Military or police strictly control lives of its citizens and their personal freedoms. Anti-communist

Monarchy: form of government where the right to lead is passed down by blood (hereditary)