U.S GOV

John Locke - John Locke was a British philosopher whose ideas about politics and human nature had a tremendous influence on the founders of the United States government. Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government, which said that people are born with natural rights that are given to them by God and cannot be taken away. These include the rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke also described a social contract between people and their rulers. He said that governments have an obligation to protect people’s natural rights and that citizens have an obligation to follow the laws created by their government. If a government breaks that contract, and does not protect citizens’ rights, the people have a right to overthrow the government.  Many believe that Thomas Jefferson used Locke’s ideas when writing the Declaration of Independence.

Democracy - A democracy is a government in which the people have the power to make political decisions.

Unitary - A unitary government places its political power in a single central government. The central government may choose to delegate some of its powers and responsibilities to smaller political units. However, it officially holds power and makes most or all important decisions. Unitary governments may be representative democracies. In fact, most representative governments worldwide use unitary systems.

Parliamentary - The parliamentary system of government places most power in the legislative branch. The legislature, often called a parliament, chooses a prime minister, chancellor, or premier to act as the head of the government. This person comes from the ranks of the legislature and normally represents its largest political party.

Federal - A federal system of government is one in which a nation’s powers are divided between a central government and the governments of individual states. Usually a constitution spells out the powers of the central and state governments.

Authoritarian - The term authoritarian is used most often to refer to governments in which power rests in the hands of a few elites. These elites have no constitutional responsibilities to the people they govern. Authoritarian governments are often ruled by dictators and are usually filled with corruption.

Direct Democracy - Direct democracy is a form of government in which all people, or all citizens, come together to pass laws and make decisions for their communities.

Executive Branch - The executive branch of government is in charge of putting the policies of a nation or state into effect. This branch may include a president, a chancellor, a prime minister, or a governor. In different nations, the executive branch holds different responsibilities. It may command a nation’s armed forces, appoint judges to courts, carry out laws, or even help pass laws.

Confederate - A confederate system of government unites numerous smaller independent states into a loose alliance. In a confederacy, the central government has limited powers. Authority instead rests with the states that created the central government. As a result, the central government is weak and the smaller states’ governments are strong.

Authority - Authority refers to the power exercised by one person or group over another. Specifically, it connotes a legitimate power supported by law, moral code, family obligation, or group affiliation. Within human societies, systems of authority are complex. It is the need for a legitimate system of authority within civilization that leads to the establishment of government.

Preamble - A preamble is an introduction to a formal document, such as a treaty or a constitution. Often, a preamble states the purpose of that document.  The preamble to the U.S. Constitution, written in 1787, begins with the words “We the people,” which refer to the fact that the power of the U.S. government comes from its citizens.

Sovereign - A sovereign person, group, or government is one that has the independent authority to make its own policies and decisions. Being sovereign means that it does not need to answer to another authority or set of rules.

Oligarchy - An oligarchy is a type of government in which a relatively small number of people rule a nation or a state. That small group is often privileged and corrupt. At times the term has been compared to an aristocracy, in which a small group of people of the highest social class rule.

Legislative Branch - The term legislative is related to laws and legal issues. It is the name of the branch of government that is responsible for making laws in a nation or state.

State - A state is a defined territory with a self-ruling government.

Thomas Hobbes - Thomas Hobbes was a British political scientist. He believed that people were driven by their own self-interests and not by the general good. In 1651, Hobbes published Leviathan, in which he discussed the need for what he called a social contract. Under this contract, people would give up their natural rights in exchange for law and order. 

Government - Government comprises the processes, officials, and bodies that manage a society. Government occurs in tribes and clans, in towns and cities, in states, and in nations. Governments exercise various powers to preserve the society. Government provides a framework for people to interact with one another in legitimate, or lawful, ways. Human civilization created government out of a need for such regulation. Government systems help protect human societies, maintain order within societies, and pursue prosperity for societies.

Dictatorship - A dictatorship is a form of government in which a single person or a small group of people have absolute power. Most dictators use force to gain power, although some have been elected by citizens who did not expect they would completely take over the government.

Representative Democracy - A representative democracy is a republican system of government in which citizens choose leaders to work on their behalf. Citizens normally choose these leaders by voting in elections.

Presidential - A presidential system of government is one in which the legislative and executive branches are separate. In a presidential government, the president serves as the head of the nation-state’s executive branch. Unlike in a parliamentary system, the president is chosen by a group other than the legislature.

Totalitarian - A totalitarian government is one in which the rulers have total power and the people have practically no freedom. In these types of governments, rulers try to control all aspects of people’s lives, usually through violence and fear.

Monarchy - A monarchy is a form of government in which a single person, called a monarch, functions as the head of state. A person becomes the monarch through heredity. Succession usually passes from father to son.

Limited Government - A limited government is one in which voters, as well as a carefully crafted constitution, play a part in checking, or limiting, the government's power. 

Mayflower Compact - The Mayflower Compact was a document drawn up by the Pilgrims who sailed to Plymouth on the Mayflower. Those who signed the document agreed that they would form a government and follow any laws that were agreed upon for the “general good of the colony.” The Mayflower Compact created a framework for government in the American colonies. It established the idea of self-government for the new colonists in Plymouth. The idea that the colonists should have a role in creating their government is an important part of the American democratic tradition.

Consent of the Governed - Consent of the governed is a phrase in the Declaration of Independence that describes an important principle in U.S. government. The principle is that the power of legitimate governments should come from the consent, or permission, of the people who are ruled by that government.

Rule of Law - The rule of law is a method of governing. It is based on three distinct principles. First, a citizen can only be prosecuted for an act that is clearly defined by law. Second, no individual, government agency, or corporate entity is above the law. Third, laws must be based on universally understood principles of fairness, morality, and justice.

Common Sense - Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet Common Sense in 1776, which was immensely popular among the colonists. Paine used clear, simple language to present a convincing argument for independence. Common Sense persuaded many people that it was time to declare independence from Great Britain.