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Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

government

A

institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies

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2
Q

public policies

A

all the things a government decides to do

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3
Q

Legislative power

A

makes law - Congress

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4
Q

Executive power

A

enforce law - President

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5
Q

Judicial power

A

interprets law - Supreme Court

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6
Q

Constitution

A

fundamental laws established; principles of government - shared by 3 branches

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7
Q

dictatorship

A

rule by one person - not responsible to the will of the people

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8
Q

democracy (indirect and direct)

A

Rule of the majority
Indirect - through their representatives
Direct - through themselves

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9
Q

state

A

dominant political unit in the world

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10
Q

sovereign

A

supreme power

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11
Q

monarchy

A

rule by one person/state (king/queen)

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12
Q

oligarchy

A

rule by a small group of people

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13
Q

compromise

A

there are 2 sides to everything

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14
Q

citizen

A

one who holds certain rights and responsibilities within a state

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15
Q

authoritarian

A

state has all political power

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16
Q

totalitarian

A

state has total power over every aspect of the peoples’ lives

17
Q

republic

A

rule by law

18
Q

unitary government

A

power lies in the hands of a single central agency
ex. - Great Britain

19
Q

federal government

A

power shared equally by central and local agencies
ex. - USA

20
Q

confederate government

A

power to the local agencies only
ex. - Confederate States of America

21
Q

division of powers

A

legeslative, executive, judicial

22
Q

parliamentary government

A

executive is chosen and controlled by legislative branch

23
Q

presidential government

A

legislative/executive branches are independent and coequal

24
Q

confederation

A

a political union of sovereign states

25
majority rule
rule of the majority, minority has rights
26
anarchy
no government
27
free enterprise
capitalism, US economic system
28
Identify/Describe the characteristics of a state
1. Population - the people 2. Territory/Border - the land 3. Sovereignity - Supreme 4. Power
29
Identify/Describe the origins of state
1. Force Theory: Right to rule comes from coercion/strongest 2. Evolution Theory: Right to rule evolved over time; family-clan-tribe 3. Divine Right Theory: Right to rule is a god-given right (kings/queens used this) 4. Social Contract Theory: Contrat between people and government
30
Identify/Describe the forms of government
1. Dictatorship/Monarchy: Rule by one person 2. Oligarchy: Rule by one person 3. Theocracy: Rule by religious leaders 4. Democracy: Rule by majority 5. Republic: Rule by law 6. Anarchy: No government
31
Identify/Describe the 6 purposes of government (Preamble)
1. Form a more perfect union: strength in union 2. Establish justice: law must be reasonable, fair, impartial 3. Insure domestic tranquility: provide law and order at home 4. Provide for the common defense: defends against foreign enemies 5. promote the general wellfare: provide services (schools, post office, FDA, EPA) 6. secure the blessings of Liberty: guarantees freedom for the individual
32
Identify/Describe the 5 Basic elements/concepts of a democratic government
1. Equality of all persons: equal opportunity, equal before law 2. worth of the individual: we are separate and distinct beings 3. Majority rule, minority rights: the minority can become the majority, minority has rights 4. necessity of compromise: there are 2 sides to everything 5. Individual freedom: we have rights, but they are not complete
33
Identify/Describe the 4 fundamental ideas of free enterprise: (capitalism)
1. Private ownership: companies are owned by private families and individuals 2. Individual initiative: Individuals can do as they please 3. Profit: The desire to earn profit from businesses 4. Competition: The desire to do better than other businesses; invent new products, keep prices low, increase productivity
34
Identify/Describe fundamental ideas of socialism
Production, distribution, and exchange is owned and regulated by the community as a whole
35
Identify the difference between a democracy and a republic
A democracy is ruled by the majority, whereas a republic is ruled by law
36
Thomas Hobbs
an english philosopher that said Government is necessary to avoid "the war of every man against every man"
37
John Locke
founder of the social contract theory
38
How is feudalism different from popular sovereignty?
In feudalism, people are born into social classes and live to the will of the government In popular sovereignty the government rules to the will/consent of the people

Government (9 decks)

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