Key Terms Flashcards
Soverignty
Ultimate political power- having the final say.
Republic
From Latin res publica, the “public thing”, when citizens of the political state govern themselves rather than submit to a monarchy, despot, or oligarchy.
Republican Problem
The question of how the benefits of self-government can be enjoyed without incurring its inherent problems.
European Enlightenment
18th century philosophical movement that proposed individual self-interest, rather than Greek virtue or Christian humility, as the motivating factor in human behavior
Constitutional Mechanisms
Parts of the Constitution that help organize and control power.
Constitutional Structure
The nature and arrangement of mechanism in a constitution that organize the government.
Auxiliary Precautions
Structure in the government to make it more difficult for power to become concentrated in any one groups hands, seen by the founders as backup system to virtue
Constitutional Drift
When power in the government does not remain where it was originally placed.
Confederation
Defensive alliance among sovereign equals
Bicameral Legislation
A legislature in which there are two separate divisions or houses
Proportional Representation
Party representation in the legislative body is closely tied to the national or regional vote of that party.
Federalism
The dividing of powers between the national and state governments
Hume’s filter/indirect election
When the people select the most virtuous representatives, who in turn select even more virtuous government officials
Separation of Powers
Dividing powers of government between the separate branches.
Checks and Balance
Bridging the separation of powers between branches of government by placing part of each power within two separate branches.
Counterpoise
A force, influence, or weight that counter-balances another, e.g., the roles of the prosecutor and defense attorney in a trial.
Federalists
A political group that was for the ratification of the Constitution, later used to describe members of the Federalist party
Anti-Federalist
Political group that was against the ratification of the Constitution.
The Federalist
Series of essays published in New York newspapers under the pseudonym Publius for the express purpose of gaining support for ratification of the Constitution. Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
Natural Rights
Fundamental rights granted by mature that government cannot abrogate and which government was bound to protect.
Civil Rights
Rights defined using narrow, concrete language, full of specific terms and qualifiers.
