Liberalism and its Origins (Vocab)

Question 1

political views that favour traditional values and ideas that favour free enterprise and private ownership

Answer 1

Conservatism

Question 2

political doctrine where protecting and enhancing individual freedom is the central focus of political and economic functions

Answer 2

Liberalism

Question 3

a system to characterize and classify different political positions in relation to one another

Answer 3

Political Spectrum

Question 4

citizens vote on issues instead of for candidates or parties

Answer 4

Direct democracy

Question 5

a governmental system in which power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of unelected people

Answer 5

Oligarchy

Question 6

a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power

Answer 6

Absolute Monarchy

Question 7

the great ‘Age of Reason’ – is the period of rigorous scientific, political, and philosophical discourse that characterized European society during the ‘long’ 18th century: from the late 17th century to the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.

Answer 7

The Enlightenment

Question 8

an economic system based on free markets, private ownership of the means of production, competition, wise consumers, and profit-motivated producers

Answer 8

Capitalism

Question 9

the belief that kings derived their authority from God and could not, therefore, be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority

Answer 9

Divine right of kings

Question 10

an economic system in which individuals are free to own property, produce goods, and buy or sell goods and services with little or no government interference; sometimes also referred to as capitalism, the market system, free enterprise, private enterprise

Answer 10

Free market system

Question 11

if what you are doing does not hurt anyone else, then you should be free to do it without government interference.

Answer 11

Harm principle

Question 12

in economics, the concept that individual self-interest and competition would regulate the economy.

Answer 12

Invisible hand

Question 13

an economic theory or system that advocates little or no government interference in the economic affairs of the people.

Answer 13

Laissez-faire

Question 14

an economic system that was characterized by efforts to restrict trade between nations, regulate economic activity, and accumulate gold bullion in the national treasury.

Answer 14

Mercantilism

Question 15

universal and inalienable rights held by all human beings (eg. in John Locke’s philosophy).

Answer 15

Natural rights

Question 16

one’s interest or advantage

Answer 16

Self-interest

Question 17

the process of monitoring your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours

Answer 17

Self-regulating

Question 18

people live together in society by an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behaviour

Answer 18

Social contract

Question 19

when the majority of the people pursues exclusively its objectives at the expense of those of the minority

Answer 19

Tyranny of the majority

Question 20

work done in/at home

Answer 20

Domestic system

Question 21

the stage of economic development during which the application of technology results in mass production and mass consumption within a country.

Answer 21

Industrialization

Question 22

newly wealthy

Answer 22

Nouveau riche

Question 23

an increase in the number of people residing in cities and an extension of urban boundaries to include areas that were previously rural

Answer 23

Urbanization

Question 24

Document outlining the fundamental rights available to all Canadian

Answer 24

Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Question 25

a legislative body formed of representatives of the people in a democracy

Answer 25

Parliament

Question 26

The idea that the “right” choice is the one that results in the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Answer 26

Utilitarianism

Question 27

a belief that the only time you should restrict someone’s rights is if they are going to harm somebody else

Answer 27

Harm Principle

Question 28

The right to freely vote in an election

Answer 28

Suffrage

Question 29

The idea that individual voices may be silenced because the majority of people disagree with those voices.

Answer 29

Tyranny of the Majority

Question 30

A form of government in which the rights and freedoms of individuals are guaranteed, including the right to vote for political leaders of their country.

Answer 30

Liberal Democracies

Question 31

organizations that try to improve working conditions for a group of workers.

Answer 31

Labour Unions

Question 32

An ideology developed over time to address concerns with the inequality and injustices created by capitalist society while remaining focused on individual rights.

Answer 32

Modern Liberalism

Question 33

A society in which government plays a large role in providing for the needs of its citizens through social programs, based on the principles of equality of opportunity and equitable distribution of wealth.

Answer 33

Welfare State

Question 34

For six weeks, from May 15 to June 26, more than 30,000 strikers brought economic activity to a standstill by walking out on a general strike in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Answer 34

Winnipeg General Strike (1919)

Question 35

a legislature that is comprised of two legislative "houses", both of which must approve a bill before it becomes law

Answer 35

Bicameral legislature

Question 36

a proposed law under consideration by the government

Answer 36

Bill

Question 37

in a parliamentary system, the term used to describe a situation where two or more rival parties agree to work together, combining the seats they have won in an election in order to have sufficient total seats to form the government

Answer 37

Coalition government

Question 38

develop and decide on proposals with the aim, or requirement, of acceptance by all

Answer 38

Consensus decision-making

Question 39

all people vote on all government decisions

Answer 39

Direct democracy

Question 40

the citizens within a population who are eligible to vote

Answer 40

Electorate

Question 41

the right to vote

Answer 41

Franchise

Question 42

represent the will of specific groups of people by influencing elected officials to vote on issues based on the groups' values and beliefs

Answer 42

Interest groups

Question 43

in a parliamentary system, the term used to describe a situation where the governing party has more than 50% of the available seats in the legislature

Answer 43

Majority government

Question 44

in a parliamentary system, the term used to describe a situation where the governing party has more seats than any other party in the legislature, but has less than 50% of the total seats

Answer 44

Minority government

Question 45

the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution

Answer 45

Plebiscite

Question 46

gains seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them

Answer 46

Proportional representation

Question 47

a political process by which the electorate, by way of a new election outside of the time frame of regular general elections, may reverse a previous decision to elect an individual to public office

Answer 47

Recall

Question 48

a direct vote by the electorate on an issue of importance

Answer 48

Referendum

Question 49

people vote for representatives who then make decisions on issues

Answer 49

Representative democracy

Question 50

a system under which individuals elected to government represent roughly similar numbers of citizens

Answer 50

Representation by population

Question 51

an electoral system in which the winning candidate is the one who receives the highest number of votes; also called first-past-the-post

Answer 51

Simple plurality system

Question 52

a system under which a single individual represents the citizens of a riding or constituency

Answer 52

Single member constituency

Question 53

the right to vote in political elections

Answer 53

Suffrage

Question 54

a system of laws that formally states people's rights and duties

Answer 54

Constitution

Question 55

the percentage of the total votes cast received by a candidate or a political party

Answer 55

Popular vote

Question 56

a liberal movement of the early 20th century that sought political, economic, and social reform in the United States.

Answer 56

Progressivism

Question 57

ensures that every area of legislation comes under one or both orders of government

Answer 57

Residual powers

Question 58

the provision that voters should be able to cast their ballot in private and that no other individual should know how they voted unless the voter wishes to inform them.

Answer 58

Secret ballot

Question 59

extreme individualism

Answer 59

Capitalism

Question 60

believe society must care for the needs of the entire population and thus control and plan the economy rather than leave it to external factors.

Answer 60

Collectivists

Question 61

extreme collectivism

Answer 61

Communism

Question 62

voluntary exchange and the laws of supply and demand provide the sole basis for the economic system, without government intervention

Answer 62

Free markets

Question 63

believe the individual must satisfy her or his own needs and should not rely on society for help and thus has a hands-off approach to the economy.

Answer 63

Individualists

Question 64

include government involvement in economic decision-making, yet they still maintain a citizen’s freedom

Answer 64

Mixed economies

Question 65

regulates the concentration of economic power to prevent companies from price colluding or creating monopolies.

Answer 65

Antitrust law

Question 66

a period of increased commercial activity within either a business, market, industry, or economy as a whole.

Answer 66

Boom

Question 67

a period during which economic growth decreases rapidly. During this time, inflation decreases, and in extreme cases, can give way to deflation. In addition, unemployment rises, income falls, and aggregate demand decreases.

Answer 67

Bust

Question 68

in economics, the concept that individual self-interest and competition would regulate the economy.

Answer 68

Invisible hand

Question 69

an economic theory or system that advocates little or no government interference in the economic affairs of the people.

Answer 69

Laissez-faire

Question 70

exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service

Answer 70

Monopoly

Question 71

a series of economic measures introduced by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression (1929 through the 1930s) which increased the role of the US government in the economy

Answer 71

New deal

Question 72

a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months

Answer 72

Recession

Question 73

the balance between items produced and items purchased

Answer 73

Supply and demand

Question 74

from the time a person is born until the person dies

Answer 74

Cradle to grave

Question 75

an economic system in which free-market principles are combined with some degree of government intervention, usually to regulate the industry, moderate the boom-and-bust nature of the free-market business cycle, and offer social welfare programs.

Answer 75

Mixed economy

Question 76

a system of taxation in which the more money a person makes, the more tax that person pays

Answer 76

Progressive taxation

Question 77

money people pay to the government. The government uses money from taxes to fund social programs for all Canadians

Answer 77

Subsidy

Question 78

the theory that the demand for goods and services drives economic activity

Answer 78

Demand Side Economics

Question 79

a political approach that favors free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending

Answer 79

Neoliberalism

Question 80

the part of economics concerned with large-scale or general economic factors, such as interest rates and national productivity.

Answer 80

Macroeconomics

Question 81

the part of economics concerned with single factors and the effects of individual decisions

Answer 81

Microeconomics

Question 82

the theory that maintains that decreasing taxes will increase the supply of goods and services for economic growth

Answer 82

Supply Side Economics