Chapter 1 Flashcards
Authority
The command of the obedience of society’s members by a government
Legitimacy
The exercise of political power by common consensus through established institutions
Legitimate Authority
The legal and moral right of a government to rule over a specific population and control a specific territory
Order
Denoted by the structures, rules, rituals, procedures, and practices that make up the political system
Society
An aggregation of individuals who share a common identity
Social contract
An implicit agreement among individuals to form a civil society and accept certain moral
and political obligations essential to its preservation
Government
The persons and institutions that make and enforce rules or laws for the larger community
Scientific method
Seeking empirical answers to questions through a rigorous process of constructing research designs, collecting data, and using the objective tools of statistical analysis to test hypotheses
Country
Geographical location, place on a map
Politics
Involves governing, which in turn involves making decisions about rules and rulers
Power
Enforce laws, provide security, regulate the economy, conduct foreign policy or wage war
Republic
A form of government in which sovereignty resides in the people of that country, rather than
with the rulers
State
The sole repository of sovereignty
Sovereignty
Community with well-defined territorial boundaries administered by a single government capable of making and enforcing laws
Nation
Distinct group of people who share a common background
Nation-state
Geographically defined community administered by a government
Nation Building
Process of forming a common identity based on the notion of belonging to a political community separate and distinct from all others
Stateless Nation
Comprised of people who share a common identity but are scattered geographically
and have no homeland
Justice
Distribution of rewards and burdens in society in accordance with what is deserved, such as fairness
Political Literacy
Ability to think and speak intelligently about politics
Positivism
Philosophy of science that stresses observable, scientific facts as the sole basis of proof
and truth
Behaviorism
Approach to the study of politics that emphasizes fact-based evaluations of action
Normativism
Applying moral principles or norms to the problems of politics and government
Ticket splitting
Occurs when a voter votes for candidates from more than one party
