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Government > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

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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
Q

majority rule

A

rule of the majority, minority has rights

26
Q

anarchy

A

no government

27
Q

free enterprise

A

capitalism, US economic system

28
Q

Identify/Describe the characteristics of a state

A
  1. Population - the people
  2. Territory/Border - the land
  3. Sovereignity - Supreme 4. Power
29
Q

Identify/Describe the origins of state

A
  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
Q

Identify/Describe the forms of government

A
  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
Q

Identify/Describe the 6 purposes of government (Preamble)

A
  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
Q

Identify/Describe the 5 Basic elements/concepts of a democratic government

A
  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
Q

Identify/Describe the 4 fundamental ideas of free enterprise: (capitalism)

A
  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
Q

Identify/Describe fundamental ideas of socialism

A

Production, distribution, and exchange is owned and regulated by the community as a whole

35
Q

Identify the difference between a democracy and a republic

A

A democracy is ruled by the majority, whereas a republic is ruled by law

36
Q

Thomas Hobbs

A

an english philosopher that said Government is necessary to avoid “the war of every man against every man”

37
Q

John Locke

A

founder of the social contract theory

38
Q

How is feudalism different from popular sovereignty?

A

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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