Chapter 1 Flashcards
State
Political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized govt with power to make and enforce laws without approval from higher authority
Nation
Group of people united by bonds of race, language, custom, tradition, and sometimes religion
Nation state
A country in which the territory of both the nation and the state coincide
Consensus
An agreement about basic beliefs
Sovereignty
.supreme and absolute authority within territorial boundaries
Confederacy
A loose union of independent states
Constitution
A plan that provides rules for govt
Preamble
A statement in a constitution that sets forth the goals and purposes of govt
Politics
. The effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of govt
Political party
A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct govt, and determine public policy
Economics
The study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly unlimited wants with limited resources
Explain the four essential features of a state
Population-
Territory-
Sovereignty-
Govt-
What is govt
Institution that the state used to maintain social order, provide public services, and enforce decisions
What is the difference between theories
Evolutionary theory- govt came from family- patriarch
Force theory- people of area brought under force of one person
Divine theory- gods choose the ruler
Social contract- when the citizens give up some of their freedom in exchange for protection
List the four purposes of govt
Maintain social order, provide national security and defense, public services, and control economic system
What is the difference between a unitary system and a federal system?
What type does the us have?
Unitary- central govt has all power
Fed- divide power between national and state govt
Is has federal
3 purposes of a constitution
Set out ideals of the people
Established the structure and powers of govt
Supreme law for the country
Why are constitutions incomplete guides?
There is no way for it to list how govt really functions
It doesn’t always reflect the practice of govt
3 goals set out by the US constitution
Form a more perfect union
Establish justice
Ensure domestic tranquility
Why do people get involved in politics
To increase benefits to themselves without increasing the costs of govt to them
Why are politics important
To manage conflicts in society
Difference between industrialized nation and developing nation
Industrialized- 1st world countries, large industry, advanced technology, nicer standard of living
Developing- lower capita incomes, disease, starvation, turmoil, 3rd world countries
Basic structures of autocracies
Oligarchies
Democracies
A- one person rules, dictatorships and monarchies
O- group rules
D- people rule
Know the difference between govts discussed
Unitary- one central govt has all key powers
Federal- divides powers of govt between national and state govts
Autocracy- rule by one person (inheritance)
Oligarchy- rule by a few people (wealth, military, social position)
Democracy- rule is by the people
Direct democracy- people govern themselves by voting on issues as individuals
Representative democracy aka republic- people elect representatives to vote. Us has this
Capitalism- freedom of choice, private ownership, can profit
Communism- central govt controls all economic decisions, believed one economic class would evolve
Socialism- govt distributes wealth equally, makes all major decisions, owns all land
What type of govt does the US have?
Representative democracy
List the characteristics of democracy and conditions favorable to democracy
Characteristics- individual liberty, majority rule with minority rights, free elections, and competing political parties
Conditions- active citizen participation, favorable economy, widespread education, strong civil society, social consensus
Explain the difference between capitalism and socialism
C- lots of economic freedom, economy based on individual choices
A- govt makes economic decisions, controls and distributes wealth and production
What is a free market
Individuals make all economic decisions for buying and selling
Laissez -faire
Fact that govts should keep its hands of economics
Mixed market
Free to make economic decisions but govt regulates economy
US has this
How does govt influence a capitalistic economy
Try to prevent pollution, social security, regulate foreign trade
How does communism function?
Govt owns all means of production
Govt planners decide who’s, what’s and where’s of production
State owns everything
Hands down decisions to the people
