Chapter 1- Government Flashcards
What is the difference between power and authority?
Power- the ability to impose one’s will on another
Authority- the source of a government’s legitimacy
What are the two purposes for government?
Provide for wants and needs
Provide limits for people
Define law
Rules of action to which people are obligated
List four characteristics of a state
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government
What is sovereignty?
Supreme power within its own territory, neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority
Explain the origin of a state according to Divine Right theory
State created by God. Rulers given right to rule by God.
Explain the origin of a state according to Force theory
States exist because of human desire to be in power and dominate others
Explain the origin of a state according to Evolutionary theory
State evolves from families, tribes, clans
Explain the origin of a state according to Social Contract theory
People join together
Give authority of people to state
State serves interest of people
Which theory on the origin of states best explains the origin of the USA?
Social Contract
Describe where power is exercised from in a Unitary state
Power is centralized
Describe where power is exercised from in a Federal state
Power is divided
Describe where power is exercised from in a Confederate state
Power is decentralized
In which form of government is the chief executive chosen by the legislative branch, from their own membership?
Parliamentary
In which form of government are the chief executive and legislative branch chosen independently?
Presidential
In a parliamentary form of government, the chief executive is known as the ____ ______.
Prime Minister
In a presidential form of government, the chief executive is known as the ________.
President
In a parliamentary form of government, name three occasions when elections may be held
Regular schedule
“Vote of Confidence” where Parliament votes against Prime Minister
“Dissolve Government” where Prime Minister calls new election
In a presidential form of government, when are elections held?
Only regular schedule
Describe three characteristics of a government where few rule
Force is source of power Ruler responsible to few or none Government may have unlimited power Few/no rights Opposition suppressed/one party No meaningful elections
Describe three characteristics of a government where many rule
People are the source of power Ruler responsible to ruled Government has limited process Rights guaranteed Opposition encouraged Regular, competitive elections
How did Lincoln define democracy?
Of the people
By the people
For the people
What is a synonym for representative government?
Republic
Explain the principle of democracy: worth of the individual
Each person, regardless if wealth or position in society, must be recognized as a member of that society
Explain the principle of democracy: majority rule, minority rights
Any group that gains a majority of the votes rules, but they must allow the rest of the group to exist and offer alternatives and criticism
Explain the principle of democracy: necessity of compromise
All sides on an issue of public policy must work to achieve an agreement that does the most good for the most people
Explain the principle of democracy: equality of all persons
All persons should be treated the same in cases of law and opportunity for advancement
What is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies?
Government
Define government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
What are “rules of action to which people are obligated”?
Laws
What is supreme power within its own territory, neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority
Sovereignty
What is defined by population, territory, sovereignty, and government?
State
States were created by God, royalty was given right to rule by God describes which theory on the origin of states?
Divine Right
In which form of government may elections only be held at regularly scheduled intervals, since the executive and legislative branches are independent and coequal?
Presidential
States are born because of the human tendency to seek power and dominate others describes which theory on the origin of states?
Force
States evolved from families into tribes, then clans, then states describes which theory on the origin of states?
Evolutionary
What are “rules of action to which people are obligated”?
Law
Which theory on the origin of states says that the state is created by the people, that people voluntarily submit to rule of government they create, that people must give up certain freedoms,and that government rules to serve needs and wants of people?
Social Contract
Force is source of power, Ruler responsible to few or none, Government may have unlimited powers, Few/no rights, Opposition suppressed/one party system, No meaningful elections are characteristics of rule by the ___.
Few
People are source of power, Ruler responsible to ruled, Government has limited powers, Rights are guaranteed, Opposition is encouraged/multiparty system, Regular, competitive elections are characteristics of rule by the ____.
Many
Who defined representative democracy (or a republic) as “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”.
Lincoln
The basic principle of democracy that states that each person, regardless of wealth or position in society, must be recognized and respected by all of society as a member of society, is _____ __ ___ __________.
Worth of the individual
The basic principle of democracy that states that any group that can gain half plus one of the vote rules, but that they must allow the rest of the group to exist, and offer alternatives and criticism, is _________ ____, ___________ ______.
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
The basic principle of democracy that states that all people must be able to hold and practice their own beliefs within the limits of not violating the rights of others to also hold and practice their own beliefs, is _________ _______.
Individual freedom
The basic principle of democracy that states that all sides on an issue of public policy must work to achieve an agreement that does the most good for the most people, is _________ __ __________.
Necessity of Compromise
The basic principle of democracy that states that all people should be treated the same in cases of law and opportunity for advancement, is ______ __ ___ _______.
Equality of all persons
In which form of government may elections be held if the legislature loses confidence in the executive, if the executive loses confidence in the legislature, or at regularly scheduled intervals?
Parliamentary
Explain the principle of democracy: individual freedom
All persons must be able to hold and practice their own beliefs, within the limits of not violating the rights of others to also hold and practice their own beliefs
What is a government’s ability to impose its will on another through the capacity for force or influence?
Power
What is the term for the source of government’s legitimacy?
Authority
