Chapter 2-3 Vocabulary Flashcards
Democracy
A system of government in which citizens exercise supreme power, acting either directly on their own or through elected representatives
Monarchy
A system of government in which a single ruler exercises supreme power based on heredity or divine right. In a monarchy, the right to rule passes from one generation of the ruling family to the next
Dictatorship
A system of government in which a single person or group exercises supreme power by controlling the military and police
Market Economy
An economic system that relies ,Ainsley on markets to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them
Traditional Economy
An economic system in which decisions about what to produce and how are made on the basis of customs, beliefs, and tradition
Republic
A nation in which supreme power rests with the citizens and is exercised by their elected representatives
Parliament
A legislative assembly in which elected representatives debate and vote on proposed laws. The name comes from the French term parler, meaning to “to talk”
Command Economy
An economic system that relies mainly on the central government to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them
Representative Government
A political system in which power is exercised by elected leaders who work in the interests of the people
Rule Of Law
The principle that government is based on clear and fairly enforced laws and that no one is above the law
Limited Government
A political system in which the powers exercised by the government are restricted, usually by a written constitution
Individual Rights
The Rights and liberties that can be claimed by individuals by virtue of being human. Such rights are also sometimes referred to as natural rights or human rights
Separation of Powers
The idea that the powers of a government should be split between two or more strongly independent branches to prevent any one person or group from gaining too much power
Popular Sovereignty
The principle that the people are the ultimate source of the authority and legitimacy of a government
Constitutionalism
The belief that governments should operate according to an agreed set of principals, which are usually spelled out in a written constitution