Forms of Government (Definitions)

Question 1

oligarchy

Answer 1

government by a small exclusive class.

Question 2

autocracy

Answer 2

absolute government by one man; despotism

Question 3

plutocracy

Answer 3

government by the wealthy; a ruling body/class of rich people

Question 4

aristocracy

Answer 4

government by a privileged class; the nobility; the upper classes generally

Question 5

parliament

Answer 5

a meeting for deliberation, a legislative body

Question 6

franchise

Answer 6

the right of voting for a member of parliament

Question 7

democracy

Answer 7

a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people collectively

Question 8

bill

Answer 8

a planned law put before parliament with the intention that it becomes a law of the land

Question 9

act

Answer 9

a bill that has been passed by parliament and signed into law by the head of state

Question 10

statute

Answer 10

another word for act

Question 11

amendment

Answer 11

a change to a bill before it is voted upon, or a change to an existing act

Question 12

constituency

Answer 12

a general term for ‘supporters’ but otherwise the geographical area that elects a member of parliament

Question 13

by-election

Answer 13

an election for a member of parliament in a constituency; at the same time elections do not take place in other constituencies

Question 14

general election

Answer 14

an election of all members of parliament at one time, usually according to requirements in law

Question 15

referendum

Answer 15

the principle/practice of submitting a question directly to the vote of the entire electorate

Question 16

plebiscite

Answer 16

a direct vote of the whole nation, or of the people of a district, on a special point

Question 17

junta

Answer 17

a body of people joined/united for the purpose of running a country, a council of such people

Question 18

cabal

Answer 18

a small party (that could be advising a ruler) united for some secret design, a conspiracy possibly

Question 19

coup d’etat

Answer 19

a sudden or violent change in government; government is taken by force and not elected

Question 20

federation

Answer 20

territories unite to form a bigger country, but the individual territories retain significant powers and independance

Question 21

union

Answer 21

territories unite to form a bigger country but the individual territories surrender all significant powers to the central government

Question 22

head of state

Answer 22

the person who is the most senior in the land; may be a figure-head ruler with nominal power only

Question 23

head of government

Answer 23

the person who heads the government in a state which separately has a figurehead head of state

Question 24

republic

Answer 24

the form of state which has a government without a monarch, in which the supreme power is vested in the people and their elected representatives but the hereditary principle is not followed; the head of state is usually a president

Question 25

monarchy

Answer 25

a kingdom; the form of state which has a government with a monarch

Question 26

constitutional monarchy

Answer 26

a form of government in which the hereditary principle applies for the head of state; the powers of the monarch are strictly limited according to law and the parliaments are democratically elected

Question 27

absolute monarchy

Answer 27

a form of government in which the head of state is decided by the hereditary principle and is the sole authority; there may be an elected parliament but it is entirely subservient to the monarch

Question 28

colony

Answer 28

a body of persons who form a fixed settlement on another land authority belongs to the ‘home’ or ‘mother’ country

Question 29

dominion

Answer 29

a territory with one ruler or government; a former colony or group of colonies that is freely associated with the mother country

Question 30

judiciary

Answer 30

the judges and courts of law

Question 31

one-party state

Answer 31

government is controlled by one political party only and other political parties are banned (obviously this is different to a state which allows many political parties to operate freely but only one has been chosen by the voters)

Question 32

multi-party democracy

Answer 32

state in which many political parties are allowed freely to try to win the support of the electorate at a general election

Question 33

dictatorship

Answer 33

government by one absolute, overbearing authority often centered in the person of the leader

Question 34

authoritarian rule

Answer 34

state in which authority is set above liberties