Government Flashcards
a government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
unitary system
a loose union of independent states
confederacy
a government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments
federal system
a plan that provides the rules for government
constitution
a government in which a constitution has authority to place clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who govern
constitutional government
controlling all aspects of citizens’ economic, political, and social lives
authoritarian
a system of government in which the government has total control
totalitarian
a system of government in which power is in the hands of one person who has total control
dictatorship
a system of government in which a small group holds power
oligarchy
a system of government in which a king, queen, or emperor exercises supreme powers of government
monarchy
government in which the people rule
democracy
a government in which voters hold sovereign power; elected representatives, responsible to the people, exercise that power
republic
the study of how people and nations use their limited resources to attempt to satisfy wants and needs
economics
an economic system in which private citizens own and use the factors of production in order to generate profits
capitalism
economic system in which buyers and sellers make free choices in the marketplace
free market
the opportunity to control one’s own economic decisions
free enterprise
the philosophy that government should keep its hands off the economy
laissez-faire
a system in which the government regulates private enterprise
mixed economy
an economic system in which the government owns the basic means of production, distributes the products and wages, and provides social services such as health care and welfare
socialism
a socialist who is committed to democracy but wants government involvement in the distribution of wealth
democratic socialist
an economic system in which the government controls the factors of production
command economy
capitalists who own the means of production
bourgeoisie
workers who produce the goods
proletariat
an economic system in which the factors of production are collectively owned and the central government directs all major economic decisions
communism
