slideshow definitions

Question 1

authoritarian government

Answer 1

one person/a groupd of people hold power over the whole country.

there can be fake or no elections and censored media

people often have little to no say in the government

they keep their power through the military force

Limited individual rights and freedoms

Rely on coercion (using threats, fear and intimidation) to ensure orderly behaviour

Question 2

dictatorship

Answer 2

One leader holds absolute power over
the state

Unrestricted power and control

Often have the support of the military

Question 3

monarchy

Answer 3

Power is passed down from kings and queens to
their children (hereditary)

Before the Magna Carta (Great Charter), monarchs had absolute power = His/Her word was LAW

Royal subjects accepted this because they
regarded their king or queen as God’s
representative on Earth

This was known as the “Divine Right of Kings”

Question 4

communism

Answer 4

Government owns all the means of
production (Castro’s Cuba, Soviet
Russia)

Goal is to establish an egalitarian
and classless society

Question 5

democracy

Answer 5

Two or more parties

Free press, media

Free, fair and frequent elections

Equal legal rights and freedoms

Minorities respected

Tolerate opposition and criticism

Elected representatives (MPs)

Question 6

elements of a democracy

Answer 6

Common Good

Rule of Law

Political Equality

Human Dignity

Political Freedoms

Personal Freedoms

Being Informed and Getting Involved

Respect

Question 7

common good

Answer 7

Democratic decisions are made for
the good of most of the people

Question 8

magna carta

Answer 8

Under threat of civil war, King John of England signs the Magna Carta in 1215, which proclaims the Rule of Law

Question 9

political equality

Answer 9

Every citizen has the same right to vote and run for office and
to speak on public issues

Question 10

human dignity

Answer 10

Democratic citizens should protect and uphold the dignity of
all people

Question 11

political freedoms

Answer 11

People can speak freely, form associations, run for office, and
vote without being intimidated

Question 12

being informed and getting involved

Answer 12

Democratic citizens should communicate openly and
participate individually and collectively in issues that shape their
community, country and world

Question 13

personal freedoms

Answer 13

People enjoy many personal freedoms such as freedom of
religion and freedom of expression

Question 14

respect

Answer 14

Democracy protects minorities

Although democracies favour the majority,
minorities are protected by the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms

Democracy encourages peace, respect and
tolerance in citizens

Question 15

past democracy

Answer 15

Democracy first emerged in Athens, Greece during
the 5th century BCE

It was a limited democracy because only free-born males
were allowed to participate

Question 16

direct democracy

Answer 16

All citizens could speak out and vote
on issues directly (i.e., present day Elections and
Referendums)

Question 17

representative democracy

Answer 17

– As states grew, this system
became difficult to maintain, so citizens began voting for
representatives to hold office and voice their interests

Question 18

Canada’s Form of Government

Answer 18

Parliamentary Democracy

A Constitutional Monarchy

Although the monarch is considered Canada’s
head of state, the Prime Minister, whose power
derives from elections, is head of the government

The constitution allocates the government’s power
to different branches: legislative, judicial and
executive

The monarch’s role is purely ceremonial and to
keep with tradition