Types of government Flashcards
What is a government?
The ruling authority for a community or society. Any organization with the power to make and enforce laws for its members.
What are 3 functions of government?
- Keep order: prevent conflicts; settle them when they occur
- Provide security: military and police
- Provide public services: keep public healthy and safe. Ex: fire departments, driver’s licenses, test water
What is the national government?
The government of an entire country. In the USA, the national government is also called the Federal Government.
Can be called National, Federal, or Central government
What is the state government?
The government of a specific region or area of a country; in the USA we call these states. Other countries call them provinces, prefects, regions, etc.
What is the local government?
The government of a small area, usually a county, city, or town.
What does the Legislative branch do?
Makes laws
-Ex: US Congress, NC General Assembly
What does the executive branch do?
Enforces laws
- President Barack Obama, Governor Pat McCrory
What does the Judicial branch do?
Interprets laws
- Courts
What is a democracy?
Government by the citizens/people
What is a direct democracy?
All citizens have the chance to vote for any law or action.
What is a representative democracy?
citizens elect people to represent them in making government decisions.
What is a monarchy?
a King or Queen controls the entire government and makes all decisions
What is a Constitutional monarchy?
the King or Queen shares power with a legislative body, often called Parliament
What is a dictatorship?
A government controlled by a single dictator
What is a totalitarian state?
A government where they prohibit all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high degree of control and regulation over public and private life.
What is an autocracy?
A single ruler completely controls the government and all decision-making. This person usually came to power by military force.
What is a Theocracy?
Government is controlled by religious leaders
What is an Oligarchy?
Government of the few; often a small group of wealthy nobles/aristocrats
What is Anarchy?
When there is no government and chaos reigns—usually a stepping stone until another form of government takes over
What is the Magna Carta?
In 1215, King John I was forced to sign a document called the Magna Carta which guaranteed certain rights to the citizens of England.
What are some rights covered by the Magna Carta that the U.S. have also adopted.
- Accused people are guaranteed a trial with a jury. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
- All citizens are guaranteed justice
- All citizens, regardless of class, must follow the same laws and will be punished in the same way if they break a law.
What are the principles of american democracy?
-Rule of Law: All people are bound by law.
-Limited Government: The government can only do the things that the people have given it power to do.
-Consent of the Governed: Popular Sovereignty; “The people rule”
-Individual Rights: even of those not popular with the majority, are protected by the government
-Representative Government: People elect leaders to make the laws and govern on their behalf.
What is the Parliament?
Originally a group of advisors to the monarch, the Parliament slowly took on more and more power. Today the Parliament has all powers of government in England.
What is the Glorious Revolution?
In 1688, Parliament forced the King out of power and installed his daughter and her husband (William and Mary) as the rulers of England. This event established the Parliament as stronger than the monarch.
What are important points of the English Bill of Rights and when was it passed.
Following the Glorious Revolution, the Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights. Important parts of the English Bill of Rights are 1) members of Parliament elected 2) no cruel and unusual punishment
What is common law?
A system of law based on customs and precedents
(Precedents: a decision or ruling in a court case which is used as a basis for similar cases.)
What was the Enlightenment period.
a time when people in Europe began to question the traditional ideas about government and power, and came up with new ideas about who should be involved in government.
Who was John Locke
The most important Enlightenment philosopher in the design of the government of the United States.
What are the natural rights?
The government should protect our natural rights; Life, Liberty, and property.
What is the social contract?
people in a society agree to give up some of their freedom in exchange for protection of their natural rights by a government
What did Montesquieu come up with?
Separation of Power; powers of government should be divided into branches
What did Rousseau say?
“All Men Are Created Equal”
