Unit 1 government Flashcards
Government
the group of people and agencies entrusted with making and carrying out laws and policies agreed upon by the larger population
Legislative Power
the power to make laws
Executive power
the power to carry out laws
Judicial power
the power to settle arguments and decide the meaning of laws
Constitution
a plan for government
dictatorship
a person or small group of people ruling a country with total control
democracy
a form of government in which people hold the power
public policy
the laws and goals that government follows or pursues
state
a group of people, living in a defined territory, having a government with absolute power within its territory to decide its own policies
preamble
the beginning of the constitution that outlines the goals of government
unitary government
a system of government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
parliamentary government
A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of a prime minister and his or her cabinet and is part of the legislature
compromise
a settlement of differences in which each side gives up some of its demands
free enterprise system
system in which businesses are privately owned and operated with little government involvement
autocracy
a government in which one person holds unlimited political power
oligarchy
a government in which a small group of people hold unlimited political power
federal government
A form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments.
confederate government
a form of government in which several states join together for a common purpose
presidential government
a form of government in which the executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent, and coequal
majority rule
a belief that a majority will be just more often than it will be unjust
citizen
one who holds certain rights, duties, and responsibilities within a state
