Unit 1 Terms Flashcards
What is politics?
The process of influencing the actions and policies of government
What are the natural rights referred in the declaration of indepence?
The right to life, liberty, and property that the government cannot take away
What is the social contract?
A contract in which people allow their government to rule over them to ensure order and function in a society.
What is the idea of popular sovereignty?
The idea that the government right to rule comes from the people
Republicanism (not political party)
A system in which the government’s authority comes from the people.
Participatory Democracy
The theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government.
Civil Society Groups
Independent associations outside the government control
Pluralist Theory of Democracy
The theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in policymaking process. Political power rests with competing interest with no one dominating.
Autocracy
A type of government in which one person rules with unlimited power.
Direct Democracy is?
Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly
Majority Rule
Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority
Representative Democracy
Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.
Limited Government
Government power is restricted or limited by law, usually in a written constitution.
