Vocabulary Flashcards
Adjudication
The formal process of hearing and settling a legal dispute
Administration
The process of putting public policy (as determined by a legislature) into effect through various executive branch agencies or bureaus
Agrarian Society
Any society that has agriculture as its primary economic basis. Citizens in an agrarian society derive their living either directly or indirectly from farming husbandry, fishing, trading in such goods or some combination thereof.
Anarchy
: Literally, no government. Refers to either 1) a case of unbridled chaos in a society, or 2) an ideology that believes it is possible to establish and maintain a completely free soceity
Associative Principle
The idea that political order can be achieved without the intrusive or coercive power of the state. Predicated on the propensity of citizens to organized themselves into private small-scale groupls whose members embody the spirit of political friendships and its attendant virtues and thereby well positioned to solve their own problems.
I.e “neighborbood watch” programs
Asymmentrical Warfare
A condition of war in which one side has an overwhelming advantage in conventional war making capability including such thins as troops takes guns fighter jets and so forth
Authority
The legitimate exercise of state powers
Bureaucracy
The adminstrave agencies of the state , taken collectively that executes policy trhough their own internal rule making power
Capitalism
A social and political condition in whic privately held investments capital derived from the profit that resutls from increase prodcutive effinicency. is protected by the state with the expectiation that such capital will yield over a time a growht of individual an collective wealth
Communisim (maxism)
an egalitarian and utopian ideology that envisions a totally collective economy in whihc private property and the atagonism it generates will cease to exist
Comparative Polititcs
Bracn of political sceince that uses cross nation and cross situational anaylsis to gain knowledge of political phenomena
Confederation
Alliance of sovereign states in which all agree to grant certain limited powers to a central government provid that such powers are conducive to the interest of the state
Conservation/Conservatism
An approach to government that emphasizes long-standing tradition and customs as guides to sounds politics, and recognizes the importance of private associative activity as protective of liberty and a buffer to the coercive power of the state. sometimes call traditional conservatives or paleo-conservatieves to distinguish from neo-conservatives, which despite the name are actually very different.
Constitution
The fundamental law of the state, from which all others derive their authority. The constitution defines and delimits the various departments of government and their just powers.
Democracy
Literally, “rule by the people.” Derived from the ancient Greek roots demos (uncivilized mob) and kratos (rule). Today the term refers to any form of government in which the seat of political authority rests with the people generally, rather than in a hereditary monarch, religious leader, landed property owners, or the like.
Economics
The production, distribution, and consumption of commodities, goods, and services.
Economist
An expert who will know tomorrow why things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today.
Egalitarian
Of or relating to the idea that all persons should share equally in economic or legal goods, with such equality to be brought about either voluntarily or (more often) by the coercive power of the state.
Epistemology
The study of how we know things
Ethics
Derived from the ancient Greek ethike, meaning “habitual action pertaining to good character.” Synonymous with morality or morals.
Executive
That function of the state involved in implementing the will of the legislature, and in some cases sharing in the making of public policy.
Fascism
An ideology that seeks to unify a nation through an authoritarian state and the mass mobilization of citizens toward that end. A fascist state is characterized by state control of the economy and associative activity, heightened nationalism, and convictions of national superiority. The term derives from the Italian word fasces, which was a symbol of national unity used by the ancient Romans on various instruments of state power (flags, weapons, etc.). The symbol depicted a bundle of sticks lashed to an axe. An example can be seen on the reverse side of an American dime minted between 1916 and 1945.
Federalism
A system of government in which power is shared between a central authority and the several constituent states which formed it.
Habeus Corpus
In the Anglo-American common law system – a writ from a court establishing the validity of an arrest, according to a specific statute and specific charge under that statute.
Happiness
Derived from the ancient Greek eudaimonia (literally, “good indwelling spirit”). In Aristotle’s terms, an experience of long-term contentment and satisfaction with a life well lived.
Ideology
A set of political convictions, often highly imaginative and utopian, concerning the best way to set up and organize the state and other aspects of the social order. Comes into usage only after the Industrial Revolution and its attendant social problems.
Industrial Society
A society that employs industry, manufacturing, commerce, and capital investment in such enterprises as its primary economic basis. Citizens in an industrial society make a living by specializing in some useful occupation or career that is determined by the law of maximum worker efficiency. It is thus a concrete example of advanced capitalism in practice. Of utmost concern in this society is the exploitation of resources (natural and human) for the production of goods and services that maximize physical comfort, convenience, and amusement. These goals are often at odds with more traditional conceptions of the common good, such as ethics, strong community bonds, humane interpersonal relations, family life, dignified labor, harmony with nature, and the like.
