Unit 1 Foundations of Government Vocabulary Sovereignty ultimate

Unit 1 Foundations of Government Vocabulary:

�Sovereignty- ultimate, supreme power in a state. �Legitimacy- right and proper authority of government �Totalitarian-form of government with absolute control over everything.

�Anarchy-a state of lawlessness �Oligarchy-rule by a few small groups of people, usually military or economic elite �Monarchy-form of government exercised by a single ruler, such as king or queen, who claims absolute authority by divine or hereditary rights

�Divine Right-A monarch rules by sanction or approval of God. Power comes from God to the king, who has the right to do whatever he wants. �Majority Rule-decisions made by the majority �Democracy-rule by the people �Republic-an indirect form of democracy in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf

�Constitutional Monarchy-form of government in which there is a contractual agreement (or constitution) between a monarch and the people �Constitution- a plan for government (establishes 1. structure of gov’t 2. common beliefs 3. it is an incomplete guide) �Unitary System- gives all key power to the national or central government

�John Locke-Enlightenment thinker who believed government had a duty to protects its citizens’ life, liberty, and property. Influenced Declaration of Independence. �Baron de Montesquieu- Famous for theory of Separation of Powers, which has been implemented in many constitutions throughout the world, Montesquieu influenced the Constitution. �Jean-Jacques Rousseau-Wrote Social Contract. According to Rousseau, by joining together into civil society through the social contract, individuals can both preserve themselves and remain free. Influenced Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

�Voltaire-Enlightenment thinker famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil rights and liberties, including freedom of religion, speech, and free trade. Influenced Bill of Rights. �Niccolo Machiavelli- Machiavelli’s name is synonymous with tough and dirty politics. Author of The Prince. One of history’s first political scientists.

�Government- the institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions �State- a political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government �Power-the government’s authority to make and enforce policies and laws

�Policy-any decision made by government in pursuit of a particular goal �Politics-the process by which government makes and carries out decisions �Natural Law-a system of rules derived from the natural world. The Natural World provides a just and rational order to all things in the world.

�Social Contract Theory-a theory of society in which government is a contract between government and the governed to provide protection and support for the people. �Federal System- divides powers of government between national state and local levels �Confederal System- confederacy- a loose union of independent states �Dictatorship-form of government in which one person has claimed power and the right to rule by force

�Direct Democracy-a form of government in which citizens meet regularly to discuss and vote on laws �Parliamentary System-a form of government in which the chief executive is the leader whose party holds the most seats in the legislature