GOVERNMENT VOCABULARY WORDS
Terms
Definitions
government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
public policy
All those things a government decides to do
legislative power
The power to make law and frame public policy
executive power
The power to execute, enforce, and administer law
judicial power
The power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that
arise within the society
constitution
The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a
government
dictatorship
A form of government in which a single person or a small group has absolute power
and authority
democracy
A form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people
state
A body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the power to
make and enforce law without consent of any higher authority
sovereign
Having supreme power within its own territory; neither subordinate nor responsible to
any other authority
autocracy
A government in which a single person holds unlimited political power
oligarchy
A government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite
unitary
All powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency
federal
A form of government in which the powers are divided between a central government
and several local governments
confederation
presidential
An alliance of independent states
A form of government in which the executive and legislative branches are separate,
independent, and coequal
parliamentary
A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of a prime minister, or
premier, and that official's cabinet
compromise
An adjustment of opposing principles or systems by modifying some aspect of each
mixed economy
An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable
amount of government regulation and promotion
free enterprise
An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods;
and determined in a free market
checks and
balances
a system in which each branch of government has some power over the others
collective action
problem
a situation in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to
produce some outcome, but each individual is better off refusing to cooperate
and reaping benefits from those who do the work
conservative
one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for lower taxes, a free
market, and a more limited government; generally associated with Republicans
culture wars
political conflict in the united states between "red-state" Americans who tend to
have strong religious beliefs and "blue- state" Americans who tend to be more
secular
economic
individualism
the autonomy of individuals to manage their own financial decisions without
government interference
factions
groups of like- minded people who try to influence government. American
government is set up to avoid domination by any one of these groups
federalism
the division of power across the local, state and national levels of government
free market
an economic system based on competition among businesses without
government interference
free rider
problems
the incentive to benefit from others' work without making a contribution, which
leads individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together
government
the system for implementing decisions made through the political process
ideology
a cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political
world
liberal
one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government
programs and more market regulation; generally associate with the Democrats
libertarians
those who prefer very limited government and therefore tend to be conservative
on issues such as welfare policy, environmental policy, and public support for
education, but liberal on issues of personal liberty such as free speech, abortion,
and the legalization of drugs
melting pot
the idea that as different racial and ethnic groups come to America, they should
assimilate into American culture, leaving their native languages, customs and
traditions behind
politics
the process that determines what government does
positive
externalities
benefits created by a public good that are shared by the primary consumer of the
good and by society more generally
public goods
services, or actions, that once provided to one person, become available to
everyone. Government is typically needed to provide public goods because they
will be under-produced by the free market
redistributive tax
policies
policies, generally favored by democratic politicians, that use taxation to attempt
to create greater social equality
separation of
powers
the division of government powers across the judicial, executive, and legislative
branches