government chapter 2

direct democracy

a democratic form of government in which citizens make public decisions, either in a popular assembly or through a popular vote

representative democracy

a democratic form of government in which elected representatives make public decisions on behalf of the citizens

constitutional democracy

a democratic government based on a written constitution

referendum process

a form of direct democracy in which citizens vote to approve or reject laws passed by a legislature

nazism

a form of totalitarianism and type of fascism, based in part on the myth of racial superiority

theocracy

a government headed by religious leaders

absolute monarchies

a government led by a hereditary ruler who claims unlimited powers

parliaments

a legislative assembly in which elected representatives debate and vote on proposed laws

vote of no confidence

a majority vote in parliament showing disapproval of a prime minister's performance; such a vote prompts new elections and a change of leadership

republic

a nation in which supreme power rests with the citizens and is exercised by their elected representatives

unitary system of government

a political system in which the constitution concentrates power in the national, or central, government

presidential democracies

a political system in which voters chose someone to lead the government as head of the executive branch

parliamentary democracies

a political system in which voters elect lawmakers to represent them; the elected lawmakers choose a prime minister to head the executive branch

free enterprise system

an economic system that relies on the profit motive, economic competition, and the forces of supply and demand to direct the production and distribution of goods and services

recall election

an electoral process through which citizens can vote an elected official out of office

ministries

an executive branch department, often in a parliamentary system

totalitarianism

an extreme form of authoritarian rule in which the state seeks to control every aspect of its citizens' lives

market

any place or situation in which people buy or sell goods and services

Growing dissatisfaction with selfish leaders which triggered a series of world-altering revolutions, first in Europe and then in the American colonies. The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Bloodless Revolution, led to the establishment of Europe's first constitutional monarchy. The American Revolution led to the creation of the first modern constitutional democracy. At first the French Revolution seemed likely to produce another constitutional democracy. Instead it took a radical turn and eventually collapsed into chaos. In time Napoleon Bonaparte restored order, but only by establishing an authoritarian regime. Some historians argue that Napoleon's approach to governing set the stage for rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century.

how did the age of revolutionaries take on a form of government through democracies and dictatorships?

command economy

an economic system that relies mainly on the central government to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them

elite

a small group of people within a larger group who have more power, wealth, or talent than the others

city-states

a sovereign area consisting of a city and its surrounding territory

traditional economy

a system in which decisions about what to produce and how are made on the basis of customs, beliefs, and traditions

dictatorships

a system of government in which a single person or group exercises supreme power by controlling the military and police

communism

a system of government in which a single political party controls both the government and the economy

monarchies

a system of government in which a single ruler exercises supreme power based on heredity or divine right

democracies

a system of government in which citizens exercise supreme power, acting either directly on their own or through elected representatives

constitutional monarchy

a system of government in which the powers of a king/queen are limited

authoritarian regime

a system of government in which the state exercises broad control over the lives of its citizens

market economy

a system that relies mainly on markets to determine what goods and services to produce and how to produce them

fascism

a totalitarian system in which businesses remain in private hands but under government contro

federal system of government

a type of government in which power is shared between the national government and smaller regional governments within the nation

despots

a tyrant or ruler with absolute powers

economic systems

a way of organizing the production and consumption of goods and services

supernational organizations

a world or regional group that is not tied to any one country

single party state

an area in which only one political party is allowed to rule under the constitution

feudalism

an economic and political system of the European Middle Ages in which landowners granted land to tenants in return for military assistance and other services

capitalism

an economic system in which individual investors privately own the means of production

socialism

an economic system that calls for public ownership of the means of production

mixed economies

an economic system that combines market forces with elements of a command economy

Over time, some farming villages grew into cities and city-states. Around 3000 B.C.E., the first city-states arose in Sumer, a region located in what is today southern Iraq. Gradually, power in many city-states became concentrated in the hands of a single ruler. The strongest of these rulers conquered neighboring city-states to create the world's first empires. Sargon of Akkad was one of Sumer's early conquerors.

how did the ancient world take on a form of government through city states and empires?

In parts of Europe once ruled by mighty Rome, the empire broke into tiny districts, each ruled by a duke, lord, king, or other noble. They began granting parcels of land, to tenants, who became vassals. In return, the tenant gave a promise of military assistance/services. Europe's parliaments developed from meetings of vassals summoned by a lord or king. The 1300s saw the rise of absolute monarchies, or governments headed by hereditary rulers who claimed unlimited powers. By the 1700s, several European countries had become nation-states headed by absolute monarchs. These all-powerful rulers based their legitimacy on the divine right of kings theory.

how did the middle ages take on a form of government through nation states and feudalism?

In a command economy, the government answers the three basic economic questions. In theory, a command economy has distinct advantages over a market economy. Central planners can ensure full employment by devising enough projects to absorb all members of the workforce. This ability, along with controls on prices, can bring stability to the economy. The core problem in a command economy is that government planners, no matter how well intentioned, are less efficient at making economic decisions than the market is.

how do command economies work?

dictators take and hold power by force. Dictatorships share some of the advantages of absolute monarchies. Power is centralized in the hands of a single military or political leader who can get things done efficiently. With control of the military and police, the leader can put an end to political unrest and maintain peace and order. That same power, however, can easily be used to abuse citizens who oppose the dictator's authoritarian regime. Dictatorships face serious legitimacy problems. (Muammar al-Gaddaf)

how do dictatorships work?

In a country with a market economy, individual producers and consumers answer the three basic economic questions. One advantage of a market system is its efficiency at meeting peoples' needs. One disadvantage of a market economy, some would argue, is its instability, and unequal distribution of wealth

how do market economies work?

the real world, most countries have mixed economies that fall somewhere in between those extremes. The United States has historically had a free-market economy. Yet the government plays a vital role in economic affairs.

how do mixed economies work?

Ideally, a single-party system avoids much of the political wrangling that is common in multiparty states, making it easier to pass laws and implement government policies. This party unity comes at a cost, however. The views of the party elite may be very different from the interests of the people as a whole, leading to social unrest. Also, people with differing political views or solutions to problems are often completely shut out of the political process. (vietnam)

how do single party states work?

Seven million Swiss live in a prosperous nation with a thriving market economy. With a literacy rate of 99 percent, the Swiss are among the world's best-educated people. They also enjoy one of the world's highest standards of living. South Sudan is an impoverished nation with a traditional economy. About a quarter of adults in South Sudan can read, and living standards are low. Switzerland has been independent much longer than South Sudan

how do the two newest members of the UN, south sudan and switzerland, differ?

Having a government based on one set of religious beliefs had clear benefits. A single, state-supported religion encouraged political and social unity. It also ensured that political decisions were in line with the people's moral values and beliefs. however, enforcing religious unity became increasingly difficult. Religious minorities were often marginalized or even persecuted. Religious warfare broke out as groups with differing beliefs fought for control of their governments. By 2007, only two theocracies existed in the world: Vatican City and Iran.

how do theocracies work?

In a society with a traditional economy, people rely on time-tested customs to answer the three fundamental economic questions. People in traditional economies provide for themselves n a traditional society, the production and distribution of food, clothing, and shelter is woven into the fabric of society. Economic activities do not need to be coordinated or regulated in any way by the government.

how do traditional economies work?

or monarchal government to have survived for thousands of years, it must have enduring attractions, such as efficiency, clear line of succession, and unifying power. however, the varying quality of hereditary leaders and difficulty of leading are drawbacks. Most monarchs today face rigid legal restrictions on their power, often imposed by a constitution.

how does a monarchy work?

In a parliamentary democracy, voters elect lawmakers to represent them in the nation's parliament. The legislative majority then selects a member of parliament to serve as the nation's prime minister, or chief executive. In a parliamentary democracy, there is no clear-cut separation between the executive and legislative branches of government. Prime ministers remain in power only so long as they have the support of parliament.

how does a parliamentary democracy work?

Voters in these countries choose a president to lead the government as the head of the executive branch. They also elect lawmakers to represent them in a national legislature. This system has some advantages over a parliamentary democracy. Because presidents are directly elected by the people, they may be more responsive to the public than to their party. They may also enjoy more legitimacy and public support than does a prime minister chosen by a parliament. This system does have several disadvantages when compared with a parliamentary one. First, it is almost impossible to remove presidents from power before their terms end, no matter how unpopular they might be.

how does a presidential democracy work?

In the fifth century B.C.E., the Greek city-state of Athens made a radical change in its form of government. The Athenians reorganized their city-state as a direct democracy. When Pericles spoke of government being in the hands of "the whole people," he meant in the hands of male citizens of Athens. In 509 B.C.E., the Roman people overthrew their monarchy and turned Rome into a republic. Over time, the Romans set up a representative democracy to govern their republic.

how were greece and rome early forms of people power?

confederal system of government

political system in which independent states form a nation but retain their power under a weak central government

factors of production

the basic resources required to make goods and services: land, labor, and capita

prime minister

the chief executive in a parliamentary democracy

coup d'etat

the sudden overthrow of a government by a small group of military officers or political leaders

land labor capitalism entrepreneurship

what are the four factors of production?

What goods and services should be produced? How should these goods and services be produced? How should the people share goods and services?

what are the three fundamental economic questions?

Among the members of the United Nations are countries with vastly different populations, forms of government, and economic systems.

what differs between countries within the united nations, and all countries overall?

When facing the question of who should have power to rule their nations, both answered, "the people."

what do all members of the UN have in common?

The American states first chose a confederal system because it offered two important advantages. It allowed the states to unite for some purposes without giving up the power to run their own affairs. This allowed for greater flexibility in meeting local needs. Within a few years, however, the states reconsidered their choice. The central government, they realized, was too weak to meet the needs of the nation as a whole. No nation-state is organized as a confederation today. However, some supranational organizations, such as the European Union (EU), are modeled on confederal systems.

where are confederal systems used?

A federal system of government is most likely to be adopted in large countries with diverse populations. The main advantage of such a system is the flexibility it gives regional governments in meeting the needs of different language and ethnic groups. The downside of this flexibility can be a patchwork of competing laws from region to region.

where are federal systems used?

Most nation-states have unitary systems. The main advantage of this system is that it promotes national unity by having all parts of a country follow the same laws and policies. However, most unitary nations have discovered that too much centralization is not good in practice. Policies that fit one region of the country may not work as well in another.

where is a unitary system used?