Unit 1 - Political(Forms of Government) and Economic Systems

Parliament

A body of representatives that makes laws for a nation

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Dictatorship

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Democracy

A government controlled by its citizens, either directly or through representatives.

Theocracy

A government controlled by religious leaders

Conservative

A person who believes government power, particularly in the economy, should be limited in order to maximize individual freedom.

Socialism

A political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Fascism

A political system headed by a dictator that calls for extreme nationalism and racism and no tolerance of opposition

Communism

A political system in which the government owns all property and dominates all aspects of life in a country.

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Autocracy

A system of government in which the power to rule is in the hands of a single individual

Political Spectrum

A way of showing tendences for political beliefs, where people who want change are on the left (liberal) and people who want to stay the same are on the right (conservative). Most people are towards the middle.

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

Anarchy

Absence of law or government; chaos, disorder

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of capital

Command Economy

An economic system in which the government controls a country's economy.

Mixed Economy

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion.

Oligarchy

In an oligarchy political power is held by a small group of people.

Moderate

Person whose views are between conservative and liberal and may include some of both ideologies

Pure Capitalism

an economic system characterized by the private ownership of resources and the use of prices to coordinate economic activity in unregulated markets

Liberal

tolerant or broad-minded; generous or lavish