Distributions of Power
A system where all key powers belong to a single central national government.
What is a Unitary system?
A system where political authority is derived from the people ("rule by the people").
What is a Democracy?
The government form where executive and legislative branches are separate, independent, and co-equal. (It's a system)
What is a Presidential system?
The four essential characteristics of a state (country).
What are Population, Territory, Sovereignty, and Government?
Type of democracy where citizens meet directly to vote on all public policy and laws.
What is a Direct (or Pure) Democracy?
A system where power is constitutionally divided and shared between national and state governments.
What is a Federal system?
A government ruled entirely by a single person with absolute power.
What is an Autocracy?
The government form where the chief executive is chosen from within the legislative branch.
What is a Parliamentary system?
Supreme and absolute power within a territory to make and enforce laws without higher control.
What is Sovereignty?
Type of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
What is a Representative Democracy (or Republic)?
An alliance of independent states with a weak central government.
What is a Confederal system (or Confederation)?
In an autocracy, citizens typically lack these basic protections guaranteed by democratic constitutions.
What are political rights (or civil liberties / free elections)?
The title usually held by the chief executive in a parliamentary system.
What is the Prime Minister?
Theory stating governments arose when individuals agreed to surrender some freedom to the state in exchange for protection.
What is the Social Contract Theory?
An authoritarian/totalitarian system where those in power hold absolute, unchallenged authority over the people.
What is a Dictatorship?
A major weakness of a confederal system during a national emergency.
What is the lack of central authority to enforce laws across states?
A government controlled by a small, self-appointed elite group.
What is an Oligarchy?
A key advantage a parliamentary system has over a presidential system during lawmaking.
What is faster lawmaking (fewer deadlocks/gridlocks between branches)?
Main purpose of the government outlined in the Preamble that guarantees domestic peace.
What is to Insure Domestic Tranquility?
The 3 core criteria political scientists use to classify all governments.
What are Who can participate, Geographic distribution of power, and Executive vs. Legislative relationship?
In this system, regional or local governments only have the powers that the central government chooses to give them.
What is a Unitary system?
How citizen participation differs in an oligarchy versus a democracy.
What is in an oligarchy, participation is restricted to a small elite, while in a democracy, participation is broad through voting.
A check on executive power unique to parliamentary systems when parliament loses trust in the leader.
What is a Vote of No Confidence?
Primary difference between divine right theory and social contract theory regarding government power.
What is the Divine Right claims power comes from God; Social Contract claims power comes from the consent of the governed.
Modern historical example of a direct democracy in ancient history. (Ancient)
What is Ancient Athens?