Government Basics
What is the definition of government?
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
What was a central feature of Athenian democracy?
An Assembly open to all male citizens at least 18 years old
What does Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ quote about swinging a fist mean?
Rights cannot endanger others
How is the U.S. a representative democracy?
Citizens elect groups to make laws and policies for them
What is the Divine Right of Kings?
The belief that monarchs derive their authority from God.
What are the three basic powers a government must have?
Legislative, executive, and judicial powers
What did the Roman Republic introduce to governance?
The concept of representation
According to Theodore Roosevelt, what is a good citizen’s duty?
To accept the duties and responsibilities of living in a free society.
What is the primary feature of a direct democracy?
Citizens participate directly in decision-making processes
What is John Locke’s contribution to political theory?
Government by consent of the governed/Natural Rights (life, liberty, and property)
What are public policies?
Everything a government decides to do
How did the Black Plague contribute to the fall of feudalism?
Reduced the labor force, increasing workers' value and shifting economies toward trade
What is the relationship between democracy and free enterprise?
The government protects the public while preserving private enterprise
What is the difference between a federal and a unitary government?
Federal governments divide power between central and local governments; unitary governments centralize power.
Which theory best explains the origin of feudalism?
Force Theory
What happens to a state without sovereignty?
It cannot make its own foreign policies
How did mercantilism strengthen monarchies?
Monarchs taxed trade and established colonies, increasing wealth and political strength
What is the principle of majority rule with minority rights?
Decisions are made by the majority, but the rights of minority groups are protected
How does a parliamentary chief executive differ from a presidential one?
A prime minister is part of both legislative and executive branches, while a president is not.
The idea that government evolved naturally out of the early family unit.
Evolutionary Theory
What is a legitimate government?
A government accepted by its people and other governments as the sovereign authority of a nation
What was the purpose of the Magna Carta in 1215?
To limit the powers of the king and establish that even the monarch was subject to the law
How does civic participation strengthen a democracy?
Active involvement by citizens ensures accountability and representation in government
What is a defining feature of autocracy?
Rule by one individual
The idea that individuals form governments to protect their safety and well-being by giving up some power.
social contract theory