AP World History - Government Flashcards

4787319890	Anarchy	a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority	0
4787322878	Commonwealth	a nation, state, or other political entity founded on a law and united by a compact of the people for the common good	1
4787369081	Communism	a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people. i.e. a classless society	2
4787386047	Confederacy (Confederation)	a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government	3
4787398413	Constitutional	a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government	4
4787411115	Constitutional Democracy	a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution	5
4787425449	Constitutional Monarchy	a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or custom	6
4787430756	Democracy	a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed	7
4787440935	Democratic Republic	a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them	8
4787447024	Dictatorship	a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Also a system in which the citizens do not possess the right to choose their own leaders	9
4787455042	Ecclesiastical	a government administrated by a church	10
4787457494	Empire	a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially one having an emperor as chief of state	11
4787466801	Federal (Federative)	a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon individuals as well as upon the regional units	12
4787493507	Federal Republic	a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who choose their government representatives	13
4787508142	Maoism	the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people	14
4787518810	Marxism	the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat", to finally, a classless society - communism	15
4787544669	Marxism-Leninism	an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries	16
4787556065	Monarchy	a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life or by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king or queen or prince - with constitutionally limited authority	17
4787569023	Oligarchy	a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power	18
4787576301	Parliamentary Democracy	a political system in which the legislature (Parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament	19
4787599720	Parliamentary Government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government)	a government in which members of the executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function	20
4787620527	Parliamentary Monarchy	a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e. the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head (a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) who are drawn from a legislature (parliament)	21
4787644839	Republic	a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation	22
4787644840	State	a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory; one that is sovereign	23
4787647031	Socialism	a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite	24
4787647032	Sultanate	similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority	25
4787648328	Theocracy	a form of government in which a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the deity's laws are interpreted be ecclesiastical authorities. a government subject to religious authority	26
4787648329	Totalitarian	a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population	27