American Government Terms

Absolute Monarchy

• One ruler

Amendment

• Change for improvement

Anarchy

• Absence of government

Apportionment

• Divide among

Appropriate

• Set aside for a particular purpose

Aristocracy

• Government by the elite class

Bicameral

• 2-house legislature

Bill of Rights

• 1st 10 amendments of the US Constitution

Bipartisan

• Involving both political parties

Bureaucracy

• 16,000,000+ government employees, non-elective jobs

Cabinet

• Presidential advisors; 15 posts in Federal government; appointed by the Pres.

Capitalism

• Economic system where individuals own means of production

Caucus

• Political party meeting

Chauvinism

• Extreme patriotism

Checks and Balances

• One branch checks the other 2

Coalition

• More than 2 political parties

Communism

• Absence of classes, common ownership of property, equal distribution of wealth

Concur

• To agree

Conflict of Interest

• Situation where individuals could profit by his/her political decisions

Conservative

• One who favors the status quo, favors no change

Constitution

• System of fundamental laws; defines and limits government

Constitutional/limited monarchy

• Powers of monarch are restricted by constitution or laws

Defer

• To put off

Deficit

• Spending more money than has been taken in

Deflation

• Decrease in purchasing power of the dollar

Democracy

• One person= one vote

Depression

• Serve downturn of the economy

Dictatorship

• Absolute power is with one person

Diplomacy

• Art or practice of conduction international relations

Due Process of Law

• Notifying a person of his/her rights

Economy

• System that makes the decisions regarding who gets what and how much

Engrossed

• Final writing of a bill

Equality

• Everyone is on the same status

Federalism

• Division of power between federal and state government

Filibuster

• Delay of voting by senators

Fiscal

• Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 > year in which the federal government takes in money and spends money

Freedom

• Liberty; free of restrains

Germane

• Pertaining to an issue under discussion

Gerrymandering

• Reapportionment of Congressional districts to favor a particular political party

Hierarchy

• A group organized by rank, capacity, or authority

Inflation

• Abnormal increase in available currency and credit beyond the proportion of available goods, resulting in a sharp and continuing rise in price levels

Inherent

• Idea that is contained within words or definition and is not immediately apparent

Isolationism

• Noninvolvement with other nations

Judiciary

• Branch of government that interprets law

Jurisdiction

• Having authority over

Laissez faire

• Government stays out of business

Law

• Rules for group to abide by

Legislative

• Branch of government that makes the laws

Liaison

• Go between

Liberal

• One who wants change

Log-rolling

• Trading of influence or votes in exchange for political favors

Majority

• Over 50%

Monarchy

• Ruler who inherits power

National interest

• Issue affecting national security

Nationalism

• Love of country, loyalty to country; desire to have own country/autonomy

Negotiation

• Working out differences by compromise

Oligarchy

• Rule by a few/small group

Parliamentary

• Form of government where executive leader is a member of the legislature

Party

• Political organization; promotes and supports principals and candidate

Patronage

• Awarding of government jobs or contracts

Politics

• Art of running the government

Pork Barrel

• Obtaining government jobs and money for his or her district/state by an elected official

Power

• Ability to influence or change

Precedent

• Doing something the way it has been done before; following a previous decision

Quorum

• Number of people needed to be present in order to conduct business

Radical

• One who wants extreme change

Ratify

• To approve

Recession

• Moderate and temporary decline in economic activity; unemployment increases, often follows a period of economic prosperity

Republic

• Government where people elect their representatives

Retroactive

• Going back to a previous time

Revenue

• All money taken in by a government

Seniority

• Privilege attained by length of time in office

Socialism

• Ownership of all resource and major means of production by the state

Sovereign

• Self-government

State

• Political subdivision; territory governed by people within

Status quo

• Keeping things the way they are at the present time

Statute

• Law written by the legislature

Supply and demand

• Economic principle> when supply goes down, demand increases; prices are determined by the availability of a product and its demand

Tenure

• Length of time in office

Totalitarianism

• Form of government that totally controls all aspects of society

Unicameral

• One-house legislature

Unwritten constitution

• Many bills, laws, customs; not a written document but still limits the government’s power

Veto

• Disapprove, say no

Written constitution

• Written system of fundamental laws and principals; prescribes a nation’s functions and limits of government