Government
A group of people who have the power to make and enforce laws for a country or area.
Constitution
A system of basic rules and principles by which a government is organized. It also identifies the powers a government has.
Limited government
government structure in which government actions are limited by law
Unlimited government
government structure in which there are no effective limits on government actions
Tyranny
The unjust use of power
State
A region that shares a common government
City-state
An independent state consisting of a city and its surrounding territory.
Empire
A state containing several countries
Democracy
A form of government in which citizens hold political power; citizens are the ultimate source of government power and authority
nation-state
state that is independent of other states
monarchy (n.)
A form of government in which the state is ruled by a monarch
Authoritarian
Government is one in which all power is held by a single person or a small group. The powers of this government are unlimited.
Communism
A political and economic system in which government owns all property and makes all economic decisions
Unitary system
A central government makes all laws for the entire country
Federal system
Power is divided among central, regional, and local governments.
Citizen
A legal member of a country
Civic life
Activities having to do with one's society and community
Civic participation
Taking part in one's government. Voting is an example of this.
Political party
A group that supports candidates for public offices
Interest group
A group that seeks to influence public policy on certain issues
