Government and Politics Vocabulary

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Natural rights

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Rights people are born with (life, liberty, and property), as theorized by John Locke.

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Social contract

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An agreement where people give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of natural rights.

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Popular sovereignty

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The idea that government power comes from the consent of the governed.

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Republicanism

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A system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws and govern.

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Limited government

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A government whose powers are restricted by laws or a constitution.

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Participatory democracy

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A model of democracy emphasizing broad citizen participation in politics.

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Pluralist democracy

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A model where many groups compete for power, influencing policy through compromise.

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Elite democracy

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A model where a small number of elites have the most influence on government decisions.

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Federalism

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A system where power is shared between a national government and state governments.

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Separation of powers

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Division of government responsibilities into branches to prevent any one from becoming too powerful.