DC Political Science Unit 1 Review

Politics is

• the struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups.
• a type of antisocial behavior by individuals.
• becoming an increasingly low-stakes game.
• fundamentally irrelevant.

Harrold Lasswell defined politics as

• a necessary evil.
• the way conflict in society is perpetuated.
• who gets what, when, and how.
• promoting equality among citizens.

Government can be defined as

• an institution within which decisions are made that resolve conflicts.
• any club that sets up a platform.
• the same in most countries.
• a concept with a universally accepted interpretation

Governments have authority

• when they are first organized.
• when they are popular.
• when they are internationally recognized.
• when they have the right and power to enforce their decisions.

Legitimacy in government is

• the condition of having no government.
• only applicable to democratic governments.
• popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority.
• only needed in times of emergency.

To say that authority is legitimate is to

• state the obvious.
• say that authority is broadly accepted.
• imply that the ruler has not always been perceived as the legal power.
• suggest that decisions are of little practical value.

Totalitarianism as a concept means

• that every aspect of political, social, and economic life is controlled by the government.
• the condition of having no government and no laws.
• the ultimate political authority is vested in the people.
• a unified government.

Authoritarianism differs from totalitarianism in that

• freedom of speech is allowed.
• the leaders may be vetoed out of office.
• it is considered a legitimate form of government.
• only the government itself is fully controlled by the ruler.

Aristocracy means rule by

• the majority.
• the "best."
• the "few."
• religious leaders.

The literal meaning of theocracy is

• rule by society's elders.
• rule by the most educated.
• rule by God (or the gods).
• rule by priests.