Foundations of Government Vocab.

Individuals and groups that make society's rules and possess the power and authority to guarantee that these rules are followed

• Government

• Politics

• Sovereignty

• Congress

Activities aimed at resolving conflicts over the distribution of society's scarce resources

• Government

• Politics

• Liberty

• Social contract theory

The absolute authority to govern oneself

• Sovereignty

• Divine Right Theory

• Legislature

• Separation of Powers

The idea that the rule of the state is granted the authority to do so by God of gods

• Divine Right Theory

• Natural rights

• Sovereingty

• Limited government

An intellectual movement that emphasized the use of reason in individual behavior and social institutions

• Enlightenment

• Communism

• Self government

• Democracy

When people agree to obey a common set of rules and give up some of their freedom in return for security

• Social Contract Theory

• Dictatorships

• Political culture

• Constitution

A government in which a single person or a group of individuals with no accountability to the people

• Autocracy

• Constitutional republic

• Legislature

• Articles of Confederation

Governments formed by an individual or a group whose power is not supported by tradition

• Dictatorships

• Communism

• Constitutional Republic

• Democracy

When dictatorships set the goals and controls almost all aspects of a country's social and economic life

• Totalitarianism

• Democracy

• Sovereignty

• Republic

Form of government in which the supreme political authority rests with the people

• Democracy

• Republic

• Dictatorship

• Autocracy