Political Science
Dr. Yarborough
Key Terms
1. Authoritarian- no democratic government but not necessary totalitarian.
1. Caste- rigid, hereditary social class or group.
1. Civil disobediance- the nonviolent breaking of an unjust law to serve a higher law.
1. Demagogue- politician who whips up masses with extreme and misleading issues.
1. Democratic peace- theory that democracies do not fight each other.
1. Elites- the “top” or most influential people in a political system.
1. Hierarchy- organized in a ranking of power from top to bottom, as if on a ladder.
1. Illiberal democracy- regime that are elected but lack democratic qualities such as civil rights and limits on government.
1. Interest group- an association that pressures government for policies it favors.
1. kleptocracy- rule by thieves, used in derision and jest.
1. Mandate- a representative carrying out the specific wishes of the public.
1. Mass media- moderns means of communication that quickly reach very wide audiences.
1. Petrostate- country based on oil exports, such as Saudi Arabia.
1. Pluralism- theory that politics is the interaction of many groups.
1. Referendum-a mass vote on an issue rather than for a candidate; a type of democracy.
1. Reprehensive democracy- one in which the people do not rule directly but through elected and accountable representatives.
1. Third World- The developing areas: parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
1. Totalitarian-Political system in which the state attempts total control of its citizens.
1. Trustee- a representative deciding what is the public good without a specific mandate.
1. Whig democracy- democracy for the few, typical of early stages of democracy.
1. Why does modern democracy mean representative democracy? Modern democracy means representative democracy because modern democracy is not the actual setting of policy by the people. Representative democracy is one in which the people do not rule directly but through elected and accountable representatives, here in the United States we have a political system of participation from our citizens through elections and human and civil rights. Representative democracy is the only workable system because it allows a select group of people I.e. congress or a person like President Barak Obama to make decisions.
2. What is the difference between totalitarian and authoritarian? totalitiarian is a political system in which the state attempts total control of its citizens elites are almost totally unaccountable. Authoritarian is a no democratic government that is governed by a small group, a party , a dictator or the army. In authoritarian it limist the peole freedom in a favor of hierarchical organization of command , obedience and order. Things like religion, economic, social and cultural are left up to the individual.
3. Why have many countries recently turned democratic? The two types of regimes that