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Political

Terms in this set (27)

AUTHORITARIANISM
According to Juan Linz, these regimes are defined by four qualities: 1. constraints on political institutions and groups such as legislatures, political parties and interest groups; 2. legitimacy based on emotion, typically the identification of the regime as necessary to combat "easily recognizable social problems; 3. a lack of political mobilization and constraints on the mass public such as repressive tactics against opponents and a ban on anti-regime activity, and; 4. "formally ill-defined executive power, often shifting and vague."
CAPITALISM
The economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit.
SOCIALISM
The economic system advocating public or common ownership and management of the means of production and the allocation of resources. Characteristic of this system organization based on relatively equal power-relations, self-management, dispersion of decision-making and a reduction or elimination of hierarchical and bureaucratic forms of administration and governance.
COMMUNISM
This political system is characterized by a classless and stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production, free access to the articles of consumption, and the end of wage labor and private property. It was first described by Karl Marx in 1848, the single sentence distillation of this philosophy would be, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."
FASCISM
This is considered a far-right authoritarian nationalist political ideology based upon deification of the state and the flag. Strong leaders are required and violence and war are seen as integral in order to keep the nation strong. Industrialists are brought into the government to help plan economic policy and the state is seen as the embodiment of a cultural "collective identity." You can also add biological racism and hatred of the "other" into the mix. Basically, this is also the definition of Nazism or National Socialism.
LIBERALISM
The political ideology that strongly favors constitutions, representative assemblies, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, human rights, and a belief in the perfectibility of man.
CONSERVATISM
The political ideology based on the supremacy of tradition, established religion, and property rights.
RADICALISM
A political philosophy which preaches altering existent social structures through revolutionary means. "Blow it up and start all over again..."
REACTIONARY
A political philosophy which regards all change as being inherently evil and seeks the return to a previously "perfect" state where people knew their place.
PROLETARIAT
In its original definition, this applied to the very poorest of the citizens in ancient Rome who had nothing to offer the state but their children. Since Karl Marx, this word has been used to characterize the working classes.
BOURGEOISIE
According to Karl Marx, this is the class who owns the means of production and is a somewhat ambiguous term today that can refer to the ruling classes or conversely, the middle class values that most revolutionaries despise.
ZEITGEIST
A nice German word that literally means "time-ghost," but is taken to refer to the "spirit of the age."
WELTANSCHAUUNG
Another German word meaning "world view."
RAUBWIRTSCHAFT
And finally to end this triptych, another German word that means "plunder economy." Imagine ancient Rome as an example. The city itself didn't produce anything of value so could only grow richer by stealing from others. The word no doubt applies today as much as it did then.
KLEPTOCRACY
A society that is run by thieves
GERONTOCRACY
A society that is run by old people
DEMOCRACY
A society that believes in "power to the people"
THEOCRACY
A society run by priests interpreting the desires of a particular god or goddess
PHALLUSOCRACY
A society run as a "boy's club"
AUTOCRACY
A society run by one strong ruler
OLIGARCHY
A society run by an elite privileged few
THALOSSOCRACY
A society that maintains its power by controlling the sea
PLUTOCRACY
A society run by the wealthy
CORPORATOCRACY
A society run by corporations
ANARCHY
A society without any form of government whatsoever
Kratos
is the Greek word f or power or strength
Arkhos
is the Greek word meaning "ruler."
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