Nation-state
a single people or nation, governed by a political authority or state
Citizens
granted certain rights, privileges, have certain obligations and duties
Law
codified rules of behavior established by a government and backed by the threat of force
State
human community that successfully claims the monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a given territory
Non-Citizens
temporary or permanent residents, denied same rights and privileges as citizens
Civil Rights
protect citizens from injury by individuals and institutions
Equal treatment in school or workplace
Political rights
ensure citizens can participate in governance
Voting, running for office, expressing opinions
Social rights
governmental provision of economic and social welfare benefits for its citizenry
Retirement pensions, unemployment benefits, health care
Also referred to as "welfare state
Liberal
Modest universal transfers; benefits for low-income, usually working class, state dependents; United States, Canada, UK, Australia
Corporatist/Conservative
most benefits for unemployment or sickness are entitlements based on insurance contributions previously made; based on employment and level of income; Germany, France. Belgium, Italy
Social Democratic
High levels of benefits and services provided by the state; all strata are incorporated under one universal insurance program; Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland
Interest groups
groups comprised of people who share the same concerns on a particular issue
Class dominance theory
Power is concentrated in hands of relatively small number of individuals who comprise a power elite
Attend same elite schools
Cycle in and out of top positions in government, business, and the military
Coercion
The threat or use of physical violence to force compliance
Legitimate authority
power that is recognized as rightful by those whom it is exercised
Traditional authority
power is based on a belief in the sanctity of long-standing traditions and the legitimate right of rulers to exercise authority in accordance with these traditions
Rational-legal authority
power based on a belief in the lawfulness of enacted rules (laws) and the legitimate right of leaders to exercise authority under such rules
Charismatic authority
power based on devotion inspired in followers by the personal qualities of a leader
Authoritarian governance
ordinary members of society are denied the right to participate in government, while political power is exercised by and for the benefit of a small political elite
Monarchy
power resides in an individual or family and is passed from one generation to the next through hereditary lines
Dictatorship
power rests in a single individual
Totalitarianism: popular political participation is denied and the government seeks to regulate and control all aspects of the public and private lives of citizens
Democracy
citizens are able to participate directly or indirectly in their own governance
First-past-the-post elections
the legislative candidate with the greater number of votes wins the seat and the loser gets nothing
Proportional representation elections
the percent of the vote won in an election is in direct proportion with the seats in an elected body