American Heritage Vocabulary: Chapter 1

Front 1

Ultimate political power--having the final say.

Back 1

Sovereignty

Front 2

The cycle from tyranny to anarchy, to which sovereign power and its ill effects give rise.

Back 2

Human Predicament

Front 3

A ruler exercising absolute power.

Back 3

Despot

Front 4

A means of removing tyranny from power; part of the human predicament cycle.

Back 4

Revolution

Front 5

Absolute power centralized in one person (or small group); part of the human predicament cycle.

Back 5

Tyranny

Front 6

No one person (or group) maintains absolute power. Characterized by mass disorder caused by failure to agree on a common course of action; part of the human predicament cycle.

Back 6

Anarchy

Front 7

Groups that, in a state of anarchy, right for supreme power and control; part of the human predicament cycle.

Back 7

Competing Groups

Front 8

Reasonably stable and prosperous society without an oppressive tyranny. Usually includes peace, respect, vibrant culture, and personal freedom to live the way one chooses.

Back 8

Good Society

Front 9

427-347BC Greek philosopher and author of "The Republic," which extolled civic virtue and the necessity of arete.

Back 9

Plato

Front 10

Ruling by a sanction higher than stark necessity; sanction may stem from divine right, wisdom or consent, etc.

Back 10

Political Legitimacy

Front 11

1566-1625 King of England who claimed political legitimacy through a "Divine Right of Kings."

Back 11

King James I

Front 12

Political theory that royal lines are established by God and that kings rule by divine decree.

Back 12

Divine Right of Kings

Front 13

Divinely inspired rule, or rule by religion.

Back 13

Theocracy

Front 14

Rule based on distinguished or wise ancestors and heritage.

Back 14

Aristocracy

Front 15

The privilege of taking part in the political process and observing society's rules.

Back 15

Greek Freedom

Front 16

The fundamental disposition of humans that determines their behavior.

Back 16

Human Nature

Front 17

Greek term for human virtue, the backbone of republican morality. Striving for excellence.

Back 17

Arete

Front 18

18th century idea; proposed self interest drove people.

Back 18

European Enlightenment

Front 19

One of the four alternative forms of government; sees people as children in need of a carefully controlled environment provided by government.

Back 19

Autocracy

Front 20

One of the four alternative forms of government; sees people (and government) as mostly good but corruptible and so government should have restricted power and try to encourage a good moral climate.

Back 20

Classical Republicanism

Front 21

First ten amendments to Constitution; protects people from government; passed to appease Anti-federalists.

Back 21

Bill of Rights

Front 22

Government that guards only individual freedom and lets people govern themselves for better or worse.

Back 22

Libertarianism

Front 23

Sees people as generally good; government must protect them from being corrupted by negative institutions.

Back 23

Liberalism

Front 24

(1743-1826) 3rd president; wrote the Declaration of Independence; Father of US; Promoted classical liberalism and republicanism.

Back 24

Thomas Jefferson

Front 25

Rules and restrictions to promote virtue.

Back 25

Structure

Front 26

City or city-state, often governed by its citizens as the ancient Greek city-states were.

Back 26

Polis

Front 27

The social concept of a group of autonomous individuals living in a state of nature, making a common agreement about the sort of political world they want to live in.

Back 27

Social Compact

Front 28

Hypothetical condition assumed to exist in the absence of government where human beings live in "complete" freedom and general equality.

Back 28

State of Nature

Front 29

Founder's tool: rules and restrictions designed to better harness virtue

Back 29

Structure

Front 30

Founder's Tool: method by which states can be governed by themselves.

Back 30

Participation

Front 31

Founder's Tool: General rules, known to all, made by common consent and applied impartially.

Back 31

Law

Front 32

Founder's Tool: drawing on the past to form government.

Back 32

Custom and Tradition

Front 33

Founder's Tool: shared values; a common notion of right and wrong

Back 33

Moral Sense

Front 34

Founder's Tool: myths

Back 34

Founding Myths

Front 35

Founder's Tool: Some one (or some group) to lead the people

Back 35

Leadership