| A | B |
|---|
| autocracy | government in which the rulers, whether one or many, exercise unlimited powers |
| checks and balances | distribution and balancing of power among different branches of government so that no one branch is able to dominate others |
| city-state | a politically independent community consisting of a city and its surrounding territory |
| common good | the good of the community as a whole, also referred to as the common welfare |
| constitution | a set of customs, traditions, rules and laws that sets forth the way a government is organized and operated |
| constitutional government | a government in which the powers of government are limited in practice by a written or unwritten constitution which they must obey |
| delegate | a person chosen to act for or represent others, as at a convention |
| delegated powers | according to the natural rights philosophy, people give or assign certain powers to the government |
| democracy | A form of government in which political control is exercised by all the people, either directly or through their elected representatives |
| dictatorship | a government controlled by one person or a single group |
| equal protection | laws may not arbitrarily discriminate against persons |
| higher law | superiority of one set of laws over another |
| limited government | a system restricted to protecting natural rights and that does not interfere with other aspects of life |
| private domain | areas of human affairs placed off limits to unreasonable government interference |
| republic | a form of government in which the supreme political power resides in the electorate and administration is exercised by the representatives who are responsible to the people |
| separation of powers | division of powers among different branches of government |
| totalitarianism | a form of government in which one person or party exercises absolute control over all aspects of life in which no opposition is allowed |
| tyranny | a government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power |
| unwritten constitution | body of political practices developed through custom and tradition |
| canton | states of the Swiss Republic |
| written constitution | written set of rules and laws used for the organization of the government |
