Dictionary of Political Terminolgy

Anarchism 1. The theory or doctrine that all forms of government are oppressive and undesirable and should be abolished. 2. Active resistance and terrorism against the state, as used by some anarchists. 3. Rejection of all forms of coercive control and authority. [The Free Dictionary]

Anarchy 1. Absence of any form of political authority. 2. Political disorder and confusion. 3. Absence of any cohesive principle, such as a common standard or purpose. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Apparatchik 1. A member of a Communist apparat. 2. A blindly devoted official, follower or member of an organization (as a corporation or political party.) [Merriam-Webster]

Authoritarian 1. Of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority. 2. Of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people [Merriam-Webster]

Autocracy 1. Government by a single person having unlimited power; despotism. 2. A country or state that is governed by a single person with unlimited power. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Collectivism The principles or system of ownership and control of the means of production and distribution by the people collectively, usually under the supervision of a government. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Communism 1 (A) A theory advocating elimination of private property b : a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed. 2. capitalized (A) A doctrine based on revolutionary Marxian socialism and Marxism-Leninism that was the official ideology of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (B) A totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production. (C) A final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state has withered away and economic goods are distributed equitably. (D) Communist systems collectively. [Merriam-Webster]

Conservatism 1. The inclination, especially in politics, to maintain the existing or traditional order. 2. A political philosophy or attitude emphasizing respect for traditional institutions, distrust of government activism, and opposition to sudden change in the established order. 3. Conservatism The principles and policies of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or of the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada. 4. Caution or moderation, as in behavior or outlook. [American Heritage Dictionary]

Demagogue 1. A leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power. 2. A leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times. [Merriam-Webster]

Democracy 1. (A) Government by the people; especially : rule of the majority. (B) A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. 2. A political unit that has a democratic government. 3 capitalized : The principles and policies of the Democratic party in the United States 4 : The common people especially when constituting the source of political authority. 5 : The absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges. [Merriam-Webster]

Despot 1. (a) Byzantine emperor or prince. (b) A bishop or patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church. (c) An Italian hereditary Prince or military leader during the renaissance. 2. (a) a ruler with absolute power and authority. (b) A person exercising power tyrannically. [Merriam-Webster]

Domino Theory 1. A theory that if one nation comes under Communist control, then neighboring nations will also come under Communist control. 2. A theory that one event will set off a train of similar events. [American Heritage Dictionary]

Draconian 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Draco or the severe code of laws held to have been framed by him. 2. Cruel; also; severe. [Merriam-Webster]

Elitism 1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. 2. (A) The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class. (B) Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Fascism 1. (A) A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. (B) A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government. 2. Oppressive, dictatorial control. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Federalism 1. (A) A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. (B) Advocacy of such a system of government. 2. Federalism The doctrine of the Federalist Party. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Fifth Column A group of secret sympathizers or supporters of any enemy that engage in espionage or sabotage within defense lines or national borders. (Name applied to rebel sympathizers in Madrid in 1936 when four rebel columns were advancing on the city.) [Merriam-Webster]

Fifth Estate A class or group in society other than the nobility, the clergy, the middle class and the press. [dictionary.com]

Fourth Estate 1. The journalistic profession or its members; the press. 2. A group other than the usual powers as the three estates of France, that wields influence in the politics of a country. [dictionary.com]

Ideologue 1. An impractical idealist: theorist. 2. An often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of particular ideology. [Merriam-Webster]

Imperialism 1. The policy of extending a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations. 2. The system, policies, or practices of such a government. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Meritocracy 1. A system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement.
2. (A) A group of leaders or officeholders selected on the basis of individual ability or achievement. (B) Leadership by such a group. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Monarchy 1. Undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person. 2. A nation or state having a monarchical government. 3. A government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute. [Merriam-Webster]

Objectivist 1. Philosophy One of several doctrines holding that all reality is objective and external to the mind and that knowledge is reliably based on observed objects and events. 2. An emphasis on objects rather than feelings or thoughts in literature or art. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Oligarchy 1. Government by the few.  2. A government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes; also: a group exercising such control.  3. An organization under oligarchic control.  [Merriam-Webster]

Oligopoly A market situation in which each of a few producers affects but does not control the market. [Merriam-Webster]

Politburo The principal policy-making and executive committee of a Communist party. [Merriam-Webster]

Populist 1. A member of a political party claiming to represent the common people; especially often capitalized : a member of a United States political party formed in 1891 primarily to represent agrarian interests and to advocate the free coinage of silver and government control of monopolies. 2. A believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people. [Merriam-Webster]

Quid Pro Quo Something given or received for something else; also: a deal arranging a quid pro quo (something for something) [Merriam-Webster]

Republican adj 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a republic. 2. Favoring a republic as the best form of government. 3. Republican Of, relating to, characteristic of, or belonging to the Republican Party of the United States. noun 1. One who favors a republic as the best form of government. 2. Republican A member of the Republican Party of the United States. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Rhetoric 1. The art of speaking effectively as A. The study of principles and rules of composition formulated by critics of ancient times. B. The study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion. 2. A. Skill in effective use of speech. B. A type of means of communication or persuasion. [Merriam-Webster]

Socialism 1. Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. 2. (A) : A system of society or group living in which there is no private property. (B) : A system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state. 3. : A stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done. [Merriam-Webster]

Social Democracy A political theory advocating the use of democratic means to achieve a gradual transition from capitalism to socialism. [American Heritage Dictionary]

Status Quo The existing state of affairs. [Merriam-Webster]

Theocracy 1. A government ruled by or subject to religious authority. 2. A state so governed. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Totalitarian Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Totalitarianism 1. A system of highly centralized government in which one political party or group takes control and grants neither recognition nor tolerance to other political groups. 2. Autocracy in one of its several varieties. 3. The character or traits of an autocratic or authoritarian individual, party, government, or state. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

Utopianism The ideals or principles of a utopian; idealistic and impractical social theory. [The American Heritage Dictionary]

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