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| A philosophy and movement which seeks to create political and economic equality through the public ownership and democratic management of major industries. In other words, the common people together own the major factories, stores, companies, etc and run them for the good of all, rather than for the private profit of the few. Example: Cuba. |
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| A political/economic system in which rich people own most of the economy and hire workers to produce goods and services that are sold in a relatively free market to create profit. Advocates argue that the chance to get rich provides incentives that lead to abundance, efficiency, and innovation. Example: Singapore. |
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| A political philosophy which advocates replacing domination - of the many by the few - with voluntary associations of free individuals. Advocates of this philosophy are against rulers, not against leaders - against oppressive systems, not against organization. Example: Parts of Spain in 1937. |
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| A political perspective that predicts that contradictions within capitalism will lead to a socialist revolution, and that the resulting socialist society - as it continues to develop - will rely more on voluntary association and less on government until the practices of freedom and equality are so strong that no government is needed to coordinate society. |
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| A political movement that seeks to build a better society by using democratic government to actively redistribute income, guarantee basic social needs like food, education, housing and health care, and regulate the economy. Advocates argue that such a system benefits from the innovations of capitalism but without the social disruption caused by massive inequality. Example: Sweden. |
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| As used in the United States, this term indicates a political philosophy that seeks to preserve the status quo, or even return to some previous system. Key goals often include increasing a sense of self-responsibility, decreasing government involvement in daily life, and "freeing" businesses from regulation. There is a bit of a split within this movement between the majority who associate this increased individualism with a strong Christian faith, lack of sympathy for oppressed groups, and patriotic American imperialism (Reagan) - and a minority that focuses more on protecting individual rights and reducing "superstition" and military spending. |
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| In modern usage this term refers to a person who goes "to the root" of the problem - whose solutions often involve dramatic overturning of present practices and an attempt to significantly alter the balance of power in society. These folks are also suspicious of small reforms which may simply serve to reinforce or better disguise domination. |
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| In US usage around 20% of people advocate this philosophy - that the less powerful and poor should be helped, that the government should often provide that help, and that more regulation of corporations and more taxing of rich people would allow a better society. There is a spectrum of opinion within this philosophy - some emphasize concern about "over-regulating" and others desire a full social democracy on the European model. |
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| A person of this political orientation is likely to argue that liberalism isn't enough - that capitalism and white supremacy and imperialism and patriarchy and mass manipulation by the media are all interlinked and that we need powerful movements to begin to overturn them - change won't come from above. |
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| A political philosophy that glorifies the nation and particularly the military, emphasizes patriotic obedience to an all-powerful government, hatred of non-conformists, and a partnership between the rulers and the primary wealth holders to offer the masses "stability", "glory", and "prosperity" as substitutes for freedom and equality. |
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| A process by which a nation's rulers maintain their status and enrich segments of their population by exploiting and/or conquering other nations. |
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| Literally - "rule" - but this concept has been used to puzzle out the way that a dominant class or power extends its control over important institutions and the masses through affecting what is possible to think, say, and do in a society. |
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| A government system based on a single powerful leader - a King or Queen - where leadership is inherited. |
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| Representative Democracy (Republic) |
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| A government in which the rulers are elected by (at least most of) the people. |
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| A government in which most of the important decisions are made by the citizens themselves. |
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| Money that a government forces all individuals within its boundaries to pay - used to fund government action. |
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| The basic rights and freedoms that all humans should be guaranteed, such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. |
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| Marx argued that a society's economic relationships (for instance between the owners and the workers) forms the fundamental shape of that society, and that fundamental shape determines what sorts of laws, values, beliefs, and lives that the society will enact. In other words, we don't determine our society based on our thoughts - our thoughts are determined by the economic relations in our society. |
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| Military-Industrial Complex |
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| Eisenhower used this phrase to warn of a dangerous alliance between the military and big corporations to undermine democracy in the U.S. |
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| This phrase refers to the struggle in society between the interests of the haves and the have-nots - for instance between the workers, the unemployed, and the owners. |
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| Mutually Assured Destruction |
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| A military doctrine in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two opposing sides would effectively result in the destruction of both the attacker and the defender. It is based on the theory of deterrence according to which the deployment of strong weapons is essential to threaten the enemy in order to prevent the use of the same sort of weapons - if you attack me we'll die together. |
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| the judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subject. |
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| Government Assistance Programs |
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| Efforts by agencies of the government to aid the needy. Examples in the U.S. include food stamps, Medicaid, and section 8 housing. |
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| Love of and devotion to one's country. Advocates such as Horace claim, "Sweet and glorious it is to die for our country." But critics such as Mark Twain name this as "the last refuge of the scoundrel" and Anti-Flag contradicts Horace with the sentiment, "You're gonna die for your government - that's shit." |
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| A phrase used to theorize a small group of individuals that rule a society - some combination of political leaders, military commanders, and economic bosses. |
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