Democracy Glossary
The following terms & concepts are often used when discussing issues related to American politics, legal systems and/or our government in general. However, many of the terms have multiple definitions and we simply wanted to clarify the meanings when used in the democratic context. All definitions were accessed from Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary.
Accountability : the quality or state of being accountable especially : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions
Advice : recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct
Advise : to give (someone) a recommendation about what should be done : to give advice to
Affect : to produce an effect upon: such as
a : to produce a material influence upon or alteration in Paralysis affected his limbs.
b : to act upon (a person, a person's mind or feelings, etc.) so as to effect a response : influence
Aid : to provide with what is useful or necessary in achieving an end aid a cause aid a friend
intransitive verb : to give assistance
Aide: a person who acts as an assistant
Amendment : the process of altering or amending a law or document (such as a constitution) by parliamentary or constitutional procedure
Approval : an act or instance of approving something
on approval : subject to a prospective buyer's acceptance or refusal
Arms: a means (such as a weapon) of offense or defense
Assembly: a company of persons gathered for deliberation and legislation, worship, or entertainment
Assent : to agree to or approve of something (such as an idea or suggestion) especially after thoughtful consideration
Balance: weight or force of one side in excess of another
Bill of Rights: a document containing a formal statement of rights
specifically : a summary of fundamental rights and privileges guaranteed to a people against violation by the state —used especially of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Bipartisan: of, relating to, or involving members of two parties
specifically : marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties
Blunder: a gross error or mistake resulting usually from stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness
Boycott: to engage in a concerted refusal to have dealings with (a person, a store, an organization, etc.) usually to express disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions
Capital Punishment: the practice of killing people as punishment for serious crimes
Cause: a reason for an action or condition
: a ground of legal action
Charisma: a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (such as a political leader)
Citizenship : the status of being a citizen
on citizen : a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it
Civil: relating to private rights and to remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings
Civil Rights: the nonpolitical rights of a citizen especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
Clash: to come into conflict
Cohesive : exhibiting or producing cohesion or coherence
On cohesion : the act or state of sticking together tightly especially : unity
Commander in chief: one who holds the supreme command of an armed force
Concept(s): an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances
Concession : the act or an instance of conceding (as by granting something as a right, accepting something as true, or acknowledging defeat)
Confirmation: the ratification of an executive act by a legislative body
Conflict: the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction
Congress : the supreme legislative body of a nation and especially of a republic
Congressional: Of or relating to Congress
Consequence : something produced by a cause or necessarily following from a set of conditions. Result
Constituents : a member of a constituency
on constituency : a body of citizens entitled to elect a representative (as to a legislative or executive position)
Constitution : the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it
Contempt : willful disobedience to or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body
Control : to exercise restraining or directing influence over : regulate
Controversial : of, relating to, or arousing controversy
On controversy : a discussion marked especially by the expression of opposing views : dispute
Deadline : a date or time before which something must be done
Death Penalty : death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes : capital punishment
Debate : a contention by words or arguments
ALSO:
: a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides
law, government : the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure
Decisive : having the power or quality of deciding
On deciding : to make a final choice or judgment about
Delivery : the act or manner of delivering something
On deliver : to bring (something, such as votes) to the support of a candidate or cause
Democracy : 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
Deter : to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting
Difficulty : the quality or state of being hard to do, deal with, or understand : the quality or state of being difficult : controversy, disagreement
Discontent : to make dissatisfied or discontented
Discussion : consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate
Disrespect : low regard or esteem for someone or something : lack of respect
Dissent : a justice's [judge’s] nonconcurrence with a decision of the majority
Distance : to make or maintain a personal or emotional separation from : to place or keep at a distance
District : a territorial division (as for administrative or electoral purposes)
Diversity : the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety especially : the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization
Due Process : a course of formal proceedings (such as legal proceedings) carried out regularly and in accordance with established rules and principles
Effect : to cause to come into being
Equal : regarding or affecting all objects in the same way : impartial
Equality : the quality or state of being equal
Equity: justice according to natural law or right specifically : freedom from bias or favoritism
Evidence : something that furnishes proof : testimony specifically : something legally submitted to a tribunal to ascertain the truth of a matter
Execution : the process of enforcing a legal judgment (as against a debtor) also : a judicial writ directing such enforcement
Faction : a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking : clique
Factual: restricted to or based on fact
on fact: : a piece of information presented as having objective reality
Fateful : involving momentous consequences : decisive
Foster: to promote the growth or development of : encourage
Founding Fathers : an originator of an institution or movement : founder
specifically : a member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787
Franchise : freedom or immunity from some burden or restriction vested in a person or group
Freedom : a political right : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
Gamesmanship : the use of ethically dubious methods to gain an objective [advantage]
Glory : praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent : renown
Govern : to exercise continuous sovereign authority over especially : to control and direct the making and administration of policy in
Government : the act or process of governing specifically : authoritative direction or control
Hearing(s) : opportunity to be heard, to present one's side of a case, or to be generally known or appreciated
Illegal : not according to or authorized by law : unlawful, illicit
Implement : carry out, accomplish especially : to give practical effect to and ensure of actual fulfillment by concrete measures
Independence: the quality or state of being independent
On independent : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent
Innovate : to make changes : do something in a new way
Insight: the act or result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively
Integrity : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility
Interest: right, title, or legal share in something : participation in advantage and responsibility
Intrigue : to arouse the interest, desire, or curiosity of
Investigation : to observe or study by close examination and systematic inquiry
Issue(s) : a vital or unsettled matter
Judicial : of or relating to a judgment, the function of judging, the administration of justice, or the judiciary : belonging to the branch of government that is charged with trying all cases that involve the government and with the administration of justice within its jurisdiction
Justice: the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments
Lasting : existing or continuing a long while : enduring
Law : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority
Leader : a person who has commanding authority or influence
Leadership : the office or position of a leader
Legacy : something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past
Other options:
: a gift by will especially of money or other personal property : bequest
: a candidate for membership in an organization (such as a school or fraternal order) who is given special status because of a familial relationship to a member
Legislate : to perform the function of legislation specifically : to make or enact laws
Liberty : the quality or state of being free : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges
Limitation : a certain period limited by statute after which actions, suits, or prosecutions cannot be brought in the courts
Mainstream : a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence
Measure : a step planned or taken as a means to an end specifically : a proposed legislative act
Mediate : to interpose between parties in order to reconcile them : to reconcile differences
Military : of or relating to armed forces especially : of or relating to ground or sometimes ground and air forces as opposed to naval forces
Militia : a body of citizens organized for military service
Other options:
: a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency
: the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service
Monument : a written legal document or record : treatise
Moral: of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior: ETHICAL
Morale: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand
Nation : a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government
National: of or relating to a nation
Newspaper: a paper that is printed and distributed usually daily or weekly and that contains news, articles of opinion, features, and advertising
Notorious: generally known and talked of especially: widely and unfavorably known
Novice: beginner
Objective: expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations: without bias
Other option:
: something toward which effort is directed : an aim, goal, or end of action
Obstacle: something that impedes progress or achievement
Opinion: a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter
Oversight: watchful and responsible care : regulatory supervision
Parties: a group of persons organized for the purpose of directing the policies of a government
Partisan : a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person especially : one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance
Passage: a usually brief portion of a written work or speech that is relevant to a point under discussion or noteworthy for content or style
Patriot: one who loves and supports his or her country
Patriotism: love for or devotion to one's country
Perpetuity: the condition of an estate limited so that it will not take effect or vest within the period fixed by law
Petition: a formal written request made to an official person or organized body (such as a court)
Polarize: to break up into opposing factions or groupings
Power: possession of control, authority, or influence over others
Practice: the form, manner, and order of conducting legal suits and prosecutions
Other option:
: a professional business especially : one constituting an incorporeal property
Presidential: of, relating to, or befitting a president or a president's authority
Press : the gathering and publishing or broadcasting of news : journalism
Principal : most important, consequential, or influential
Other option:
: a person who has controlling authority or is in a leading position
Principle(s): a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption
Privacy: freedom from unauthorized intrusion
Protection: the act of protecting : the state of being protected
On protecting : to maintain the status or integrity of especially through financial or legal guarantees
Protest: a complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness usually to an idea or a course of action
Provocative: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate
Pursuit : the act of pursuing
On pursuing : to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish
Qualm: a feeling of uneasiness about a point especially of conscience or propriety
Query: to ask questions of especially with a desire for authoritative information
Quick: acting or capable of acting with speed
Quid pro quo: something given or received for something else
Reasoning : the use of reason especially : the drawing of inferences or conclusions through the use of reason
Recovery : the act, process, or an instance of recovering especially : an economic upturn (as after a depression)
Redistricting: to divide anew into districts specifically: to revise the legislative districts of
Regional: of, relating to, characteristic of, or serving a region
Religion: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
Resignation : an act or instance of resigning something : surrender
Responsibility : the quality or state of being responsible: such as moral, legal, or mental accountability
Retaliation: to return like for like especially: to get revenge
Reverence: honor or respect felt or shown especially: profound adoring awed respect
Revolutionary: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
Rights: qualities (such as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval
Rules: a prescribed guide for conduct or action
Security: the quality or state of being secure
Social Security: the principle or practice or a program of public provision (as through social insurance or assistance) for the economic security and social welfare of the individual and his or her family: a U.S. government program established in 1935 to include old-age and survivors insurance, contributions to state unemployment insurance, and old-age assistance
Social Service: an activity designed to promote social well-being
Solution: an action or process of solving a problem
Speech: the power of expressing or communicating thoughts by speaking
Spite: petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart
Support : to promote the interests or cause of
Other options:
: to uphold or defend as valid or right : advocate
: to argue or vote for
: to provide with substantiation : corroborate
Surveillance: close watch kept over someone or something (as by a detective)
Symbol: something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance especially : a visible sign of something invisible
Threat: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
Timely: coming early or at the right time
Tolerance: sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
Tumult : disorderly agitation or milling about of a crowd usually with uproar and confusion of voices : commotion
Turnout: the number of people who participate in or attend an event
Unanimous: formed with or indicating unanimity : having the agreement and consent of all
Unification : the act, process, or result of unifying : the state of being unified
On unified : brought together as one
Unite: to link by a legal or moral bond
Value : something (such as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable
Vilify : to utter slanderous and abusive statements against : defame
Visionary: having or marked by foresight and imagination
Vital: of the utmost importance
Volunteer : a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service
Vote: to express one's views in response to a poll especially : to exercise a political franchise
War: a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations
Welfare: of, relating to, or concerned with welfare and especially with improvement of the welfare of disadvantaged social groups
Windfall: an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage
Wisdom: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action
Witness : attestation of a fact or event : testimony
Zeal : eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something : fervor
Zealous: marked by fervent partisanship for a person, a cause, or an ideal : filled with or characterized by zeal.
[Merriam-Webster.com 2019, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary].