Key Political Terms and Concepts of Modern History

Posted on Jan 25, 2025 in History

Key Political Terms and Concepts

  1. Absolutism: The legislative, judicial, and executive powers are controlled by one person.
  2. Tax: A percentage of money that you have to pay to the government or king. They then use that money for public spending.
  3. Separation of Powers: In a democracy, the government has a separation of powers. One group is in charge of judicial power, another of legislative power, and another of executive power.
  4. Estate: A territory that is politically independent of another community.
  5. Human Actions: Conscious behavior aimed at achieving specific goals and objectives.
  6. Tithe: Like a tax, 10% of earnings that people had to give to the king or church.
  7. Constitution: Its purpose is to establish the separation of powers and ensure it is met.
  8. Divine Right: Asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving the right to rule directly from the will of God.
  9. Revolution: A change in political power and political organization that occurs when the population revolts against the government.
  10. Ancient Regime: The system of government prior to the French Revolution.
  11. Voting Age: The age when people are considered adults and can vote.
  12. Suffrage: The right to vote.
  13. Census or Censitary Suffrage: The limited right to vote.
  14. Enlightenment: An intellectual and philosophical movement.
  15. Sovereignty: The full right and power of a governing body over itself without any interference from outside sources or bodies.
  16. Revolt: See Revolution
  17. Failure: The state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective.
  18. Success: The achievement of a desired aim or result.
  19. Nationalism: A way of thinking that says that some groups of humans, such as ethnic groups, should be free to rule themselves independently.
  20. Liberalism: A political and philosophical ideology based on liberty.
  21. Carlism: A political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty.
  22. Census Suffrage: Votes cast by those eligible to vote are not equal.
  23. Constitutional Monarchy: A system of government in which a country is ruled by a king and queen whose power is limited by a constitution.