Politics & Political Systems, INS-LEF
Monarchies, republics, democracies, dictatorships, and hybrids of every kind all offer ways of organizing power. Explore the systems and ideas through which societies govern themselves.
Politics & Political Systems Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Insurrection
Insurrection, an organized and usually violent act of revolt or rebellion against an established government or......
intelligence
intelligence, in government and military operations, evaluated information concerning the strength, activities,......
interest group
interest group, any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis......
Interior, U.S. Department of the
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), executive division of the U.S. federal government responsible for most of......
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), secret revolutionary society that was active in the late......
Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury charged with administering and enforcing......
international agreement
international agreement, instrument by which states and other subjects of international law, such as certain international......
International Emergency Economic Powers Act
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by Pres.......
international organization
international organization, institution drawing membership from at least three states, having activities in several......
international relations
international relations, the study of the relations of states with each other and with international organizations......
International, First
First International, federation of workersâ groups that, despite ideological divisions within its ranks, had a......
International, Fourth
Fourth International, a multinational body composed of Trotskyist organizations that was first formed in opposition......
International, Second
Second International, federation of socialist parties and trade unions that greatly influenced the ideology, policy,......
International, Third
Third International, association of national communist parties founded in 1919. Though its stated purpose was the......
Internationale, Lâ
LâInternationale, former official socialist and communist song. It was the anthem of the First, Second, and Third......
Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission, (1887â1996), the first regulatory agency established in the United States, and......
Interventionism
Interventionism, concept that addresses the characteristics, causes, and purposes of a countryâs interfering with......
intifada
intifada, in the Arab world, an uprising or rebellion. In Arabic, the term is applied variously to popular protest......
Intolerable Acts
Intolerable Acts, (1774), in U.S. colonial history, four punitive measures enacted by the British Parliament in......
investment incentive
investment incentive, policy implemented by government to promote the establishment of new businesses or to encourage......
Iranâs presidential election of 2024
Masoud Pezeshkian emerged as the surprise victor of an early presidential election in Iran, which was held in JuneâJuly......
Irgun Zvai Leumi
Irgun Zvai Leumi, Jewish right-wing underground movement in Palestine, founded in 1931. At first supported by many......
Iron Act
Iron Act, (1750), in U.S. colonial history, one of the British Trade and Navigation acts; it was intended to stem......
Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain, the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to......
Iron Guard
Iron Guard, Romanian fascist organization that constituted a major social and political force between 1930 and......
iron law of oligarchy
iron law of oligarchy, sociological thesis according to which all organizations, including those committed to democratic......
irredentism
irredentism, territorial claim based on a national, ethnic, or historical basis. The term irredentism is derived......
Islamic Salvation Front
Islamic Salvation Front, Algerian Islamist political party. Known best by its French acronym, the organization......
Islamism
Islamism, broad set of political ideologies that utilize and draw inspiration from Islamic symbols and traditions......
Isolationism
Isolationism, national policy of avoiding political or economic entanglements with other countries. (Read James......
Israel
Israel, either of two political units that are described in the Hebrew Bible: the united kingdom of Israel under......
Israel Labour Party
Israel Labour Party, Israeli social-democratic political party founded in January 1968 in the union of three socialist-labour......
Italian Democratic Socialist Party
Italian Democratic Socialist Party, anticommunist reform party advocating the nationalization of some industries.......
Italian Liberal Party
Italian Liberal Party, moderately conservative Italian political party that dominated Italian political life in......
Italian Popular Party
Italian Popular Party, former centrist Italian political party whose several factions were united by their Roman......
Italian Republican Party
Italian Republican Party, anticlerical social-reform party. Although it had only a small following in the years......
Italian Socialist Party
Italian Socialist Party, former Italian political party, one of the first Italian parties with a national scope......
J. Edgar Hoover on the FBI
J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1924 to 1972, is remembered for transforming......
Jacobin Club
Jacobin Club, the most famous political group of the French Revolution, which became identified with extreme egalitarianism......
Jacobite
Jacobite, in British history, a supporter of the exiled Stuart king James II (Latin: Jacobus) and his descendants......
JamaÊżat-i Islami
JamaÊżat-i Islami, religious party founded in British-controlled India (now Pakistan) in 1941 by Mawlana AbĆ« al-AÊżlÄ......
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), regional political party in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir,......
Janata Dal (Secular)
Janata Dal (Secular), regional political party primarily in Karnataka state, southern India. It also has a presence......
Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal (United), regional political party in Bihar and Jharkhand states, eastern India. It also has had a presence......
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japanese government agency in charge of research in both aviation and......
Japanese Communist Party
Japanese Communist Party (JCP), leftist Japanese political party founded in 1922. Initially, the party was outlawed,......
Japanese Red Army
Japanese Red Army, militant Japanese organization that was formed in 1969 in the merger of two far-left factions.......
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), regional political party of Jharkhand state, eastern India. It has had only a limited......
Jiangxi Soviet
Jiangxi Soviet, (1931â34), independent government established by the communist leader Mao Zedong and his comrade......
jingoism
jingoism, an attitude of belligerent nationalism, or a blind adherence to the rightness or virtue of oneâs own......
Job Corps
Job Corps, U.S. government residential education and job-training program for low-income at-risk young people.......
John Birch Society
John Birch Society, private organization founded in the United States on Dec. 9, 1958, by Robert H.W. Welch, Jr.......
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff, panel of high-ranking U.S. military officers who advise the president of the United States......
JudenrÀte
JudenrÀte, Jewish councils established in German-occupied Poland and eastern Europe during World War II to implement......
Judicature Act of 1873
Judicature Act of 1873, in England, the act of Parliament that created the Supreme Court of Judicature (q.v.) and......
junta
junta, (Spanish: âmeetingâ), committee or administrative council, particularly one that rules a country after a......
Justice and Development Party
Justice and Development Party (AKP), political party, led by Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan (2001â14; 2017â ), that came......
Justice, U.S. Department of
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has been referred to as the worldâs largest law firm, employing more than......
Kadet
Kadet, a Russian political party advocating a radical change in Russian government toward a constitutional monarchy......
Kadima
Kadima, centrist Israeli political party formed in November 2005 by Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon following......
KaishintĆ
KaishintĆ, a leading Japanese political party from its founding in 1882 by the democratic leader Ćkuma Shigenobu......
Kansei reforms
Kansei reforms, series of conservative measures promoted (largely during the Kansei era [1789â1801]) by the Japanese......
Kenner mission
Kenner mission, in U.S. history, secret attempt on the part of the Confederacy in 1864 to elicit European recognition......
Kenya African National Union
Kenya African National Union (KANU), Kenyan political party. Organized in 1960, KANU was one of two major political......
KGB
KGB, foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era the KGBâs responsibilities......
Khmer empire
Khmer empire, ancient Cambodian state that ruled vast areas of mainland Southeast Asia from about 802 ce to 1431,......
Khmer Issarak
Khmer Issarak, anti-French nationalist movement organized in Cambodia in 1946. It quickly split into factions,......
Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge, radical communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 after winning power through a guerrilla......
KingâCrane Commission
KingâCrane Commission, commission appointed at the request of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson during the Paris Peace......
Kneset ha-Gedola
Kneset ha-Gedola, (âMen of the Great Assemblyâ), assembly of Jewish religious leaders who, after returning (539......
Know-Nothing party
Know-Nothing party, U.S. political party that flourished in the 1850s. It was an outgrowth of the strong anti-immigrant......
Komsomol
Komsomol, in the history of the Soviet Union, organization for young people aged 14 to 28 that was primarily a......
Korea Under Japanese Rule
Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. Japanâs annexation of the Korean peninsula was a......
Korean Provisional Government
Korean Provisional Government, government in exile organized in April 1919 in Shanghai by Korean patriots. The......
Korean Workersâ Party
Korean Workersâ Party (KWP), North Korean political party that from its foundation (1946) in the early years of......
Koszyce, Pact of
Pact of Koszyce, agreement made between the Polish nobility and their king, Louis I (ruled 1370â82), in which the......
KoĆĄice government
KoĆĄice government, pro-Soviet Czechoslovak provisional government that inaugurated far-reaching socialist programs......
Kreis
Kreis, (German: âCircleâ), any of the several imperial circles (administrative districts) of the Holy Roman Empire......
Kronshtadt Rebellion
Kronshtadt Rebellion, (March 1921), one of several major internal uprisings against Soviet rule in Russia after......
Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf, (German: âculture struggleâ), the bitter struggle (c. 1871â87) on the part of the German chancellor......
Kurdistan Workersâ Party
Kurdistan Workersâ Party (PKK), militant Kurdish nationalist organization founded by Abdullah (âApoâ) Ăcalan in......
KĆmeitĆ, New
New KĆmeitĆ, Japanese political party that was founded in 1964 as the political wing of the Buddhist lay movement......
Labor, U.S. Department of
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), executive division of the U.S. federal government responsible for enforcing labour......
Labour and Socialist International
Labour and Socialist International (LSI), organization in existence from 1923 until the advent of World War II......
Labour Party
Labour Party, main party of the left in the Republic of Ireland. The forerunner of the Labour Party, the Irish......
Labour Party
Labour Party, British political party whose historic links with trade unions have led it to promote an active role......
Labour, Liberation of
Liberation of Labour, first Russian Marxist organization, founded in September 1883 in Geneva, by Georgy Valentinovich......
Land Management, Bureau of
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. It was established in 1946 through......
Landlocked country
Landlocked country, an independent sovereign state that does not have direct access to an ocean, such as the Atlantic,......
lapse, doctrine of
doctrine of lapse, in Indian history, formula devised by Lord Dalhousie, governor-general of India (1848â56), to......
Lapua Movement
Lapua Movement, (1929â32), fascist movement in Finland that threatened the young stateâs democratic institutions......
Lateran Council, Fifth
Fifth Lateran Council, (1512â17), the 18th ecumenical council, convoked by Pope Julius II and held in the Lateran......
Lateran Council, Fourth
Fourth Lateran Council, (1215), the 12th ecumenical council, generally considered the greatest council before Trent.......
Lateran Council, Third
Third Lateran Council, (1179), the 11th ecumenical council, convoked by Pope Alexander III. The council was attended......
League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters, nonpartisan American political organization that has pursued its mission of promoting active......
Lebensraum
Lebensraum, policy of Nazi Germany that involved expanding German territories to the east to provide land and material......
Lee Commission
Lee Commission, body appointed by the British government in 1923 to consider the ethnic composition of the superior......
left
left, in politics, the portion of the political spectrum associated in general with egalitarianism and popular......
Left Communist
Left Communist, in Soviet history, one of a group within the Communist Party which in the first half of 1918 opposed......
Left Party
Left Party, German political party that ruled East Germany as the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and now......