Politics & Political Systems, LEG-MIN
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
legate
legate, in the Roman Catholic Church, a cleric sent on a mission, ecclesiastical or diplomatic, by the pope as......
legation
legation, major administrative division of the Papal States ruled by a cardinal legate during the 18th and 19th......
legislative apportionment
legislative apportionment, a process by which representation is distributed among the constituencies of a representative......
legitimacy
legitimacy, popular acceptance of a government, political regime, or system of governance. The word legitimacy......
Legitimist
Legitimist, in 19th-century France, any of the royalists who from 1830 onward supported the claims of the representative......
Leningrad Affair
Leningrad Affair, (1948ā50), in the history of the Soviet Union, a sudden and sweeping purge of Communist Party......
Leninism
Leninism, principles expounded by Vladimir I. Lenin, who was the preeminent figure in the Russian Revolution of......
Letter from Jamaica
Letter from Jamaica, Letter written by Latin American soldier, revolutionary, and statesman SimĆ³n BolĆvar in 1815......
Leveler
Leveler, member of a republican and democratic faction in England during the period of the Civil Wars and Commonwealth.......
liberal democracy
liberal democracy, a form of democracy in which the power of government is limited, and the freedom and rights......
Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats, British political party founded in 1988 through a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social......
Liberal Front Party
Liberal Front Party (PFL), centre-right Brazilian political party that supports free-market policies. Founded in......
liberal internationalism
liberal internationalism, cluster of ideas derived from the belief that international progress is possible, where......
Liberal Party
Liberal Party, a British political party that emerged in the mid-19th century as the successor to the historic......
Liberal Party
Liberal Party, a minor U.S. political party in New York state, founded in May 1944 by leaders of the moderate wing......
Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia, one of the major Australian political parties. In its current form it was founded in......
Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada, centrist Canadian political party, one of the major parties in the country since the establishment......
Liberal Republican Party
Liberal Republican Party, insurgent reform wing of the U.S. Republican Party that challenged what it considered......
Liberal-Democratic Party of Japan
Liberal-Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), Japanās largest political party, which has held power almost continuously......
liberalism
liberalism, political doctrine that takes protecting and enhancing the freedom of the individual to be the central......
liberalism, classical
classical liberalism, an early form of liberalism, the political-philosophical doctrine which holds that the central......
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), guerrilla organization that sought to establish an independent Tamil state,......
Liberation, Union of
Union of Liberation, first major liberal political group in Russia. The Union was founded in St. Petersburg in......
Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party, U.S. political party devoted to the principles of libertarianism. It supports the rights of......
Libertarianism
In the upcoming U.S. election on November 8, the Libertarian Party is likely to receive more votes than any other......
libertarianism
libertarianism, political philosophy that takes individual liberty to be the primary political value. It may be......
Liberty Korea Party
Liberty Korea Party, conservative political party in South Korea. It advocates fiscal responsibility, a market-based......
Liberty Party
Liberty Party, U.S. political party (1840ā48) created by abolitionists who believed in political action to further......
Lifan Yuan
Lifan Yuan, government bureau established in the 17th century by Chinaās Qing (Manchu) dynasty to handle relations......
Likud
Likud, right-wing Israeli political party. It was founded in September 1973 to challenge the Israel Labour Party,......
Linz program
Linz program, expression of German nationalist radicalism within Austria-Hungary, named after its town of origin......
List of African countries by area
List of African countries by area, Africa is the second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth......
List of African countries by population
Africa is the second most populous continent in the worldāsurpassed only by Asiaāthough the populations of the......
List of African countriesā independence dates
The people and cultures of the 54 African countries that exist today have rich histories. Part of their history......
List of Asian countries and territories by area
Asia is not only the largest continent in the world but also is the most culturally diverse. It covers the eastern......
list of Central Intelligence Agency directors
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), formally created in 1947, is the principal foreign intelligence and counterintelligence......
list of civilians detained by foreign governments and groups
They are often journalists, attempting to bring news from difficult places to the rest of the world. But sometimes......
List of Countries, Dependencies, and Territories By Population
This list provides the populations for all countries of the world and for all but the smallest political dependencies......
List of current United States senators
More than 2,000 people have served in the U.S. Senate since its establishment in 1789. Senators are charged with......
list of national security advisers of the United States
The National Security Council (NSC) was established in 1947 to advise the U.S. president on domestic, foreign,......
List of Secessionist Movements in the United States
A number of secessionist movements have arisen in the United States since its formation in 1776. Indeed, the very......
List of the Largest Single-Day Protests in the United States
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens the rights to free speech and peaceful assemblyāfreedoms......
list of the smallest countries by area
How small is small? For some of the worldās countries, the answer is very, very small, even teeny tiny. Vatican......
list of U.S. presidential elections in which the winner lost the popular vote
The vast majority of adult citizens in the United States have the right to vote in local, state, and federal elections.......
list of U.S. presidents who experienced chronic health problems while in office
The job of president of the United States is one of the most challenging in the world and can take a heavy toll......
list system
list system, a method of voting for several electoral candidates, usually members of the same political party,......
literacy test
literacy test, exam for assessing a personās ability to read and write. In addition to evaluating students in the......
Lobbying
Lobbying is the practice by individuals, organizations, or interest groups of trying to influence government decisions......
local government
local government, authority to determine and execute measures within a restricted area inside and smaller than......
local option
local option, in the United States, provision of a state law leaving localities free to forbid or to license certain......
Locofoco Party
Locofoco Party, in U.S. history, radical wing of the Democratic Party, organized in New York City in 1835. Made......
Lok Janshakti Party
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), regional political party in Bihar state, eastern India. It also has had a small presence......
lord president of the council
lord president of the council, in the United Kingdom, one of the great officers of state and a member of the ministry......
Lords, House of
House of Lords, the upper chamber of Great Britainās bicameral legislature. Originated in the 11th century, when......
Lost Cause
Lost Cause, an interpretation of the American Civil War viewed by most historians as a myth that attempts to preserve......
loyalist
loyalist, colonist loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolution. Loyalists constituted about one-third......
Lycurgus
Lycurgus was traditionally the lawgiver who founded most of the institutions of ancient Sparta. Scholars have been......
Lytton Commission
Lytton Commission, (1931ā32), investigation team that was led by V.A.G.R. Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton, and......
Macartney Embassy
Macartney Embassy, British mission that traveled to China in 1792ā93 in an attempt to secure more favourable trade......
MAGA movement
The MAGA movement is a nativist political movement that emerged in the United States during the 2016 presidential......
Major Executive Orders Issued by U.S. Pres. Donald Trump During His Second Term of Office (2025ā )
U.S. Pres. Donald Trump signed 26 executive orders on January 20, 2025, a record number for the first day of a......
majoritarianism
majoritarianism, the idea that the numerical majority of a population should have the final say in determining......
Malayan Peopleās Anti-Japanese Army
Malayan Peopleās Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), guerrilla movement formed originally to oppose the Japanese occupation......
Malta: 8 Claims to Fame
The island of Malta, situated between Sicily and Africa in the central Mediterranean Sea, is one of five islands......
mandarin
mandarin, in imperial China, a public official of any of nine grades or classes that were filled by individuals......
mandate
mandate, an authorization granted by the League of Nations to a member nation to govern a former German or Turkish......
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny, in U.S. history, the supposed inevitability of the continued territorial expansion of the boundaries......
manifesto
manifesto, a document publicly declaring the position or program of its issuer. A manifesto advances a set of ideas,......
Maoism
Maoism, doctrine composed of the ideology and methodology for revolution developed by Mao Zedong and his associates......
Mapam
Mapam, left-wing labour party in Israel and in the World Zionist Organization, founded in 1948 by the ha-Shomer......
March First Movement
March First Movement, series of demonstrations for Korean national independence from Japan that began on March......
Marine One
Marine One, any aircraft of the U.S. Marine Corps transporting the president of the United States. Strictly speaking,......
Marxism
Marxism, a body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th......
Masses, The
The Masses, American monthly journal of arts and politics, socialist in its outlook. It was known for its innovative......
Matteotti Crisis
Matteotti Crisis, political confrontation between liberals and the Fascist government of Italy after the assassination......
May Fourth Movement
May Fourth Movement, intellectual revolution and sociopolitical reform movement that occurred in China in 1917ā21.......
May Thirtieth Incident
May Thirtieth Incident, (1925), in China, a nationwide series of strikes and demonstrations precipitated by the......
mayor
mayor, in modern usage, the head of a municipal government. As such, the mayor is almost invariably the chairman......
mayor and council system
mayor and council system, municipal government in which a locally elected council is headed by a mayor, either......
Mazorca
Mazorca, (Spanish: āear of cornā), political group that supported Juan Manuel de Rosas, the governor of Buenos......
McCarthyism
McCarthyism, name given to the period of time in American history that saw U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin......
McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission
McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on April 2, 2014, struck......
mediation
mediation, a practice under which, in a conflict, the services of a third party are utilized to reduce the differences......
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf, political manifesto written by Adolf Hitler. It was his only complete book, and the work became the......
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the bicameral......
Members of the U.S. Senate
Members of the U.S. Senate, The Senate is one of the two houses of the bicameral United States Congress, established......
Menshevik
Menshevik, member of the non-Leninist wing of the Russian Social-Democratic Workersā Party, which evolved into......
meritocracy
meritocracy, political, social, or economic system in which individuals are assigned to positions of power, influence,......
metic
metic, in ancient Greece, any of the resident aliens, including freed slaves. Metics were found in most states......
Mfecane
Mfecane, series of Zulu and other Nguni wars and forced migrations of the second and third decades of the 19th......
MI5
MI5, intelligence agency charged with internal security and domestic counterintelligence activities of the United......
MI6
MI6, British government agency responsible for the collection, analysis, and appropriate dissemination of foreign......
micronation
micronation, entity that claims to be an independent state but whose sovereignty is not recognized by the international......
middle power
middle power, in international relations, a state that holds a position in the international power spectrum that......
military dictatorship
military dictatorship, form of government in which the military exerts total control of a country, usually after......
military intelligence
military intelligence, in military science, information concerning an enemy or an area. The term is also used for......
Military League
Military League, group of young Greek army officers who, emulating the Young Turk Committee of Union and Progress,......
military rule
military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power. The term......
Millenary Petition
Millenary Petition, moderate request for changes in certain practices within the Church of England, presented to......
ministerial responsibility
ministerial responsibility, a fundamental constitutional principle in the British Westminster parliamentary system......