Political Terminology

[Redalgo]

Intuitively, I'd define the fifty most basic political terms like this:


Anarchist: Favors a stateless society

Aristocrat: Favors rule by the best few

Authoritarian: Favors a strong state, and rule with little voice for the masses

Capitalist: Favors strong property rights and an owner-governed economy

Clientelist: Favors privileged gift relationships between leaders and their constituencies

Communitarian: Favors communal or societal interests

Communist: Favors a stateless, cooperative society with little or no property

Conservationist: Favors management of natural resources for sustainable utilization

Conservative: Favors reforms based on traditional ideals

Corrupt: Pertains to inappropriate pursuits of self-interest harmful to others in society

Corporatist: Favors formal collaboration between state and privileged interest groups

Demagogue: A charismatic persuader of the masses who dispenses propaganda

Democratic: Favors rule of the many

Democratic Socialist: Favors a legal, non-violent transition to socialism

Elitist: Pertains to trusting elites with power more than the masses

Environmentalist: Favors protection of wildlife and natural habitats

Ethnocentric: Pertains to judging other cultures using the norms & values of ones own

Fascist: Favors an organic, nationalist, corporatist society led by and serving the state

Feminist: Favors sexual equality of social status

Imperialist: Favors subordination of other nations' interests to and by those of another

Internationalist: Favors cooperation betwixt nations, or the globalization of an ideology

Liberal: Favors rule of law, a weak state, and abundant personal autonomy

Libertarian: Ether an anarchist or strong liberal, depending on who you ask

Monarchic: Favors rule by one

Multicultural: Favors the acceptance and accommodation of two or more distinct cultures

Nationalist: Favors the interests of ones country having primacy over those of others'

Neoconservative: Favors (in the U.S.) political moderation and liberal internationalism

Neoliberal: Favors the implementation of free markets in most, or all, facets of society

Neo-mercantilist: Favors state-firm cooperation for mutual gain

Non-interventionist: Favors avoidance of entanglement in foreign events

Ochlocratic: Pertains to corrupt democracy

Oligarchic: Pertains to corrupt aristocracy

Ordoliberal: Favors social markets as conducive to liberal goals

Patriotic: Pertains to love of and devotion to ones country

Pluralist: Favors tolerance of diverse people with diverse interests

Populist: Pertains to trusting the masses with power more than elites

Pragmatic: Favors utilitarianism instead of idealism

Progressive: Favors reforms based on modern ideals

Radical: Favors swift and fundamental changes

Reformist: Favors methodical, incremental changes

Reactionary: Favors restoration of an old order

Revolutionary: Favors radicalism sans a desire to adhere to the law

Social Democrat: Favors social markets, social rights, and private property

Social Liberal: Favors liberalism with a state capable of checking economic actors

Socialist: Favors strong social rights and a worker-governed economy

Statist: Pertains to trust in state to solve social problems

Technocratic: Favors elites making decisions pertinent to their varied fields of expertise

Theocratic: Favors rule under a religion

Totalitarian: Favors unlimited state power to reshape society for ideological purposes

Tyranny: Pertains to corrupt monarchy