Lesson 37 History and Government

1. anarchy: the complete absence of government; political disorder and violence; disorder in any sphere of activity. The anarchist opposes all direct or coercive government and proposes the voluntary association of people as the mode of organized society. 2. bourgeois: typical of the social middle class; characterized by selfish concern for material comfort and for properly values. Bourgeois virtues are thriftiness and serious attitude toward life; its faults are a preoccupation with moneymaking and anxiety about respectability. It all depends on ones point of view. 3. bureaucracy: a system that rigidly adheres to the rules, forms, and routine. In American usage, the term is almost invariable derogatory unless the context establishes otherwise. 4. demagogue: a leader who obtains power by means of impassionate appeals to the emotions and prejudices of the populace. In ancient Greece, the demagogue was the leader who championed the cause of the common people. 5. ethos: the disposition, character, or attitude that distinguishes a particular group, epoch, or region. 6. gerrymander: to divide an area into voting districts to give unfair advantage to one party in an election. The word comes from a reference to Elbridge Gerry, governor of Massachusetts, whose party redistricted the state in 1812, combined with salamander; because the map of Essex County, Massachusetts, seemed to resemble this animal after the redistricting. 7. imperialism: the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. 8. Machiavellian: acting in accordance with the principles of government in which political expediency is placed above morality; subtly or unscrupulously cunning or deceptive. Nicolo Machiavelli in The Prince expounded the doctrine of political expediency. 9. martial: inclined or disposed to war; brave; warlike. The blood-red planet Mars was named after the Roman god of war. 10. muckraker: one who searches for and exposes real or alleged corruption and scandal. Muckrake, a rake for use on much or dung, was first used in the work of Lincoln Steffens and his contemporaries.

11. partisan: an adherent or supporter of a person, party, or cause; a member of an irregular troop engaged in harassing an enemy. 12. reactionary: a person who favors political conservatism or extreme rightism. 13. schism: a separation or division into factors. The term The Great Schism was used in connection with the Christian church to describe the split between the West and Eastern sects. 14. suffrage: the right to vote; a vote given in favor of a proposed measure or candidate 15. totalitarian: of or pertaining to a centralized government in which those in control grant neither recognition nor toleration to parties of differing opinions.

Exercises I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind. 1. The confederacy cotes to secede from the Union (martial, gerrymander, schism) 2. Vote the party line all the way (partisan, Machiavellian, reactionary) 3. Russia tries to expand its influence in the Middle East (anarchy, imperialism, bureaucracy) 4. The Amish object to TV and other modern inventions and conveniences (ethos, totalitarian, suffrage) 5. A spellbinding speaker (demagogue, muckraker, bourgeois) 6. Red tape and needles duplication (anarchy, reactionary, bureaucracy)

7. One form of investigative journalism (bourgeois, muckraker, gerrymander) 8. Usually associated with Republicans (Machiavellian, reactionary, imperialism) 9. Tries to crush autonomous institutions (totalitarianism, ethos, martial) 10. The franchise (partisan, schism, suffrage)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false. ____ 1. Bourgeois manners tend to be different from the manners of those who have been born with a silver spoon in their mouth. ____ 2. To gerrymander is to vote on the basis of issue rather than party. ____ 3. Martial refers to a rank in the army. ____ 4. A Machiavellian attitude could lead to power but also to unpopularity. ____ 5. Anarchy is a form of government that is built upon bureaucracy. ____ 6. Anarchy is a form of government that favors gerrymanding. ____ 7. The ethos of a group is measured by its support of the government in power. ____ 8. Imperialism follows the totalitarian approach. ____ 9. The Great Schism ended the Papal monopoly over Christianity. ____ 10. For Machiavelli, the bottom line is, who wields the power?

III. Find the Imposter

Find and circle the one word on each line that is not related ot the other three. 1. anarchy 2. demagogue 3. partisan 4. schism 5. Machiavellian narcissism instigator coherent disjunction deceptive terrorism pedant zealot fissure artistic nihilism agitator adherent quarry sinister