Lesson 4: What is constitutional government?

Terms

aristocratic or dictatorial government  A political system in which the ruler or rulers has unlimited power and which denies people's fundamental rights.

constitution  A set of customs, traditions, rules, and laws that sets forth the way a government is organized and operated.

constitutional government  A government in which the powers of the ruler or rulers are limited by a constitution.

higher law  As used in describing a legal system, this term refers to the superiority of one set of laws over another. For example, the Constitution is a higher law than any federal or state law. In the natural rights philosophy, it means that natural law and divine law are superior to laws made by human beings.

limits  Restrictions or boundaries on governmental power.

monarchy  A form of government in which political power is held by a single ruler such as a king or queen.

private domain  Areas of a person's life that are not subject to governmental interference.