Words Matter
A plain-language glossary for the words that shape public life.
Political Systems & Ideologies
Government structures and political philosophies that shape how power is distributed, who makes decisions, and how authority is justified. These terms are often used loosely. This section pins down their actual meanings and explains how they function in practice.
Fiscal Responsibility
Fiscal responsibility refers to how governments manage public money to meet current obligations while maintaining long-term stability. It involves planning, tradeoffs, and balancing revenues and expenditures—not just spending cuts. The term appears often in debates about budgets, taxes, and public investment, sometimes without clear definition.
Fascism
An authoritarian nationalist ideology that seeks to centralize power under a strong leader while suppressing opposition, dissent, and pluralism. Historically, fascist movements emphasize mass mobilization, militarism, mythic national unity, and the subordination of individual rights to the state.
Federalism
A constitutional arrangement in which power is divided between a national government and regional governments such as states or provinces. Each level has its own legal authority, responsibilities, and mechanisms for governance. Tension over these boundaries is a defining feature, not a flaw.