Academic Vocabulary: Academic Words - Olsen Amy E. 2012

Chapter 18. Political Science

Searching for the Ideal

Political systems have come in many forms over the course of human history. The quest for a utopian form of government has run the gamut from monarchies to de­mocracies. Ancient Rome and the Soviet Union are two examples separated by time and place that show the simi­larities and differences in how governments are run.

Julius Caesar

After the rule of a tyrannical king, the Romans formed a republic around 500 b.c. The senators of the re­public worked together to make decisions regarding laws. This system worked well until Rome began to expand, and it became harder to control the many lands Rome had con­quered. Eventually military power became more important

than laws. In 62 b.c. Julius Caesar proposed a triumvirate with himself, the general Pompey, and the rich banker Crassus. These three men ruled Rome through bribery, fear, and other methods. When the trium­virate collapsed, Pompey and Caesar went to war. Caesar won and became "Dictator for Life"; there was even talk of making Caesar a king. Rome had gone from a republic to a totalitarian government. Caesar

did make improvements for the people such as fixing the taxa­tion system, making living conditions easier in the conquered territories, and changing the calendar. Still, his authoritarian rule was not appreciated, and seeing no other way to oust him, a group of nobles murdered Caesar in the Senate on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 b.c.

In the 1800s the world was changing due to the rise of industrialism. The milieu was ripe for new ideas. Many peo­ple lived in slums and worked long hours in harsh conditions. Karl Marx was the voice for this class. In 1867 he published Das Kapital, explaining the class struggle between the poor and the rich. The proletariat consisted of the workers who could gain power from the bourgeoisie, the property-owning capitalist class, only by revolution. Marx felt this revolution would take place in Germany or England where capitalism was well established, but it was Russia in 1917 that saw the start of communism. Lenin and Trotsky led the fight for work­ers' rights with Lenin becoming dictator of the newly named Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). After Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin became dictator. Stalin began many re­

forms, but he also silenced all opposition. A totalitarian government was born again.

The USSR was dissolved in 1991, and the ideology underlying communism has been shaken. Capitalism continues to thrive worldwide, although some workers still fight for fair wages and ethical treatment. Humankind continues its search for an ideal form of government.

Karl Marx Monument in Chemnitz, Germany

Predicting

For each set, write the definition on the line next to the word to which it belongs. If you are unsure, return to the reading on page 110, and underline any context clues you find. After you've made your predictions, check your answers against the Word List on page I 15. Place a checkmark in the box next to each word whose definition you missed. These are the words you'll want to study closely.

Set One

the entire range

a government that uses dictatoriaI control

resembling an ideal place

a state where power rests with the citizens

to remove

□ 1. utopian (line 2) ...

□ 2. gamut (line 3) ...

□ 3. republic (line 8) ...

□ 4. totalitarian (line 16) ...

□ 5. oust (line 20) ...

Set Two

the working class

a system of beliefs or ideas

environment

pertaining to right and wrong conduct

the property-owning class

□ 6. milieu (line 24) ...

□ 7. proletariat (line 28) ...

□ 8. bourgeoisie (line 29) ...

□ 9. ideology (line 38) ...

□ 10. ethical (line 39) ...

Self-Tests

1 Circle the correct meaning of each vocabulary word.

1. utopian:  idealized    realized

2. republic:  power with a dictator  power with the people

3. bourgeoisie: middle class   working class

4. ideology:  set of natural laws  system of beliefs

5. oust:   to remove    to add

6. gamut:   range    one and only

7. milieu:   emptiness    surroundings

8. proletariat:  working class   middle class

9. totalitarian:  liberal     authoritarian

10. ethical:  unfair    fair

2 Write the vocabulary word on the line next to the example it best fits. Use each word once.

Set One

Vocabulary list

oust

ideology

utopian

gamut

totalitarian

1. Reg told his bike racing team that he would order all the team's clothing in the sizes he thought people needed. What kind of leader is he?

2. The team voted to remove Reg as manager. What did it decide to do?

3. Reg cried and laughed on being told to go. What did his emotions show?

4. Reg then formed a team built on the beliefs that the manager is always right, and everyone should train seven days a week. What are his beliefs called?

5. He also believes that the team members will never argue and that the team will win every race. What is his outlook on life?

Set Two

Vocabulary list

bourgeoisie

republic

proletariat

milieu

ethical

6. Ava owns a house on a lake. What group is she part of, in Marxist theory?

7. Lou rents an apartment and works as a waiter. What group does he belong to, following Marxist theory?

8. Ava and Lou get to vote for the president of their country. What kind of political system does their country have?

9. Lou and Ava became friends at a soccer game. They believe sports are fun when people treat each other fairly and athletes don't use illegal substances to improve performance. To what type of standards do they adhere?______

10. They both work in busy places. What is one's environment called?

Identify the two vocabulary words represented in the drawings.

3 Complete the reading using each word once.

Vocabulary list

ethical

proletariat

milieu

oust

ideology

republic

utopian

gamut

bourgeoisie

totalitarian

The Survey

For my political science class, I took a survey asking students what life would be like in their (1)... society. I was surprised at some of the responses. The answers ran the (2)... from governments that gave citizens complete freedom to those with strict con­trols. I was surprised at first by the woman who favored a(n) (3)... form of government, but the more I talked to her, the more I saw that she didn't like making decisions. Most people felt that the (4)... treatment of others was essential in a perfect society. Most students favored a(n) (5)... and liked the idea of citizens making decisions about laws. Most people

didn't want a class society. Several students thought it was unfair how the (6)... had manipulated workers for years. A few even felt that, in an ideal society, everyone would belong to the (7)... and work together for the good of society, although several noted that this system hadn't been historically successful. Most people saw the (8)... in a perfect society as one of peace. One man wrote on his survey, "I'd (9)... any whiners, and then life would be

great." I also asked people to give me one word that fit in their political (10)... Among the words I collected were equality, respect, and compromise. The survey helped me write an excellent paper.

Collocations

The game brought out a gamut of emotions from sadness and anger to eventual happiness. (Chapter 18) Ethical standards are required in certain fields, such as medicine, law, and finance. (Chapter 18) What represents the ethical treatment of animals has been controversial in recent years. (Chapter 18)

Word Pairs

Bourgeoisie/Proletariat: Bourgeoisie (Chapter 18) in Marxist theory means "the property-owning capitalist class." Proletariat (Chapter 18), also in Marxist theory, refers to "the workers who do not own property and who must sell their labor to survive." On a Saturday afternoon, the bourgeoisie enjoy a relaxing stroll through the park, while the proletariat continue to toil in the factories.

Interesting Etymologies

Utopian (Chapter 18): The noun Utopia comes from Greek ou, "not," plus topos, "a place" and means "nowhere." The word was coined by Thomas More in 1516 to use as the title of his book about an imaginary ideal island society. A utopia (lowercase) is "any ideal place," and the adjective utopian means "resembling utopia."

Interactive Exercise

Give two examples for each of the following situations.

Banned Books

Freedom of expression has not always been a right granted to all people in all places. Over the centuries, several books have been banned because of their content or wording. Many of the books that are now considered classics were banned at one time. A person doesn't have to like every book that is printed, but keeping an open mind about what one is asked to read in college or what one chooses to read later in life helps to foster creativity, critical thinking, and understanding in an individual.

The following are a few books that have been banned previously (Are any a surprise to you?):

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Bless Me Ultimo by Rudolfo Anaya

Harry Potter (the series) by J. K. Rowling

Words to Watch

Which words would you like to practice with a bit more? Pick 3-5 words to study, and list them below. Write the word and its definition, and compose your own sentence using the word correctly. This extra practice could be the final touch to learning a word.