Important terms:

1. State
A state is a political division of a body of people that occupies a territory defined by frontiers.
The state is sovereign in its territory (also referred to as jurisdiction) and has the authority to
enforce a system of rules over the people living inside it. That system of rules is commonly
composed of a constitution, statutes, regulations, and common law.

2. Government
A government is an institution, or a system made of a group of people that takes care or
manages a country or a state. Every government has its own constitution or a set of fundamental
principles that it follows to ensure effective governance. Now when we say governance, what
does that entail? How does it work? Once appointed or formed, the government is responsible for
the social welfare, law and order, defence, and financial affairs of the country.

3. Constitution
A constitution is the rule book for a state. It sets out the fundamental principles by which the
state is governed. It describes the main institutions of the state and defines the relationship
between these institutions (for example, between the executive, legislature and judiciary). It
places limits on the exercise of power and sets out the rights and duties of citizens.

4. Nation
A nation is a territory where all the people are led by the same government. The word “nation”
can also refer to a group of people who share a history, traditions, culture and, often, language—
even if the group does not have a country of its own.

5. Legislative
The legislative branch is made up of the House and Senate, known collectively as the
Congress. Among other powers, the legislative branch makes all laws, declares war, regulates
interstate and foreign commerce and controls taxing and spending policies.

6. Executive
The executive branch consists of the President, his or her advisors and various departments and
agencies. This branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land.

7. Judiciary
The judiciary is the branch of government which administers justice according to law. The
term is used to refer broadly to the courts, the judges, magistrates, adjudicators and other support
personnel who run the system. The courts apply the law and settle disputes and punish law-
breakers according to the law.

8. Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is a group of specifically non-elected officials within a government or other
institution that implements the rules, laws, ideas, and functions of their institution through “a
system of administration marked by officials, red tape, and proliferation”.

9. Unicameral
Unicameral legislature or unicameralism is the legislative system having only one house or
assembly. In a unicameral government, the powers are concentrated in a single house of the
Parliament.

10. Bicameral
 Bicameral legislature refers to the form of government, wherein the powers and authority are
shared between two separate chambers. In a bicameral government, the powers are shared by the
Upper House and Lower House.