Defining Core Political and Historical Terminology

Constitution

A Constitution is a set of fundamental laws (whether codified as a written document or not) that people have made and agreed upon for governance. A constitution enumerates and limits the powers and functions of a political entity.

Bourgeois Revolution

A Bourgeois Revolution is a sudden political change led by the Bourgeoisie that transforms the life of people in a short lapse of time. A society based on the Estates of the Realm gave way to a liberal society. In many countries of Europe and America, these social transformations took place from the late 1700s and throughout the 19th century.

The Estates General

The Estates General was a consultative French assembly that brought together the three Estates of the Realm of the Ancien Régime. In its ballots, only one vote was granted to each estate, meaning the privileged classes won every time by two ballots against one. The meeting was typically convened as a consequence of a political or economic crisis where the King called his subjects to approve new taxes.

Suffrage

Suffrage is a constitutional right that enables the citizen to vote for representatives or to be himself elected. There are two primary types:

• Limited Suffrage: Allows the vote only to those included in a restricted census or list.
• Universal Suffrage: Allows the vote to all citizens who are of age.

Sans-culottes

Sans-culottes was a term describing the poorer members of the Third Estate. They were named this because they usually wore pantaloons (full-length trousers) instead of the knee-length culotte, which was characteristic of the aristocracy. These working-class people were strong supporters of the revolution.

Coup d'état

A Coup d'état (also known as a coup, putsch, pronunciamiento, or overthrow) is the sudden, unconstitutional deposition of a government. This action is usually carried out by a small group within the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body, either civil or military.

Buffer States

A Buffer State is a country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers. By its sheer existence, it is thought to prevent conflict between them.

Volksgeist

Volksgeist (German for Volk—people, Geist—spirit, meaning "national spirit") is a term referring to sets of mental, intellectual, moral, and cultural traits that define particular human groups represented as being nations or peoples.

Nationalism

Nationalism is an ideology based on the right of a nation to have its own political state (the nation-state) and its cultural identity. This identity implies that the people share the same customs, language, and traditions.

Liberalism

Liberalism is an ideology based on the ideas of political and economic freedom, opposed to the oppression of the Ancien Régime.