Rights Entitlements in law or simply as part of morality that do not involve
harming oneself or others.
Slavery A term that embraces people who are unfree and are the property of others.
Although chattel slavery – the explicit and legal ownership of people – has largely
died out in the contemporary world, the term can be applied analogously to people
who have to work for or are wholly dependent on others.
Socialism An ideology that asserts society is of equal importance to the individual,
and it can therefore be regulated publicly in the interests of the individual.
Society A group of people who relate to one another for specific purposes. Societies
exist at all levels.
Sovereignty The ability to govern one’s own life: sovereignty is an absolute concept
that can only express itself in particular historical circumstances.
State An institution that claims a monopoly of legitimate force for a particular
territory. This claim makes it contradictory and paradoxical.
State sovereignty The claim by supporters of the state that the state has ultimate
and final legitimate force over a particular society.
Static concept One that is divisive in character and cannot, therefore, be
reconstructed.
Statism An approach that creates or accepts divisions and thus the need for force
to tackle them.
Terrorism The use of political violence in situations in which people have
reasonable avenues of peaceful protest.
Totalitarianism A movement or system that aspires to control every aspect of
society in an authoritarian manner. It therefore rejects liberalism and democracy.
Toleration The willingness to allow other people to behave in ways of which we
disapprove. The first major historical form of political toleration was religious
toleration.
Universalism The belief that there are moral codes or values binding on all people,
irrespective of culture. The alternative position is cultural or ethical relativism.
Utilitarianism A stream of liberal thought that maintains political institutions
should maximise the overall level of utility in society. Utilitarians disagree about
the definition of ‘utility’, but possibilities include pleasure, happiness and preference-
satisfaction.
Victimhood A belief, usually from victims, that their plight is caused by themselves
or others who must be blamed and punished as a substitute for actively seeking the
roots of their problem.
Violence A synonym for force.
Will A capacity to exercise choice as an agent.
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