POLITICS POCKET DICTIONARY R

R

Racism :
1. The discrimination against a person or group solely because of their race.
2. Any political doctrine that claims the superiority of one race over another
Radical :
Favoring fundamental change in society. Traditionally radicalism has been identified with the left, but radicals can be on the right too. Some would argue that in America today the radical agenda is that of the right rather than the left, although conservatives would say that special interest groups like feminists and gays are pushing a radical agenda
Raison d'etat :
French phrase meaning a reason of state. A reason of state is something that is of vital importance to the state, which justifies the action that a state may perform in regard to it, but which usually cannot be made public at the time.
Raison d'etre :
A French phrase meaning the reason for a thing's existence. The raison d'etre of the American civil rights movement was to secure equal rights for black people; the raison d'etre of the U.S. military is to defend the nation.
Ratification :
1. The formal adoption of a treaty by a state, by a vote of its legislators.
2. The term also applies to approval by the states of constitutional amendments.
Realism :
1. That which deals with the facts, with things as they are, not with idealistic notions of what they might or should be. Practical rather than visionary or imaginative.
2. In politics, realism is similar to realpolitik in meaning.
Realpolitik :
1. German term now used in English that means politics based on strictly practical rather than theoretical or idealistic notions, and practiced with a hard or cynical edge, without any sentimental illusions.
2. Real politik is power politics; the practitioner of realpolitik pursues the interests of his own group or country ruthlessly; he expects the other side to the same.
Red Herring :
Something irrelevant that is used to confuse or take the attention away from the something else. The term comes from the use of red herrings in hunting, to distract the hounds.
Redistribution :
Reallocation by a government of the wealth of a nation. This is usually done by taxes and welfare benefits-high taxes for the wealthy finance benefits for the poor. Redistribution is one of the central tenets of the welfare state, and of socialism.
Referendum :
A national or local vote on a single issue. Most U.S. states require referendums on amendments to the state constitution.
Reform :
A change or modification of something that already exists.
Regime :
Refers to a method or system of government; is often used to refer to a military government, or to a government that lacks legitimacy.
Regimentation :
Making people think and act in the same manner. Regimentation is a characteristic of totalitarian societies.
Regionalism :
Policies that recognize the distinctive character of different regions in a country, and allow them some autonomy over their own affairs. Regions, for example, can be distinctive due to language, culture, and history.
Repatriation :
The sending back of a person to his country of origin, as in the repatriation of prisoners of war.
Representation :
That which is performed by a representative, delegate, or agent, especially a representative in a legislature.
Representative gov :
A system of government in which the people elect agents to represent them in a legislature.
Repression :
In politics, refers to crushing of dissent, crackdown on a rebellion, or similar, as in writers and intellectuals fought against government repression.
Reprisals :
Retaliation taken in revenge for some injury suffered, as in, the government decided to take reprisals against the country responsible for terrorist acts.
Reprieve :
To delay the punishment of, particularly with reference to capital punishment; to give temporary relief to.
Republic :
the form of government in which ultimate power resides in the people, who elect representatives to participate in decision-making on their behalf. A republic is founded on the idea that every citizen has a right to participate, directly or indirectly, in affairs of state, and the general will of the people should be sovereign.
Retaliation :
1. Revenge or reprisal, on a tit-for-tat basis.
2. Retaliation is the repaying of an attack by an enemy with an attack on him.
Retroactive legislation :
legislation that applies to a specified period before the legislation was passed, as well as to the present and future.
Reverse discrimination :
the term is used by those who oppose affirmative action programs, who say that the effect of such programs is no longer to end discrimination against blacks but to discriminate against whites.
Revisionism :
The drastic reevaluation of an accepted theory or doctrine, or historical event or person. A revisionist historian for example, might offer a completely new view of a highly revered figure that shows him in a negative light, or vice versa.

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