English vocabulary House of Cards

utopia

/juˈtoʊpiə/

noun

a made-up state or place in which everything is ideal

Examples

wing

/ˈwɪŋ/

noun

members of a political party or other organization who have a certain function or share certain views

Examples

conservatism

/kənˈsɝvəˌtɪzəm/

noun

a political belief with an inclination to keep the traditional values in a society by avoiding changes

Examples

utilitarianism

/jˌuːɾɪlɪtˈɛɹiənˌɪzəm/

noun

the doctrine that the best measure or decision is the one that satisfies the majority of people

Examples

apolitical

/ˌeɪpəˈɫɪtɪkəɫ/

adjective

having no interest or involvement in politics

Examples

bilateral

/baɪˈɫætɝəɫ/

adjective

concerning two groups or countries

Examples

bureaucracy

/bjʊˈɹɑkɹəsi/

noun

a system of government that is controlled by officials who are not elected rather employed

Examples

to canvass

/ˈkænvəs/

verb

get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions

Examples

centralism

/ˈsɛntɹəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

the political policy of concentrating power in a central organization

Examples

tyrant

/ˈtaɪɹənt/

noun

a cruel and oppressive dictator

Examples

swing vote

/swˈɪŋ vˈoʊt/

noun

*** a vote that has a decisive influence on the result of an election

Examples

straw poll

/stɹˈɔː pˈoʊl/

noun

an unofficial test of opinion that includes a number of people who give their opinion about something or say whether or not they intend to participate in an election

Examples

cabinet

/ˈkæbənət/, /ˈkæbnət/

noun

senior members of a government who make decisions and control the policy of the government

Click to see examples

Examples

I can't handle people forcefully closing cabinets.

Narrator: Adam works with a cabinet maker down the road to create both standard finishes and custom designs.

Slamming cabinets over and over again.

coalition

/ˌkoʊəˈɫɪʃən/

noun

an alliance between two or more countries or between political parties when forming a government or during elections

Examples

confederation

/kənˌfɛdɝˈeɪʃən/

noun

an organization that consists of countries, parties, or businesses which have formed an alliance to help one another

Examples

constituency

/kənˈstɪtʃuənsi/

noun

a group of people in a specific area who elect a representative to a legislative position

Examples

constitutional

/ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəɫ/

adjective

relating to or operating under the official laws and principles called the constitution, by which a country or state is governed

Examples

demagogue

/ˈdɛməˌɡɑɡ/

noun

a politician who appeals to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people instead of valid arguments in order to gain support

Examples

to destabilize

/dɪˈsteɪbəˌɫaɪz/

verb

make unstable

Examples

diplomacy

/dɪˈpɫoʊməsi/

noun

the job, skill, or act of managing the relationships between different countries

Examples

egalitarian

/ɪˌɡæɫəˈtɛɹiən/

noun

a person who believes in the equality of all people

Examples

electorate

/ɪˈɫɛktɝət/, /ɪˈɫɛktɹɪt/

noun

the body of enfranchised citizens; those qualified to vote

Examples

to enfranchise

/ɪnˈfɹænˌtʃaɪz/

verb

grant voting rights

Examples

fanatic

/fəˈnætɪk/

noun

an overenthusiastic individual, especially one who is devoted to a radical political or religious cause

Examples

federalism

/ˈfɛdɝəˌɫɪzəm/, /ˈfɛdɹəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

a political system in which a central government controls the affairs of each self-governed state

Examples

feudalism

/ˈfjudəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

a social and land-owning system in medieval Europe in which people were granted land and protection by a nobleman in exchange, they had to fight and work for him

Examples

frontier

/fɹənˈtɪɹ/

noun

an international boundary or the area (often fortified) immediately inside the boundary

Examples

geopolitics

/ˌdʒioʊˈpɑɫətɪks/

noun

the study of the effects of economic geography on the powers of the state

Examples

imperialism

/ˌɪmˈpɪɹiəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

a system in which one country controls or has influence over other countries, often by winning wars against them

Examples

inauguration

/ɪˌnɔɡjɝˈeɪʃən/

noun

a formal ceremony at which a person is admitted to office

Examples

isolationism

/ˌaɪsəˈɫeɪʃəˌnɪzəm/

noun

the political practice of only being concerned with one's home country and not getting involved in international affairs

Examples

interventionism

/ˌɪntɝˈvɛnʃəˌnɪzəm/

noun

*** ‌the policy or practice of a government influencing the economy of its own country, or of becoming involved in the affairs of other countries

Examples

legislative

/ˈɫɛdʒəˌsɫeɪtɪv/

adjective

relating to making and enacting laws

Examples

liberalism

/ˈɫɪˌbɝəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

the political belief that promotes personal freedom, democracy, gradual changes in society, and free trade

Examples

manifesto

/ˌmænəˈfɛsˌtoʊ/, /ˌmænɪˈfɛsˌtoʊ/

noun

a public declaration of intentions (as issued by a political party or government)

Examples

pacifism

/ˈpæsɪˌfɪzəm/

noun

the doctrine that all violence is unjustifiable

Examples

oligarchy

/ˈɑɫəˌɡɑɹki/

noun

a political system in which a small group of high-powered people control a country or organization

Examples

reactionary

/ɹiˈækʃəˌnɛɹi/

adjective

opposed to political or social liberalism or reform

Click to see examples

Examples

Of course, it could be because they didn't realize, and it's like a reactionary,

parliamentary

/ˌpɑɹɫəˈmɛnɝi/, /ˌpɑɹɫəˈmɛntɝi/

adjective

having, relating to, or enacted by a parliament

Examples

populism

/ˈpɑpjəˌɫɪzəm/

noun

a type of politics that purports to represent the opinions and desires of ordinary people in order to gain their support

Examples

propaganda

/ˌpɹɑpəˈɡændə/

noun

information and statements that are mostly biased and false and are used to promote a political cause or leader