Social Sciences Glossary
Social Sciences Glossary
25 Democracy and citizenship in South Africa terms
This glossary explains important terms found in the Democracy and citizenship in South Africa learning unit
- activist
- noun
- someone who does something to bring about change for the good of the people or for something that the believe in strongly
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- advocate
- noun
- a lawyer who is allowed to argue in a high court
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- ballot paper
- noun
- a page given to a voter on which to mark which party or person he or she is voting for
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- charter
- noun
- a document that states the rights of a group of people
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- citizen
- noun
- a person who belongs to a country or a city
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- citizenship
- noun
- the legal right to belong to a country
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- civil
- adjective
- relating to ordinary citizens, not to criminals
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- considering
- verb (gerund)
- to think carefully about something
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- Constitution
- noun
- the laws that everyone in the country must obey
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- courts
- noun
- places where a judge decides if a person has done something wrong and what the punishment will be
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- democracy
- noun
- a system of government in a country where everyone can vote to elect leaders
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- democratic elections
- noun
- process through which all adult citizens have the right to vote
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- elections
- noun
- an organised event where people vote for their leaders
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- government
- noun
- a group of people in charge of a country
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- judgement
- noun
- a decision reached by a judge at the end of a court case
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- justice
- noun
- what is fair, correct or right
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- justice system
- noun
- the police and the courts of law where people are judged
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- Parliament
- noun
- the branches of the government responsible for making the laws of the country
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- political party
- noun
- a group of people who have similar ideas about how a country should be run
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- resolve
- verb
- to reach an agreement or to solve a problem
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- respect
- noun
- to think of a people's dignity as human beings of equal value or worth
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- responsibilities
- noun
- things that you need to do or take care of to be a good citizen
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- rights
- noun
- the freedoms and opportunities that everyone is allowed to have in order to live a dignified life
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- session
- noun
- when the Members of Parliament meet formally to discuss important matters about the country
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- voting
- verb
- when you choose something by putting up your hand or by writing your choice on a piece of paper
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