Political Institutions

Definition

Political institutions are structures and systems within a government that create laws, regulate society, and conduct public affairs.

Analogy

Imagine political institutions as the referees in a football game. They set rules for how players (citizens) should behave during the game (society), make calls when those rules are broken (law enforcement), and keep track of scores (public records).

Related terms

Legislature: This is a deliberative assembly with authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They're like head referees who decide what rules will govern play.

Executive Branch: The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes people at highest levels of government who have executive power - they're like field referees enforcing rules during play.

Judiciary Branch: The judiciary interprets laws and administers justice according to those interpretations - they're like video assistant referees reviewing plays and making final decisions.