• Home
  • About

Taegan Goddard's Political Dictionary

The language of politics and power

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • Y

Political words have the power to confound, obscure, and even inspire. Taegan Goddard's Political Dictionary takes apart the language of politics to uncover its deeper meanings and broader significance.

military industrial complex


The comfortable relationship between the military, the federal government and the defense contractors that produce weapons and equipment for war. The term was immortalized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell address to the nation on January 17, 1961. In the speech, Eisenhower cites the military-industrial complex as a warning to the American people [...]

  • Facebook
  • Share
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Digg
  • Email

Read more »

soft power


The ability to obtain what one wants through co-option rather than the use of coercion. The phrase was first coined by Joseph Nye of Harvard University in the late 1980s and is now widely used in international affairs. From Nye’s book, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics: “Soft power lies in the [...]

  • Facebook
  • Share
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Digg
  • Email

Read more »

  • Topics

    activism alliances American Revolution bureaucracy campaigning conservatives corruption debates Democrats demographics dirty tricks election administration Executive Branch foreign affairs fundraising governing House investigations journalism liberals lobbyists losers media political science polling power public policy Republicans scandal Senate speech staffer strategy U.S. Constitution voting war
  • Blogads

  • Advertisements

  • Blogroll

    • Political Job Board
    • Political Job Hunt
    • Political Trivia
    • Political Wire

Admin Login

Powered by frugal


Copyright © 2012 Taegan Goddard's Political Dictionary

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.