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1- PolSci 1200: Government > Book terms Ch 1-3 > Flashcards

Book terms Ch 1-3 Flashcards

1
Q

government

A

government- The legitimate use of force to control human behavior; also, the organization or agency authorized to exercise that force

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2
Q

national sovereignty

A

national sovereignty- A political entity’s externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs. Threatened by globalization

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3
Q

order

A

order- Established ways of social behavior. Maintaining order is the oldest purpose of government

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4
Q

liberalism

A

liberalism- the belief that states should leave individuals free to follow their individual pursuits. (different from liberal)

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5
Q

communism

A

communism- a political system in which, in theory, ownership of all land and productive facilities is in the hands of the people, and all goods are equally shared. The production and distribution of goods are controlled by an authoritarian government

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6
Q

public goods

A

public goods- Benefits and services, such as parks and sanitation, that benefit all citizens but are not likely to be produced voluntarily by individuals

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7
Q

freedom of

A

freedom of- an absence of constraints on behavior, as in freedom of speech or freedom of religion

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8
Q

freedom from

A

freedom from- immunity, as in freedom from want

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9
Q

police power

A

police power- the authority of a government to maintain order and safeguard citizens’ health, morals, safety, and welfare

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10
Q

political equality

A

political equality- equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally

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11
Q

social equality

A

social equality- equality in wealth, education, and status

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12
Q

equality of opportunity

A

equality of opportunity- the idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life

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13
Q

equality of outcome

A

equality of outcome- the concept that society must ensure that people are equal, and governments must design policies to redistribute wealth and status so that economic and social equality is actually achieved

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14
Q

rights

A

rights- the benefits of governments to which every citizen is entitled

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15
Q

political ideology

A

political ideology- a consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government

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16
Q

Totalitarianism

A

totalitarianism- a political philosophy that advocates unlimited power for the government to enable it to control all sectors of society

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17
Q

socialism

A

socialism- a form of rule in which the central government plays a strong role in regulating existing private industry and directing the economy, although it does allow some private ownership of productive capacity

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18
Q

democratic socialism

A

democratic socialism- a socialist form of government that guarantees civil liberties such as freedom of speech and religion. Citizens determine the extent of government activity through free elections and competitive political parties

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19
Q

capitalism

A

capitalism- the system of government that favors free enterprise (privately owned businesses operating without government regulation

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20
Q

libertarianism

A

libertarianism- a political ideology that is opposed to all government action except as necessary to protect life and property

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21
Q

libertarians

A

libertarians- those who are opposed to using government to promote either order or equality

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22
Q

laissez faire

A

laissez faire- an economic doctrine that opposes any form of government intervention in business

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23
Q

anarchism

A

anarchism- a political philosophy that opposes government in any form

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24
Q

conservatives

A

conservatives- those who are willing to use government to promote order but not equality

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25
Q

liberals

A

liberals- those who are willing to use government to promote equality but not order

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26
Q

communitarians

A

communitarians- those who are willing to use government to promote both order and equality

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27
Q

autocracy

A

autocracy- A system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual

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28
Q

oligarchy

A

oligarchy- A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few people

29
Q

democracy

A

democracy- A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly

30
Q

procedural democratic theory

A

Procedural democratic theory- A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness

31
Q

universal participation

A

Universal participation- the concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making

32
Q

political equality

A

political equality- equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally

33
Q

majority rule

A

majority rule- The principle–basic to procedural democratic theory–that the decision of a group must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating; a simple majority. The principle usually defaults to plurality rule if a majority cannot be found

34
Q

participatory democracy

A

participatory democracy- A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.

35
Q

e-government

A

e-government- Online communication channels that enable citizens to easily obtain information from government and facilitate the expression of opinions to government officials

36
Q

representative democracy

A

representative democracy- A system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf

37
Q

responsiveness

A

responsiveness- A decision-making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people wants

38
Q

substantive democratic theory

A

Substantive democratic theory- the view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure. Government policies should therefore guarantee civil liberties and rights regardless of the will of the majority

39
Q

minority rights

A

minority rights- the benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizen by majority decisions

40
Q

majoritarian model of democracy

A

majoritarian model of democracy- the classical theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people. Challenged by the claim that citizens have a limited understanding/interest in government, supported by the claim that citizens have a coherent and stable opinion on major policy questions

41
Q

pluralist model of democracy

A

pluralist model of democracy- an interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups. shifts the focus of democratic government from the mass electorate to organized groups

42
Q

interest group

A

interest group- an organization that seeks to influence public policy; also called a lobby

43
Q

elite theory

A

elite theory- the view that a small group of people actually makes most of the important government decisions

44
Q

democratization

A

democratization- a process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one

45
Q

declaration of independence

A

declaration of independence- drafted by thomas jefferson, the document that proclaimed the right of the colonies to separate from great britain

46
Q

three points of the declaration of independence

A

(1) the people have a right to revolt if they determine that their government is denying them their legitimate rights; and (2) the long list of the king’s actions was evidence of such denial; therefore (3) the people had the right to rebel, to form a new government. The underlying principles came from John Locke.

47
Q

social contract theory

A

social contract theory- the belief that the people agree to set up rulers for certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rules who act against those purposes

48
Q

republic

A

republic- a government without a monarch; a government rooted in the consent of the governed, whose power is exercised by elected representatives responsible to the governed

49
Q

confederation

A

confederation- A loose association of independent states that agree to cooperate on specified matters

50
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

Articles of Confederation- the compact among the thirteen original states that established the first government of the United States

51
Q

4 reasons that the Articles failed

A

First, they did not give the national government the power to tax. As a result, the congress had to plead for money from the states to pay for the war and carry on the affairs of the new nation. A government that cannot reliably raise revenue cannot expect to govern effectively.

Second, the Articles made no provision for an independent leadership position to direct the government (the president was merely the presiding officer of the congress). The omission was deliberate—the colonists feared the reestablishment of a monarchy—but it left the nation without a leader.

Third, the Articles did not allow the national government to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. (When John Adams proposed that the confederation enter into a commercial treaty with Britain after the war, he was asked, “Would you like one treaty or thirteen, Mr. Adams?”)

Finally, the Articles could not be amended without the unanimous agreement of the congress and the assent of all the state legislatures; thus, each state had the power to veto any changes to the confederation.

52
Q

Virginia Plan

A

Virginia Plan- A set of proposals for a new government, submitted to the Constitutional Convention in 1781; it included separation of the government into three branches, division of the legislature into two houses, and proportional representation in the legislature

53
Q

legislative branch

A

legislative branch- lawmaking branch of government

54
Q

executive branch

A

executive branch- law-enforcing branch of government

55
Q

judicial branch

A

judicial branch- law-interpreting branch of government

56
Q

New Jersey Plan

A

New Jersey Plan- submitted by the head of the New Jersey delegation to the Constitutional Convention, a set of nine resolutions that would have, in effect, preserve the Articles of Confederation by amending rather than replacing them

57
Q

Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise

A

Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise- Submitted by the Connecticut delegation to the Constitutional Convention, a plan calling for a bicameral legislature in which the House of Representatives would be apportioned according to population and the states would be represented equally in the Senate (2 senators each)

58
Q

electoral college

A

electoral college- A body of electors chosen by voters to cast ballots for president and vice president

59
Q

extraordinary majority

A

extraordinary majority- a majority greater than the minimum (50%+1)

60
Q

republicanism

A

republicanism- a form of government in which power resides in the people and in exercised by their elected representatives

61
Q

federalism

A

federalism- the division of power between a central government and regional governments

62
Q

separation of powers

A

separation of powers- the assignment of lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law-interpreting functions to separate branches of government

63
Q

checks and balances

A

checks and balances- a government structure that gives each branch some scrutiny of and control over the other branches

64
Q

enumerated powers

A

enumerated powers- the powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution

65
Q

necessary and proper clause

A

necessary and proper clause- The last clause in Section 8 of Article 1 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the means to execute its enumerated powers. This clause is the basis for Congress’s implied powers. Also called the elastic clause.

66
Q

implied powers

A

implied powers- those powers that congress needs to execute its enumerated powers

67
Q

judicial review

A

judicial review- the power to declare congressional (and presidential) acts invalid because they violate the constitution. Not explicitly given by Article III, but inferred.

68
Q

supremacy clause

A

supremacy clause- the clause in article VI of the constitution that asserts that national laws take precedence over state and local laws when they conflict

69
Q

Bill of Rights

A

Bill of Rights- the first ten amendments to the Constitution. They prevent the national government from tampering with fundamental rights and civil liberties, and emphasize the limited character of national power

1- PolSci 1200: Government (7 decks)

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