Chapter 1 Vocab Flashcards
(21 cards)
Government
The collective institutions that make authoritative decisions for a society.
Public Goods
Services provided by the government that can be denied to no one.
Politics
The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue.
Political Participation
All activities used by citizens to influence politics.
Single-issue Groups
Groups that focus on one issue and usually lead campaigns and vote for their cause.
Policymaking System
The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. People’s interest lead to linkage institutions and then to policy agenda to policymaking to policy then back to perople.
Linkage Institutions
Political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues.
Policy Agenda
The issues that attract serious attention from leaders or those in politics.
Political Issue
An issue in politics that arises due to a disagreement.
Policymaking institutions
The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. Congress, The Presidents, The Courts (and bureaucracy).
Public Policy
A choice the government takes in response to a political issue.
Democracy
A system of selecting policymakers and organizing government so that policy represents the public’s interest.
Majority Rule
The will of the majority should be followed.
Minority Rights
Rights that the majority can not infringe upon. (i.e. free speech.)
Representation
The relationship between leaders and their followers to have their opinions used.
Pluralist Theory
Politics is made of competing interest groups.
Elite and Class Theory
There are natural class lines that must be accepted, and the elite will hold most power and wealth.
Hyperpluralism
.Politics has to many competing groups causing the government to be weak.
Policy Gridlock
When other interest groups and policies create a majority in order to veto a policy.
Gross Domestic Product
The total amount of revenue gained from all products and services of a nation.
Individualism
The belief that one should be left alone by the government. This is why America’s government is comparatively less prominent in everyday society.
