Chapter 2 Vocab

Question 1

autocracy

Answer 1

a system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual

Question 2

oligarchy

Answer 2

a system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals

Question 3

democracy

Answer 3

a system of government in which in theory the people rule either directly or indirectly

Question 4

procedural democratic theory

Answer 4

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

Question 5

universal participation

Answer 5

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

Question 6

political equality

Answer 6

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

Question 7

majority rule

Answer 7

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

Question 8

participatory democracy

Answer 8

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

Question 9

representative democracy

Answer 9

a system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf

Question 10

responsiveness

Answer 10

a decision making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people want

Question 11

substantive democratic theory

Answer 11

the view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure

Question 12

minority rights

Answer 12

the benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizens by majority decisions

Question 13

majoritarian model of democracy

Answer 13

the classical theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people

Question 14

interest group

Answer 14

an organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy. also called a lobby

Question 15

pluralist model of democracy

Answer 15

an interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups

Question 16

elite theory

Answer 16

the view that a small group of people actually make most of the important government decisions