First Exam Flashcards
(43 cards)
Define Politics
Defined by Lasswell, who gets what, when and how. A way to determine without resource to violence, who gets power and resources in society, and how they get them.
Define Power
The ability to get others to do what you want.
Define Authority
Power that is recognized as legitimate or rigth.
Legitimacy
Something that is accepted as right or proper, power we have consented.
Government
System or organization for exercising authority over a body of people
Anarchy
The absence of government and laws. Most extreme form of nonauthoritarian government.
Ideology
Set of beliefs about politics and society that help people make sense of their world.
Liberal Democracy
Laissez-faire
Combines the structure of a representative democracy with the principles of liberal political philosophy. It is characterized by elections between multiple distinct political parties, a separation of powers into different branches of government, the rule of law in everyday life as part of an open society, a market economy with private property, universal suffrage, and the equal protection of human rights, civil rights, civil liberties and political freedoms for all people.
Capitalist economy
Economic system in which the market determines production, distribution and price decisions, and property is privately owned.
Regulated capitalism
A market system in which the government intervenes to protect rights.
Socialist economy
Also called social democracy
Decisions are not made by individuals through the market, but rather polititians based on their judgement of what society needs. The state owns factories, lands….
Socialism
Economic decisions are not made by individuals through market but rather by politians based on their judgement of what society needs. The state determines production, distribution and price decisions and property is government owned. It’s emphasized substantive guarantees of what they believe to be fair outcomes, rather than procedural guarantees.
Social democracy
Mixed economy that uses the democratics process to bend capitalism towards socialist goals like more equality.
Totalitarianism
A system in which absolute power is exercised over every aspect of life.
Authoritarianism
Gives ultimate power to the state rather than to the people to decide how they ought to live their lives. People cannot effectively claim rights against the state.
Authoritarian capitalism
A system in which state allows people economic freedom but mantains stringent social regulations to limit noneconomic behavior.
Conservatives
People who generally favor limited government, and are cautious about change. Promote a political narrative based on traditional social values, distrust of government action except in matter of national security, resistance to change, and maintainance of a prescribed social order.
Liberals
People who generally favor government action and view changes as progress. Tell a narrative based on potential progress and change, trust in government, innovations as answers to social problems and expansions of individual rights.
Libertarians
Favor minimal government role in any sphere.
Authoritarian populism
Radical right wing movement that appeals to popular discontent but whose underlying values are not democratic
American Founding
-Articles of Confederation
-Virginia Plan
-New Jersey Plan
-Constitution
What is the Declaration of Independence?
Political document that dissolved colonial ties between the United States and Britain
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The first Constitution of the United States (1777) creating an association of states with weak central government.
Showed that the state guarded their power. Reflected great concern that the rules wouldn’t give any states preferences.
What is the Virginia Plan?
A proposal at the Constitutional Convention that congressional representation be based on population, thus favoring the large states. Created by James Madison and Edmund Randolph presented it at the Convention.
