Flashcards in Government Notes Quiz Deck (32)
1
Politics
Process (how it's done) by which it is determined by those in authority as to who gets what, when, and how (the authoritative allocation of scarce resources)
The how
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Government
The institutions (authority) that actually determine who gets what, when, and how (by making public policy)
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Public policy
Decisions (rules) or non-decisions made by govt to settle political issues
What govt decides to do
Govt choice
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Political issues
An issue that arises out of conflict between the people about a political problem and how to fix it
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Policy agenda
Those policy items that govt officials decide to address
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Political values
Those elements (ideas/core beliefs) which guide a person's decisions regarding public policy
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Study the policy making process chart
YOU GOT THIS!!!
8
Linkage institution
Political, non-governmental institution created to help channel the people's concerns (polit. issues) onto the policy agenda
Ex: elections, campaign polit. Parties, the MEDIA, interest groups
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Policy agenda
Political issues that attract attention of govt officials and other polit actors (set by govt. policy makers, but influenced by linkage institutions ESP. MEDIA)
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Policy making institutions
(Government) those in branches of govt at state and federal level
Ex: congress, pres, courts, the federal bureaucracy, state legislatures, governors, etc
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Types of policy: who decides?
What's bureaucracy?
Congressional laws
Govt budget decisions by congress/pres
-expenditure plans (aka appropriations)
-tax plans (aka revenues)
Presidential decisions (executive orders, executive agreements, etc.)
Bureaucratic agency rules
-bureaucracy:the executive agencies that actually carry out work of the govt
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Enlightenment:
Euro movement that advocated use of logic and reason to find natural laws that regulate human society to reform society by creating better social institutions.
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Enlightenment beliefs:
Democracy
Liberty (freedom)
Equality of opportunity
Importance of checking self-interest
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State of nature
People are naturally free and equal, but this freedom inevitably leads to inequality and chaos
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Natural law
In natural state men are ruled by laws of nature
-innate moral laws
-stronger than human (govt) law
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Natural rights
Life, liberty, property
Arise out of this natural law
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Self interest
A natural characteristic of man; cause of inequality and chaos (threatens natural rights) changes s.o.n
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Consent of the governed (social contract)
People willingly give up some freedom (consent) to form govts to protect natural rights forming a contract between ppl and govt
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Right to revolt
Occurs when govt breaks contract
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Limited govt
In order to honor its contract, power of govt, must be restricted so that it does only those things citizens allow
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Democracy
All authority rests with people
Govt expresses will of people
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Direct democracy
Ppl make and vote on laws directly themselves
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Representative (indirect) democracy
Ppl. Vote a small group of people (representatives) to make a vote on laws
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Dictatorship
1 person or small group of people have political authority
Those who rule aren't responsible to will of ppl
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Autocracy
1 person holds all power (military dictator, absolute monarch)
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Oligarchy
Small group holds all power
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Republic
A elected govt limited by rule of law
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All repl. Democracies are
Republics
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Traditional theory of democracy
Problem?
1. Citizen control of agenda through majority rule and representative (majoritarianism)
- minority always loses
2. Equality in voting
3. Effective in participation (all citizens participate)
4. Enlightened understanding (society marketplace of ideas and citizens understand political issues)
5. Inclusion (minority rights are protected from abuse by majority) biggest concern of framers
30
Pluralist theory
Emphasizes politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
Similar groups will work together (form majorities)
Public interest will prevail
31
Elite and class theory
Societies are divided along class lines and upper middle elite will rule, regardless of formal niceties of governmental organization
Not all groups equal
Policies benefit those with money/power
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