Introducing Government Flashcards
(40 cards)
apathetic
lack of interest in or concern for things that others find interesting or important
cynicism
an attitude or state of mind characterized by a general distrust of other’s apparent motives
political disengagement
condition of detachment from and lack of participation in public policy discussion and action
polls
the locations where voters go to cast their ballots aka “exercise their franchise”
government
institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society
public goods
schools, highways, safety, medical care, a clean environment that everyone must share
policymaking system
process by which comes into being and evolves over time
policy agenda
issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and political parties at any given time
political issues
condition or event that causes disagreement about a problem in society and how to fix it
statute
formal written enactment of the legislative authority of a government, particularly the Congress
civic virtue
habits of living that are important for the success of a community: tolerance, hard work, etc.
fragmented media
the vastly increased out lets that make divergent information and opinion available
innovation
development of new tools, methods, modes of thought for dealing with issues
linkage institutions
channels through which concerns become issues on the policy agenda: elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media
national defense
the protection of the sovereignty of a state; one of the fundamental roles of government
policymaking institutions
the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues
political participation
activities used by the citizens to influence the selection of political leaders and policies
public policy
choice the government makes in response to a political issue; course of action taken with regard to a problem
single-issue groups
organizations that possess a narrow political focus, draw in new political participants, and tend to dislike compromise as a mode of operation
sterotype
standardized and simplified conceptions of people based on some prior assumptions
democracy
system of government organized to represent and respond to the public policy’s preferences
majority rule
fundamental principle of democratic theory that the desires of most society determine public policy
minority rights
fundamental principle of liberal democratic theory that the beliefs of small groups in society be protected
inclusion
element of traditional democratic theory that citizenship must be open to all subject to the government
