1 - Introducing Government in America

Question 1

Government

Answer 1

The institutions through which public policies are made for a society.

Question 2

Collective goods

Answer 2

Goods and services, such as clean air and clean water, that by their nature cannot be denied to anyone.

Question 3

Politics

Answer 3

The process determining the leaders we select in the policies they pursue. Politics procedures authorized decisions about public issues.

Question 4

Political participation

Answer 4

All the activities by which citizens attempt to influence the selection of political leaders in the policies they pursue. Voting is the most common means of political participation in a democracy. Other means include contacting public officials, protest, and civil disobedience.

Question 5

Single issue groups

Answer 5

Groups that have narrow interest on which their members tend to take an uncompromising stance

Question 6

Policymaking system

Answer 6

The process by which policy continues into being and evolves. People’s interest, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns.

Question 7

Linkage institutions

Answer 7

the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. In the US, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Question 8

Policy agenda

Answer 8

the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people involved in politics at a point in time.

Question 9

Political issue

Answer 9

an issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it.

Question 10

Policymaking institutions

Answer 10

The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The U.S. Constitution established three policymaking institutions – Congress, the presidency, and the courts. Today, the power of the bureaucracy is so great that most political scientists consider it a fourth policymaking institutions.

Question 11

Public policy

Answer 11

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy in the course of action taken with regard to some problem.

Question 12

Policy impacts

Answer 12

The effects of policy has on people and problems. Mpegs are analyzed to see how well a policy has met its goal and at what cost.

Question 13

Democracy

Answer 13

A system of selecting policymakers in the organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences.

Question 14

Majority rule

Answer 14

a fundamental principle of traditional Democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority desire be respected.

Question 15

Minority rights

Answer 15

A principle of traditional Democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities.

Question 16

Representation

Answer 16

A basic principle of traditional Democratic. That describes the relationship between the few leaders and the many followers.

Question 17

Pluralism

Answer 17

A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the policymaking process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no single group usually dominating. Pluralists tend to believe that as a result, public interest generally prevails.

Question 18

Elitism

Answer 18

A theory of American democracy contending that an upper-class elite holds the power in makes policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization.

Question 19

Hyperpluralism

Answer 19

A theory of American democracy contending that groups are so strong that government, which gives in to many different groups, is thereby weakened.

Question 20

Policy gridlock

Answer 20

A condition that occurs when interests conflict in no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and established policy, so nothing gets done.

Question 21

Political culture

Answer 21

An overall set of values widely shared within a society.

Question 22

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Answer 22

The sum total of the values of all the goods and services produced in a year and a nation.