AP Gov Chapter 1 Flashcards
Policymaking System
People, linkage institutions, Policy Agenda, Policymaking Institution, Policy, People
Democracy
A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences
Criteria for Democracy
Equality in voting, Effective participation, Enlightened understanding, Citizen control of the agenda, Inclusion
Pluralism
Policymaking open to groups with shared interests
Hyperpluralism
Groups are too strong, policy gridlock results
Elitism
Upperclass elite holds all of the power
Challenges to Democracy
Issue complexity, Limited participation, Escalating campaign costs, Diverse political interests (also kind of policy gridlock)
Five elements of American political creed
Liberty, Egalitarianism, Individualism, Laissez-faire, Populism
Scope of Government
The ability of the government to make changes; how much control it has
Youth are…
Uninformed, Uninterested in Politics, Not voting
How are Americans preferences communicated to policymakers?
Linkage Institutions
What are examples of Linkage Institutions?
Media, Parties, Elections, Interest groups
American taxes are _______ than in other democratic countries
lower
Even with more access than ever to politics, people across all ages (but especially youth) are…
Less informed than ever!
Four institutions of government
Congress, the president, the courts, the bureaucracy
