AP Gov Unit 1 Flashcards
Natural rights
Fundamental rights of all humans NOT rights received from a government
Popular Sovereignty
People are the source of governmental power and authority
Social Contract
People create a government to protect rights of the people
Limited government
Governmental power is restricted by the Constitution
Republicanism
A representative form of government
Federalism
a system of government where power is divided between a national government and states.
Initiative
Citizens propose policy, it’s placed in policy, citizens vote directly vote for or against it.
Referendum
A state (or local) legislature passes a measure, then it is placed on a ballot for citizen approval
Federal Republic
Representative democracy where citizens choose people to represent them in government + make policies.
Direct Democracy
Citizens are allowed by states or local governments to vote directly on policies.
Participatory Democracy
Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society
Examples of Participatory Democracy
Direct democracy, citizens participation, majority rule
Weaknesses of Participatory democracy
May result in violation of minority rights
Pluralist Democracy
Emphasizes role of groups in policy making. Competition prevents any single group from dominating government. Protects minority rights better than participatory democracy.
Pluralist Democracy Weaknesses
A particularly strong group may have disproportionate influence.
