Ap Government Unit one Flashcards
issue
conflict between citizens with different beliefs
politics
discussing, negotiating, arguing, using force, persuading people to agitate or solve conflict
authority
the right to use power
power
a person getting someone to act in accordance to the first persons wishes
elite
an identifiable group who has a disproportionate share of some valued source (political power)
class view
wealthy run everything (economists, capitalists)
power elite view
business men, military, labor unions, or by people with private power that don’t directly hold office run the government
bureaucratic view
appointed bureaucrats run everything
pluralist view
political resources (money, media, expertise) is so spread out no one person/group can control the governemnt
creedal passion view
the morally impassioned elite drive change
political agenda
problems people think require the government
benefit
the satisfaction the people believe they will get if a policy is adopted
cost
the burden the people must bear/believe they bear if a policy is adopted
majoritarian politics
politics where almost everyone benefits and almost everyone pays (social security)
- interest groups aren’t as needed here because you benefit even if you do nothing
- CONFLICTS come from ideology and costs rather than interests (how MUCH)
intrest group politics
a policy where one small group benefits and another small group pays
- these policies are fought hard by both sides because the outcome is really effective
-public usually remains uninformed unless the issue passes into a law
client politics
a policy where one small group benefits but almost everyone pays (clients of the government)
- because a small group benefits they will organize to fight for it
- because everyone pays the cost is spread out and people who pay it may not be aware or may not even care
log-rolling
a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for his/her support
entrepreneurial politics
a policy where almost everyone benefits and a small group pays
– these policies are rarely passed because interests groups )determined minority) can fight to prevent it from happening and beneficiaries may not care enough to fight back
policy entrepreneurs
people who work outside of the government to represent the unorganized majority
- do this so that the minority determination is matched by the majority which therefore will pass entrepreneurial policies
New Jersey plan
proposal to create a weak national government
- unicameral legislature
- equal representation among states
- elected to congress by states
-national judiciary chooses by executive
-congress has powers regulating commerce and taxing
shays rebellion
1787 a group of ex-revolutionary soldiers with debt and high taxes feared losing porpeprtu to creditors forcibly prevented courts in Wester MA from sitting
Virginia plan
proposal to create a strong national government
- bicameral legislature
- representations based on population
- at least one house was elected to congress by the people
-national legislature has supreme power on certain matters
great compromise
combines the VA plan and NJ plan
- two houses (senate for the small states) and House of Representatives (for the big states)
- one executive chooses by electoral college
- national judiciary chooses by president with advice and consent of the senate
- all bills originate in the House
judicial review
power of Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional (limited power of majority)
republic
a government in which elected representatives make decisions
federalism
political authority is shared by national government and local government
enumerated powers
powers given to only the national government
reserved powers
powers given to the states
concurrent powers
powers shared by state and national government
habeas corpus
aan order to produce an arrested person before a judge
ex post facto law
a law that makes an act criminal even though it was legal during the time it was committed
sovereignty
the ultimate authority in a political system
- a sovereign government means a government not reliant on other governments
unitary system of government
the central government holds all the power
confederal system of government
the central government only can do what state government permits it to do
federal system of government
national government is supreme in some cases and the state government is supreme in others
“necessary and proper” clause
section of the constitution giving congress the power to pass laws the deem “necessary and proper” to its duties not specifically mentioned in the constitution
dual federalism
that both state and federal governments are supreme ONLY in their spheres and the spheres are separate
cooperative federalism
federal and state governments share power in some areas
laboratories of democracy
different states can implement different policies and the successful ones spread
initiative
process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot (state)
referendum
procedure that enables voters to reject a matter passed by the legislature (state)
recall
process where voters can remove an elected official (state)
grants-in-aid
money given by the national government to states
conditions of aid
terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to get certain federal funds
mandates
terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants
devolution
the transfer of power from national government to state and local government
revenue sharing
the federal government gives money to state and local government to use for their own needs wit few restrictions
block grant
consolidated categorical grants into one big grant to a general purpose with few restrictions
categorical grants
federal grants for specific purposes, usually require state to match some part of the grant, usually with rules
10th amendment
any powers not given to congress or prohibited by states are reserved powers
14th amendment
granted citizenship to all persons born/naturalized in the U.S (due process and equal protection)
supremacy clause
constitution is supreme to any other laws and everyone is bound by it
political culture
a patterned and sustained way of thinking about how political and economic life out to be carried out
civic duty
one has the obligation to participate in civic and political affairs
civiv competence
a belief that one can affect government policy
class consciousness
a belief that one is a member of an economic group whose interests are opposed to people own other such groups
- lack of this in America
orthodox cultural view
a belief that morality and religion out to be of decisive importance
- things are unchaining no matter personal preference
progressive cultural view
a belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are more important than religion
- there are complex and changing circumstances and are dependent on personal preference
