Book terms Ch 1-3

Question 1

government

Answer 1

government- The legitimate use of force to control human behavior; also, the organization or agency authorized to exercise that force

Question 2

national sovereignty

Answer 2

national sovereignty- A political entity’s externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs. Threatened by globalization

Question 3

order

Answer 3

order- Established ways of social behavior. Maintaining order is the oldest purpose of government

Question 4

liberalism

Answer 4

liberalism- the belief that states should leave individuals free to follow their individual pursuits. (different from liberal)

Question 5

communism

Answer 5

communism- a political system in which, in theory, ownership of all land and productive facilities is in the hands of the people, and all goods are equally shared. The production and distribution of goods are controlled by an authoritarian government

Question 6

public goods

Answer 6

public goods- Benefits and services, such as parks and sanitation, that benefit all citizens but are not likely to be produced voluntarily by individuals

Question 7

freedom of

Answer 7

freedom of- an absence of constraints on behavior, as in freedom of speech or freedom of religion

Question 8

freedom from

Answer 8

freedom from- immunity, as in freedom from want

Question 9

police power

Answer 9

police power- the authority of a government to maintain order and safeguard citizens’ health, morals, safety, and welfare

Question 10

political equality

Answer 10

political equality- equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally

Question 11

social equality

Answer 11

social equality- equality in wealth, education, and status

Question 12

equality of opportunity

Answer 12

equality of opportunity- the idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life

Question 13

equality of outcome

Answer 13

equality of outcome- the concept that society must ensure that people are equal, and governments must design policies to redistribute wealth and status so that economic and social equality is actually achieved

Question 14

rights

Answer 14

rights- the benefits of governments to which every citizen is entitled

Question 15

political ideology

Answer 15

political ideology- a consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government

Question 16

Totalitarianism

Answer 16

totalitarianism- a political philosophy that advocates unlimited power for the government to enable it to control all sectors of society

Question 17

socialism

Answer 17

socialism- a form of rule in which the central government plays a strong role in regulating existing private industry and directing the economy, although it does allow some private ownership of productive capacity

Question 18

democratic socialism

Answer 18

democratic socialism- a socialist form of government that guarantees civil liberties such as freedom of speech and religion. Citizens determine the extent of government activity through free elections and competitive political parties

Question 19

capitalism

Answer 19

capitalism- the system of government that favors free enterprise (privately owned businesses operating without government regulation

Question 20

libertarianism

Answer 20

libertarianism- a political ideology that is opposed to all government action except as necessary to protect life and property

Question 21

libertarians

Answer 21

libertarians- those who are opposed to using government to promote either order or equality

Question 22

laissez faire

Answer 22

laissez faire- an economic doctrine that opposes any form of government intervention in business

Question 23

anarchism

Answer 23

anarchism- a political philosophy that opposes government in any form

Question 24

conservatives

Answer 24

conservatives- those who are willing to use government to promote order but not equality

Question 25

liberals

Answer 25

liberals- those who are willing to use government to promote equality but not order

Question 26

communitarians

Answer 26

communitarians- those who are willing to use government to promote both order and equality

Question 27

autocracy

Answer 27

autocracy- A system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual

Question 28

oligarchy

Answer 28

oligarchy- A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few people

Question 29

democracy

Answer 29

democracy- A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly

Question 30

procedural democratic theory

Answer 30

Procedural democratic theory- A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness

Question 31

universal participation

Answer 31

Universal participation- the concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making

Question 32

political equality

Answer 32

political equality- equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally

Question 33

majority rule

Answer 33

majority rule- The principle--basic to procedural democratic theory--that the decision of a group must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating; a simple majority. The principle usually defaults to plurality rule if a majority cannot be found

Question 34

participatory democracy

Answer 34

participatory democracy- A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.

Question 35

e-government

Answer 35

e-government- Online communication channels that enable citizens to easily obtain information from government and facilitate the expression of opinions to government officials

Question 36

representative democracy

Answer 36

representative democracy- A system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf

Question 37

responsiveness

Answer 37

responsiveness- A decision-making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people wants

Question 38

substantive democratic theory

Answer 38

Substantive democratic theory- the view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure. Government policies should therefore guarantee civil liberties and rights regardless of the will of the majority

Question 39

minority rights

Answer 39

minority rights- the benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizen by majority decisions

Question 40

majoritarian model of democracy

Answer 40

majoritarian model of democracy- the classical theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people. Challenged by the claim that citizens have a limited understanding/interest in government, supported by the claim that citizens have a coherent and stable opinion on major policy questions

Question 41

pluralist model of democracy

Answer 41

pluralist model of democracy- an interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups. shifts the focus of democratic government from the mass electorate to organized groups

Question 42

interest group

Answer 42

interest group- an organization that seeks to influence public policy; also called a lobby

Question 43

elite theory

Answer 43

elite theory- the view that a small group of people actually makes most of the important government decisions

Question 44

democratization

Answer 44

democratization- a process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one

Question 45

declaration of independence

Answer 45

declaration of independence- drafted by thomas jefferson, the document that proclaimed the right of the colonies to separate from great britain

Question 46

three points of the declaration of independence

Answer 46

(1) the people have a right to revolt if they determine that their government is denying them their legitimate rights; and (2) the long list of the king's actions was evidence of such denial; therefore (3) the people had the right to rebel, to form a new government. The underlying principles came from John Locke.

Question 47

social contract theory

Answer 47

social contract theory- the belief that the people agree to set up rulers for certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rules who act against those purposes

Question 48

republic

Answer 48

republic- a government without a monarch; a government rooted in the consent of the governed, whose power is exercised by elected representatives responsible to the governed

Question 49

confederation

Answer 49

confederation- A loose association of independent states that agree to cooperate on specified matters

Question 50

Articles of Confederation

Answer 50

Articles of Confederation- the compact among the thirteen original states that established the first government of the United States

Question 51

4 reasons that the Articles failed

Answer 51

First, they did not give the national government the power to tax. As a result, the congress had to plead for money from the states to pay for the war and carry on the affairs of the new nation. A government that cannot reliably raise revenue cannot expect to govern effectively. Second, the Articles made no provision for an independent leadership position to direct the government (the president was merely the presiding officer of the congress). The omission was deliberate—the colonists feared the reestablishment of a monarchy—but it left the nation without a leader. Third, the Articles did not allow the national government to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. (When John Adams proposed that the confederation enter into a commercial treaty with Britain after the war, he was asked, “Would you like one treaty or thirteen, Mr. Adams?”) Finally, the Articles could not be amended without the unanimous agreement of the congress and the assent of all the state legislatures; thus, each state had the power to veto any changes to the confederation.

Question 52

Virginia Plan

Answer 52

Virginia Plan- A set of proposals for a new government, submitted to the Constitutional Convention in 1781; it included separation of the government into three branches, division of the legislature into two houses, and proportional representation in the legislature

Question 53

legislative branch

Answer 53

legislative branch- lawmaking branch of government

Question 54

executive branch

Answer 54

executive branch- law-enforcing branch of government

Question 55

judicial branch

Answer 55

judicial branch- law-interpreting branch of government

Question 56

New Jersey Plan

Answer 56

New Jersey Plan- submitted by the head of the New Jersey delegation to the Constitutional Convention, a set of nine resolutions that would have, in effect, preserve the Articles of Confederation by amending rather than replacing them

Question 57

Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise

Answer 57

Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise- Submitted by the Connecticut delegation to the Constitutional Convention, a plan calling for a bicameral legislature in which the House of Representatives would be apportioned according to population and the states would be represented equally in the Senate (2 senators each)

Question 58

electoral college

Answer 58

electoral college- A body of electors chosen by voters to cast ballots for president and vice president

Question 59

extraordinary majority

Answer 59

extraordinary majority- a majority greater than the minimum (50%+1)

Question 60

republicanism

Answer 60

republicanism- a form of government in which power resides in the people and in exercised by their elected representatives

Question 61

federalism

Answer 61

federalism- the division of power between a central government and regional governments

Question 62

separation of powers

Answer 62

separation of powers- the assignment of lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law-interpreting functions to separate branches of government

Question 63

checks and balances

Answer 63

checks and balances- a government structure that gives each branch some scrutiny of and control over the other branches

Question 64

enumerated powers

Answer 64

enumerated powers- the powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution

Question 65

necessary and proper clause

Answer 65

necessary and proper clause- The last clause in Section 8 of Article 1 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the means to execute its enumerated powers. This clause is the basis for Congress’s implied powers. Also called the elastic clause.

Question 66

implied powers

Answer 66

implied powers- those powers that congress needs to execute its enumerated powers

Question 67

judicial review

Answer 67

judicial review- the power to declare congressional (and presidential) acts invalid because they violate the constitution. Not explicitly given by Article III, but inferred.

Question 68

supremacy clause

Answer 68

supremacy clause- the clause in article VI of the constitution that asserts that national laws take precedence over state and local laws when they conflict

Question 69

Bill of Rights

Answer 69

Bill of Rights- the first ten amendments to the Constitution. They prevent the national government from tampering with fundamental rights and civil liberties, and emphasize the limited character of national power