Building Blocks and Foundational Ideas of U.S. Government VOCAB

Question 1

An informal list of issues and topics that the federal, state, and local governments will work to address

Answer 1

Policy Agenda

Question 2

Course of action taken by federal, state, or local government to address an issue from the policy agenda

Answer 2

Public Policy

Question 3

Having the skills and resources to influence others

Answer 3

Power

Question 4

When an individual or group is using power in a legal way

Answer 4

Authority

Question 5

When political authority is confirmed by an official constitution

Answer 5

Legitimacy

Question 6

Power and responsibilities are shared by a central government and states

Answer 6

Federal System

Question 7

Group of elected officials responsible for discussing and writing public policy for a central, state, or local government

Answer 7

Legislative Branch

Question 8

an administrative group led by the POTUS, State Governor, or City Mayor to implement and execute laws from the legislature

Answer 8

Executive Branch

Question 9

courts that must interpret situations that lack a clear answer, and are created by actions from the legislative and/or executive branches

Answer 9

Judicial Branch

Question 10

informal balance between individual rights and public policy

Answer 10

Social Contract

Question 11

citizens are having a direct voice in policy decisions

Answer 11

Participatory Democracy

Question 12

a small selected few have control over the policy decisions

Answer 12

Elite Democracy

Question 13

competition and interaction among many groups, such as voters, political parties, interest groups, media, etc. shape policy decisions

Answer 13

Pluralist Democracy

Question 14

elections are used to select representatives to make official policy decisions

Answer 14

Republic

Question 15

view that government action is dominated by capitalists

Answer 15

Class View of Power

Question 16

view that government action is dominated by leaders that are NOT part of the government

Answer 16

Power Elite View

Question 17

view that government action is dominated by appointed (non-elected) officials in the government

Answer 17

Bureaucratic View of Power

Question 18

view that competition among all affected groups will shape government action

Answer 18

Pluralist View

Question 19

argues that the other four views are correct, but official government action will be driven by morally impassioned elites

Answer 19

Creedal Passion View

Question 20

government action where almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays a cost

Answer 20

Majoritarian Politics

Question 21

government action where one small group benefits and a different small group pays a cost

Answer 21

Interest Group Politics

Question 22

government action where one small group benefits and almost everybody pays a cost

Answer 22

Client Politics

Question 23

Government action where almost everybody benefits and a small group pays a cost

Answer 23

Entrepreneurial Politics

Question 24

Activists in or out of the government that can create a political majority on behalf of unorganized interests

Answer 24

Policy Entrepreneurs