ch 3 (pw) Flashcards
american exceptionalism
focuses on how the United States is different from other advanced industrial democracies
americanists
scholars who study American politics
associational life
a life where people form and rely upon social networks
common good
collective will/common interest
comparativitists
scholars who compare aspects of governance among different countries
divine right of kings
the idea that a monarch gains legitimacy from God
enlightenment era
late 17th - 18th century
Western philosophical, intellectual, and scientific life where reason was advocated as the primary source of legitimacy and authority and traditional beliefs and authority were questioned
feudalism
a system for structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor
laissez-faire
hands-off approach
legitimate
popularly accepted
legitimate government
a government generally acknowledged as being in control of a nation and deserving formal recognition which is symbolized by the exchange of diplomats between that government and the government of other countries.
path-dependent explanations
explanations where outcomes of the present are determined by decisions made or circumstances presented in the past
public goods
goods and services provided by government as opposed to private enterprise
social contract
the implicit agreement among citizens to grant a government legitimacy in exchange for certain protections from the state
social democracy
a democracy that places greater emphasis on the social welfare responsibilities of government
social goods
goods and services provided by government as opposed to private enterprise
socialism
an economic system where the state rather than the market determines production, distribution, and pricing, and where property is government-owned
socialist movement
a movement based upon workers’ rights and social ownership of the means of production
tyranny of the majority
the idea that the majority can pursue choices that are not favorable to the minority whose rights are not protected
state of nature
in political theory the real or hypothetical condition of human beings before or without political association.
welfare state
a state in which the government plays a key role in providing a “safety net” and passes policies aimed at protecting and promoting the economic and social well-being of its citizens
liberal democracy
a political system built around a belief in representative and limited government, regular and competitive elections, the rule of law, multiple channels for political participation, limited state control of the economy, and the protection of civil rights and liberties
