CHAPTER 1 Flashcards
common goods
goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply
democracy
a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people
direct democracy
a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them
elite theory
claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people
government
the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals
ideology
the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy
intense preferences
beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time
latent preferences
beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time
majority rule
a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole
minority rights
protections for those who are not part of the majority
monarchy
a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power
oligarchy
a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power
partisanship
strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party
pluralist theory
claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people
political power
influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies
