Chapter 1 Flashcards
What goods are available to all w/o direct payment?
public goods
In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
oligarchy
What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
In a direct democracy people participate directly in making government decisions, and in a representative democracy, the citizens do not govern directly, they vote for representatives to vote for them.
What does government do for the people?
regulate public access to common goods, provide public goods, and appeal to the people
The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply
common goods
a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people
democracy
a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them
direct democracy
claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people
elite theory
the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals
government
the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy
ideology
beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time
intense preferences
beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time
latent preferences
a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole
majority rule
protections for those who are not part of the majority
minority rights
a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power
monarchy
a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power
oligarchy
strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party
partisanship
claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people
pluralist theory
influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies
political power
the process by which we decide how resources will be allocated and which policies government will pursue
politics
goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them
private goods
goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge
public goods
a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws
representative democracy
connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them
social capital
a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so
toll good
a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights
totalitarianism
3 main things government provides
- education
- healthcare
- public transportation
who stated that all people have a right to life, liberty, and property
John Locke
who believed that people should be able to acquire property in any way they wished to
Adam Smith
who wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776
Adam Smith
What year was the Constitution written?
1776
democracy provides individualism and
freedom
the means of generating wealth, such as factories, large farms, and banks, are owned by the government and not by private individuals
socialism
example of a toll good
private schooling
why are some common goods regulated?
sustainability, avoid extinction
example of regulated common goods
fish
equal treatment for all and the destruction of socioeconomic inequalities
egalitarianism
what two theorist groups strongly influence the government’s choices
pluralists and elitists
who claims that civic engagement is declining
Robert Putnam
Putnam’s 4 main reasons for civic engagement decline
- increased participation by women in the workforce
- decrease in the number of marriages
- increase in divorces
- the effect of tech advances, such as the internet, that separate people
what % of americans are involved politically somehow
70%
