Chapter 1

Question 1

Absolute Majority

Answer 1

Fifty percent plus one of all members or all eligible voters.

Question 2

Autocracy

Answer 2

A form of government in which the power to make authoritative decisions and allocate resources so vested in one person.

Question 3

Democracy

Answer 3

A form of government in which (all the citizens) have the opportunity to participate in the process of making authoritative decisions and allocating resources.

Question 4

Direct Democracy

Answer 4

A form of democracy on which ordinary citizens, rather than representatives, collectively make government decisions.

Question 5

Economic Equality

Answer 5

The idea that each individual should receive the same amount of material goods, regardless of his or her contribution to society.

Question 6

Elitist

Answer 6

A term used to describe a society in which organized, influential minority interests dominate the political process.

Question 7

Empirical

Answer 7

Questions and debates that can be answered by careful observation. Systematic empirical observation is the foundation of science and the scientific method.

Question 8

Equality of Opportunity

Answer 8

The idea that every individual has the right to develop to the fullest extent of his or her abilities.

Question 9

Equality Under the Law

Answer 9

he idea that the law is supposed to be applied impartially, without regard for the identity or status of the individual involved.

Question 10

False Consensus

Answer 10

The tendency of people to believe their views are normal or represent common sense and therefore are shared by most people.

Question 11

Government

Answer 11

The institution that has the authority to make binding decisions for all of society.

Question 12

Ideology

Answer 12

A consistent set of values, attitudes, and beliefs about the appropriate role of government in society.

Question 13

Initiative

Answer 13

An election in which ordinary citizens circulate a petition to put a proposed law on the ballot for the voters to approve.

Question 14

Liberal Democracy

Answer 14

A representative democracy, such as Great Britain or the United States, that has a particular concern for individual liberty. The rule of law and a constitution constrain elected representatives and the will of the majority from using their power to take away the rights of minorities.

Question 15

Majority Rule

Answer 15

The principle under which government follows the course of action preferred by most people.

Question 16

Minority Rights

Answer 16

The full rights of democratic citizenship held by any group numerically inferior to the majority. These fundamental democratic rights cannot be taken away- even of a majority wishes to do so- without breaking the promise of democracy.

Question 17

Normative

Answer 17

Theories or statements that seek to prescribe how things should be valued, what should be, what is good or just, and what is better or worse.

Question 18

Null Hypothesis

Answer 18

A statement positing that there is no relationship between the variables being observed. It is the opposite of the research hypothesis.

Question 19

Oligarchy

Answer 19

A form of government in which the power to make authoritative decisions and allocate resources is vested in a small group of people.

Question 20

Partisanship

Answer 20

A psychological attachment to a political party

Question 21

Pluralistic

Answer 21

A term used to describe a society in which power is widely distributed among diverse groups and interests.

Question 22

Plurality

Answer 22

The largest percentage of a vote, when no one has a majority.

Question 23

Political Equality

Answer 23

The idea that individual preferences should be given equal weight.

Question 24

Political Science

Answer 24

The systematic study of government, political institutions, processes, and behavior.

Question 25

Politics

Answer 25

The process of making binding decisions about who gets what or whose values everyone is going to live by.

Question 26

Popular Sovereignty

Answer 26

The idea that the highest political authority in democracy is the will of the people.

Question 27

Referendum

Answer 27

An election in which a state legislature refers a proposed law to the voters for their approval.

Question 28

Representative Democracy

Answer 28

Defined as a system of government where ordinary citizens do not make governmental decisions themselves but chose public officials- representatives of the people- to make decisions for them.

Question 29

Science

Answer 29

A method of acquiring knowledge through the formulation of hypotheses that can be tested through empirical observation in order to make claims about how the world works and why.

Question 30

Simple Majority

Answer 30

Fifty percent plus one of those participating or of those who vote.

Question 31

Social Equality

Answer 31

The idea that people should be free of class or social barriers and discrimination.

Question 32

Sovereignty

Answer 32

The legitimate authority in a government to wield coercive power to authoritatively allocate values.

Question 33

Utility

Answer 33

The amount of enjoyment an individual receives from a given situation or outcome.

Question 34

What are the core principles of democracy?

Answer 34

“Three core principles: majority rule, political freedom, and political equality.”