Chapter 1

Question 1

Government

Answer 1

The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society

Question 2

Public goods

Answer 2

Goods, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone must share

Question 3

Politics

Answer 3

The process bu which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. Politics produces authoratative decisions about public issues

Question 4

Political participation

Answer 4

All the activities by which citizens attempt to influence the selection of political leaders and the policies they pursue. Voting is the most common means of political participation in a democracy. Other means include protest and civil disobedience

Question 5

Single issue groups

Answer 5

Groups that have a narrow interest, on which their members tend to take an uncompromising stance

Question 6

Policymaking system

Answer 6

The process by which policy comes into being and evolves. Peoples interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns

Question 7

Linkage institutions

Answer 7

The polical channels through which peoples concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. In the united states, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media

Question 8

Policy agenda

Answer 8

The issues that attract the serious attention of public officialsnand other people involved in politics at a point in time

Question 9

Political issue

Answer 9

An issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it

Question 10

Policymaking institutions

Answer 10

The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The US Constitution established three policymaking institutions— Congress, the presidency, and the courts. Today, the power of the bureaucracy is so great that most political scientist consider it a fourth policymaking institution.

Question 11

Public policy

Answer 11

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem

Question 12

Policy impacts

Answer 12

The effects a policy has on people and problems. Impacts are analyzed to see how well a policy has met it’s goal and at what cost

Question 13

Democracy

Answer 13

A system of selecting policymakers end of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the publics preferences.

Question 14

Majority rule

Answer 14

A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority desire be respected. See also minority rights

Question 15

Minority rights

Answer 15

A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities

Question 16

Representation

Answer 16

A basic principle of traditional democratic theory that describes the relationship between a few leaders and the many followers

Question 17

Pluralism

Answer 17

A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the policymaking process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no single group usually dominating. Pluralist tend to believe that as a result, public interest generally prevails

Question 18

Elitism

Answer 18

A theory of American democracy contending that an upper class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization

Question 19

Hyperpluralism

Answer 19

A theory of American democracy contending that groups are so strong that government, which gives into the many different groups, is thereby weekend

Question 20

Policy gridlock

Answer 20

A condition that occurs when interest conflict when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy, so nothing gets done

Question 21

Political culture

Answer 21

An overall set of values widely shared within a society

Question 22

Gross domestic product

Answer 22

The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a year in a nation