Chapter 1 Definitions

Question 1

Politics

Answer 1

The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant benefits and privileges.

Question 2

Institution

Answer 2

An ongoing organization that performs certain functions for society.

Question 3

Government

Answer 3

The institution that has the ultimate authority for making decisions that resolve conflict and allocate benefits and privileges within a society.

Question 4

Order

Answer 4

A state o peace and security. Maintaining order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity is one of the oldest purposes.

Question 5

Liberty

Answer 5

The greatest freedom of the individual that is consistent with the freedom of other individuals in the society.

Question 6

Authority

Answer 6

The right and power of a government or other entity to enforce its decisions.

Question 7

Legitimacy

Answer 7

Popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority.

Question 8

Totalitarian Regime

Answer 8

A form of government that controls all aspects of the political, social, and economic life of a nation.

Question 9

Authoritarianism

Answer 9

A type of regime in which the government itself is fully controlled by the ruler. Social and economic institutions exist that are not under the government’s control.

Question 10

Aristocracy

Answer 10

A Greek political system that literally translates to “rule by the best”, meaning that wealthy families of Ancient Greece were the ones making the decisions.

Question 11

Theocracy

Answer 11

A Greek political system that literally translates to “rule by the gods”, which meant that SELF-APPOINTED religious leaders were the ones making the decisions.

Question 12

Oligarchy

Answer 12

A Greek political system that literally means “rule by a few”.

Question 13

Anarchy

Answer 13

The Greek term for the absence of government.

Question 14

Democracy

Answer 14

A system of government in which political authority is vested in the people. The term is derived from the Greek word “demos” (meaning “the people”) and “kratos” (meaning “authority”).

Question 15

Direct Democracy

Answer 15

A system of government in which political decisions are made by the people directly, rather then by their elected representatives; probably attained most easily in small political communities.

Question 16

Legislator

Answer 16

A government body primarily responsible for the making of laws.

Question 17

Initiative

Answer 17

A procedure by which voters can petition to vote on a law or a constitutional amendment.

Question 18

Referendum

Answer 18

An electoral device whereby legislative or constitutional measures are referred to by the legislator to the voters for approval or disapproval.

Question 19

Recall

Answer 19

A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official from state office before his or her term has expired.

Question 20

Republic

Answer 20

A form of government in which sovereign power rests with the people, rather than with a king or a monarch.

Question 21

Popular Sovereignty

Answer 21

The concept that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people.

Question 22

Democratic Republic

Answer 22

A republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies.

Question 23

Representative Democracy

Answer 23

A form of government in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies; may retain the monarchy in a ceremonial role.

Question 24

Universal Suffrage

Answer 24

The right for all adults to vote for their government representatives.

Question 25

Majority Rule

Answer 25

The basic principle of democracy asserting that the greatest number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies.

Question 26

Limited Government

Answer 26

A government with powers that are limited either through a written document or through widely shared beliefs.

Question 27

Majoritarianism

Answer 27

A political theory holding that, in a democracy, the government ought to do what a majority of the people want.

Question 28

Elite Theory

Answer 28

A perspective holding that society is ruled by a small number of people who hold the ultimate power to further their self-interests.

Question 29

Pluralism

Answer 29

A theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups. Political decision making is characterized by compromise and accommodation.

Question 30

Political Culture

Answer 30

A patterned set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics that characterize a people.

Question 31

Political Socialization

Answer 31

The process by which political beliefs and values are transmitted to new immigrants and to our children. The family and the educational system are the most important sources of the political socialization process.

Question 32

Dominant Culture

Answer 32

The values, customs, and language established by the groups that traditionally have controlled politics and government in a society.

Question 33

Civil Liberties

Answer 33

Those personal freedoms, including freedom of religion and freedom of speech, that are protected for all individuals. Civil liberties restrain the government from taking certain actions against individuals.

Question 34

Bill of Rights

Answer 34

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Question 35

Equality

Answer 35

As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.

Question 36

Egalitarian System

Answer 36

A system in which wealth and power are distributed more equally.

Question 37

Property

Answer 37

Anything that is or may be subject to ownership. As conceived by John Locke, the right to property is a natural right superior to human law (laws made by government).

Question 38

Capitalism

Answer 38

An economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.

Question 39

Ideology

Answer 39

A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and about the role of an institution or government.

Question 40

Conservatism

Answer 40

A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government in helping individuals support for traditional views and life choices, and a cautious response to change.

Question 41

Conservative Movement

Answer 41

An American movement in the 1950s that provided a comprehensive ideological framework for conservative politics.

Question 42

Liberalism

Answer 42

A set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change.

Question 43

Socialism

Answer 43

A political ideology based on strong support for economic and social equality. Socialists traditionally envisioned a society in which major businesses were taken over by the government or by employee cooperatives.

Question 44

Libertarianism

Answer 44

A political ideology based on skepticism or opposition toward most government activities.

Question 45

Progressive

Answer 45

A popular alternate to the term “liberal”.

Question 46

Working Class

Answer 46

Traditionally , individuals or families in which the head of household was employed in manual or unskilled labor. Currently, often defined as those with no more than a high school diploma.

Question 47

Total Fertility Rate

Answer 47

A statistic that measures the average number of children that women in a given group are expected to have over the course of a lifetime.

Question 48

Hispanic

Answer 48

A term used by the federal government to describe someone can claim heritage from a Spanish speaking country.

Question 49

Latino

Answer 49

An alternate word for Hispanic. The feminine is Latina.