Chapter 1: Dilemmas of Democracy

Question 0

national sovereignty

Answer 0

A political entity’s externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs.

Question 1

government

Answer 1

The legitimate use of force to control human behavior; also, the organization or agency authorized to exercise that force.

Question 2

globalization

Answer 2

The increasing interdepen- dence of citizens and nations across the world

Question 3

order

Answer 3

Established ways of social behavior. Maintaining order is the oldest purpose of government.

Question 4

communism

Answer 4

A political system in which, in theory, ownership of all land and productive facilities is in the hands of the people and all goods are equally shared. The production and distribution of goods are controlled by an authoritarian government.

Question 5

public goods

Answer 5

Benefits and services, such as parks and sanitation, that benefit all citizens but are not likely to be produced voluntarily by individuals.

Question 6

freedom of

Answer 6

An absence of constraints on behavior, as in freedom of speech or freedom of religion.

Question 7

freedom from

Answer 7

Immunity, as in freedom from want.

Question 8

police power

Answer 8

The authority of government to maintain order and safe- guard citizens’ safety, health, welfare, and morals.

Question 9

political equality

Answer 9

Equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally.

Question 10

social equality

Answer 10

Equality in wealth, education, and status.

Question 11

equality of opportunity

Answer 11

The idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life

Question 12

equality of outcome

Answer 12

The concept that society must ensure that people are equal, and governments must design policies to redistribute wealth and status to achieve economic and social equality.

Question 13

Two Dilemmas of Government

Answer 13

The two major dilemmas facing American government in the early years of the twenty-first century stem from the oldest and the newest objectives of government: maintaining order and promoting equality.

The clash between freedom and order forms the original dilemma of government; the clash between freedom and equality forms the modern dilemma of government.

Question 14

rights

Answer 14

The benefits of government to which every citizen is entitled.

Question 15

political ideology

Answer 15

A consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government.

Question 16

totalitarianism

Answer 16

A political philosophy that advocates unlimited power for the government to enable it to control all sectors of society.

Question 17

socialism

Answer 17

A form of rule in which the central government plays a strong role in regulating existing private industry and directing the economy, although it does allow some private ownership of productive capacity.

Question 18

democratic socialism

Answer 18

A socialist form of govern- ment that guarantees civil liberties such as freedom of speech and religion. Citizens determine the extent of gov- ernment activity through free elections and competitive political parties.

Question 19

capitalism

Answer 19

The system of government that favors free enterprise (privately owned businesses operating without government regulation).

Question 20

libertarianism

Answer 20

A political ideology that is opposed to all government action except as necessary to protect life and property.

Question 21

laissez faire

Answer 21

An economic doctrine that opposes any form of government intervention in business. “ hands off approach”

Question 22

anarchism

Answer 22

A political philosophy that opposes government in any form.

Question 23

liberals

Answer 23

Those who are willing to use government to promote equality but not order.

Question 24

conservatives

Answer 24

Those who are willing to use government to promote order but not equality.

Question 25

libertarians

Answer 25

Those who are opposed to using government to pro-mote either order or equality.

Question 26

communitarians

Answer 26

Those who are willing to use government to promote both order and equality.

Question 27

democracy

Answer 27

A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly.

Question 28

procedural democratic theory

Answer 28

A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness.

Question 29

universal participation

Answer 29

The concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making.

Question 30

majority rule

Answer 30

The principle—basic to procedural democratic theory— that the decision of a group must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating; a simple majority.

Question 31

participatory democracy

Answer 31

A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.

Question 32

representative democracy

Answer 32

A system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf.

Question 33

responsiveness

Answer 33

A decision-making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people wants.

Question 34

substantive democratic theory

Answer 34

The view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure.

Question 35

minority rights

Answer 35

The benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizens by majority decisions.

Question 36

majoritarian model
of democracy

Answer 36

The classical theory of democracy in which govern- ment by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people.

Question 37

interest group

Answer 37

An organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy. Also called a lobby.

Question 38

pluralist model of democracy

Answer 38

An interpretation of democ- racy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups.

Question 39

elite theory

Answer 39

The view that a small group of people actually makes most of the important government decisions.

Question 40

oligarchy

Answer 40

A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few people.

Question 41

Elite Theory Versus Pluralist Theory

Answer 41

The key difference between elite theory and pluralist theory lies in the durability of the ruling minority. In contrast to elite theory, pluralist theory does not define government conflict in terms of a minority versus the ma- jority; instead, it sees many minorities vying with one another in each policy area.

Question 42

democratization

Answer 42

A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.