Chapter 1: Politics: Who Gets What, When & How

Question 1

Political Science is the

Answer 1

Study who gets parts, what, when and how

Question 2

The who are

Answer 2

The participants in politics

Question 3

The what of politics is

Answer 3

Public policies—the decisions that governments make concerning societal issues

Question 4

The when and how are

Answer 4

The political processes

Question 5

Government is an

Answer 5

Organizations extending to the whole of society can legitimately use force to carry out the decision

Question 6

Democratic governments enjoy legitimately based on

Answer 6

The consent of their people who participate selection of its leader and making laws who participate in the selection of its leaders and the making of its law

Question 7

To establish Justice and Insure Domestic Tranquility.

Answer 7

Government manages conflict and maintains order

Question 8

Social Contract Theory

Answer 8

An implied agreement exists between the government and its people, who agree to obey laws in exchange for the protection of their rights

Question 9

To provide for the “Common Defense.”

Answer 9

This is the primary responsibility of the U.S government

Question 10

To promote a “General Welfare” and. It does this by:

Answer 10

They are providing public goods (goods and services that private markets cannot offer to the public).

Question 11

To promote General Welfare. It does this in several ways:

Answer 11

1) Regulate society to increase the quality of life
2) The government uses income transfer from taxpayers to people it regards as deserving

Question 12

To secure in Blessing of Liberty. It does this in many ways:

Answer 12

To maintain order, and protect national security:
1) Democratic governments must protect individual liberty by treating all people are equally before the law

Question 13

Democracy

Answer 13

Governing system in which the people govern themselves and it means “rule by the many”

Question 14

Ideal of Democracy

Answer 14

Individual dignity are not granted by governments, they belong to every person in the world

Question 15

Equality of Opportunity

Answer 15

The obligation of the government to ensure that all Americans have an equal right to develop their full potential

Question 16

Participation in Decision Making

Answer 16

Individual participation in the decisions that affect individual’s lives

Question 17

Majority rules

Answer 17

“One Person, one vote”

Question 18

Each person’s votes must be equal to

Answer 18

Every other person’s, regardless of status, money, or fame

Question 19

Totalitarian

Answer 19

A highly centralized regime that possesses some form of strong ideology that seeks to transform and absorb fundamental aspects of state, society, and the economy

Question 20

Authoritarian

Answer 20

A single individual or ruling group monopolizes all political power, but allows people to otherwise conduct their lives as they want

Question 21

Differences between totalitarian and authoritarian

Answer 21

Totalitarian seek to use power to transform the total institutional fabric of a country according to some ideological goal

Question 22

Constitutional government

Answer 22

A system of government in which formal and effective limits are placed on the power of government

Question 23

Direct democracy

Answer 23

A governing system in which every person participates actively in every public decision, rather than delegating decision making to representatives

Question 24

Representative democracy

Answer 24

Governing system in which public decision-making is delegated to the representative of the people chosen by popular vote in free, open, and periodic elections

Question 25

Pluralist theory is

Answer 25

Government reacts to organized groups competing against one another for policies that benefit one group to the detriment of another

Question 26

Competition between the groups creates a

Answer 26

Balance system, so that government’s policies do not consistently favor the groups representing wealthy interests nor do they favor the lesser financial groups

Question 27

Pluralist Theory

Answer 27

1) The individual can participate in politics by being a member of a group that influences government policy on their behalf
2) Since people are more effective in organized groups, they can play an influential role in the political process

Question 28

Sociologist C.Wright Mills developed the power elite theory in arguing that

Answer 28

Individuals in a few key top positions in corporations, banks, the government, foundations, and universities

Question 29

These individuals are relatively few compared to

Answer 29

The total population of our nation make decisions that affect the welfare of all American and use their view are likely vast resource to influence the outcome of public policy as well

Question 30

According to this theory, since the masses are

Answer 30

Largely not informed on issues, communication flows from the elites down to the masses, not from the masses up to the downwards

Question 31

Elitism

Answer 31

Argues the masses have, at best, only an indirect influence on the decisions of the elites