Chapter 1: Should We Care about Politics Flashcards
Democracy
government created by the people
Direct Democracy
democracy without representation, where each eligible individual participates in decision making
Representative Democracy:
eligible individuals choose others to make decisions on their behalf
Republic
selection of representatives who make decisions on behalf of those who select them.
Direct vs Representative Democracy
a representative democracy is far more practical for national as large as the US but it is more complex and can be controversial because strong differences of opinion about what representative should do it in our name.
Authority
holding an office like president or member of Congress
Legitimacy Vs Authority
Americans respect authority of elected representatives to act in an official capacity by virtue of holding a office and grant legitimacy to elected officials although they disagree with them.Unlike Authority, Legitimacy is partly earned.
Legitimacy
widespread public acceptance of the official standing of a political figure or institutions
Power
ability to make others act in a way that they otherwise might not have done
Resources
anything of value to others that can be used to sway another individual
Politics
process of determining who gets what, when, and how
Elitism
believe that the actions of regular citizens like voting and jointing groups, simply mask the real power exercised by elites.
Pluralism
assuring that gov. Is responsive to a wide range of voices. People believe wide distribution of resources in society drives the decisions government officials make.
Empirical
statement based on the assessment of data or the analysis of information, without regard to value judgements
Normative
invokes a judgement or evaluation
Legitimacy and Authority related to Power
Elected officials can use authority and legitimacy to exercise power.
Power is about getting others to act the way you want them to,even if they prefer to act otherwise in order to determine who gets what, when, and how.
Political Resources: Tools of Power
Resources which encompass a wide range of things such as politicians personal charm, Info supplied to members of congress by lobbyist or promise of campaign money
Elitism and Pluralism: Resources distributed in Society.
Those in Elitism believe elected elite of corporate holds resources that mattering government decisions making
and those in Pluralism believe that ordinary individuals can exercise power in republic because resources matter to people in government are widely distributed in society.
Equality of opportunity:
values giving people comparable advantages for succeeding in life, regardless of the unequal outcomes that may result.
Political equality
est. political and legal rights on the basis of the individual, so everyone has same right to vote and equal under the law
Equality of outcome
:leveling social and economic inequalities among people rather then attempting to give people comparable advantages for succeeding in life
Economic equality
government policy to minimize the economic disperses found in society
Social Equality
government policy to minimize social class distinctions found in society
Equality of Opportunity and Equality of Outcome
Equality of Opportunity comes at expense of outcome and eproduces economic and social disparities in name of protecting individual initiative. Equal Opportunity promotes the same right to vote and equal rights under the law.
Political,Opportunity, Economic,Social And Outcome Equality
Don’t have equality of opportunity or Outcome in America.Although we support gov. actions that promote the former.Equal opportunity breaks down in unequal economic and social outcomes of women, racial and ethnic group. Unequal outcomes should be a product of our talents,intersts not our physical or ethic differences
Liberty
ability to pursue your ends and objectives, tempered by socially defined boundaries and limited government impediments
Trade-offs between Liberty and Equality of Outcome
Liberty supplies the freedom to make individual choices. Liberty is bounded by social responsibility or concern for rights of others in society.Important trade-offs made between Liberty and Outcome which is ability to pursue objectives defined by boundaries and limited government impediments
Social responsibility
protection of the rights of individuals in a community or society, at expense of some degree of personal liberty
Liberty and Social Responsibility
Government draws the boundaries that determine where individual liberty stops and needs of society starts. But we wont all draw the line in the same place which can lead to political disputes over whether government should create these boundaries or leaves matters of social responsibility to individuals.
Disenfranchised
losing or being denied the legal right to vote by intentional or unintentional means
