Chapter 1 Study Guide

Question 1

the system for implementing decisions made through the political process.

Answer 1

Government

Question 2

What is the government’s two broad purposes

Answer 2

to provide order and to promote the general welfare.

Question 3

Groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government. American government is set up to avoid domination by any one of these groups.

Answer 3

Factions

Question 4

The division of government power across the judicial, executive, and legislative branches.

Answer 4

Separation of Powers

Question 5

A system in which each branch of government has some power over the others.

Answer 5

Checks and balances

Question 6

The division of power across the local, state, and national governments

Answer 6

Federalism

Question 7

Services or actions (such as protecting the environment) that, once provided to one person, become available to everyone. Government is typically needed to provide public goods because they will be under-provided by the free market.

Answer 7

Public goods

Question 8

Situations in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to produce some outcome, but each individual is better off refusing to cooperate and reaping benefits from those who do the work.

Answer 8

Collective action problems

Question 9

The incentive to benefit from others’ work without making a contribution, which leads individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together.

Answer 9

Free rider problem

Question 10

The process that determines what government does.

Answer 10

Politics

Question 11

An economic system based on competition among businesses without government interference.

Answer 11

Free market

Question 12

Politics, generally favored by Democratic politicians, that use taxation to attempt to create social equality (for example, higher taxation of the rich to provide programs for the poor).

Answer 12

Redistributive tax policies

Question 13

Political conflict in the United States between “red-state” Americans, who tend to have strong religious beliefs, and “blue-state” Americans, who tend to be more secular.

Answer 13

Culture wars

Question 14

A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world.

Answer 14

Ideology

Question 15

One side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulation;

Answer 15

Liberal

Question 16

One side of the ideological spectrum, for lower taxes, a free market, and a more-limited government;

Answer 16

Conservative

Question 17

Those who prefer very limited government and therefore tend to be conservative on issues such as welfare policy, environmental policy, and public support for education but liberal on issues of personal liberty such as free speech, abortion, and the legalization of drugs.

Answer 17

Libertarians

Question 18

Government by the people.

Answer 18

Democracy

Question 19

Political freedom, such as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. These and other legal and due process rights protecting individuals from government control are outlined in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.

Answer 19

Liberty

Question 20

equality before the law, political equality (one person, one vote), and equality of opportunity

Answer 20

Equality

Coach Tyler gave me this definition