Chapter 1 - Understanding American Politics Flashcards
Factions
Groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government
Government
System for implementing decisions made through the political process
Separations of Powers
The division of government power across the judicial, executive and legislative branch
Checks and Balances
System which allows each branch some power over the others
Federalism
The division of power across the local, state, and national level of government
Public Goods
Services or actions that once provided to one person, become available to everyone
Collective action problems
Situations in which members of a group benefit by working together to produce a outcome, however individually if they refuse to cooperate they can reap benefits off of who do the work
Positive externalities
Benefits created by a public good that are shared by the primary consumer of the good and by the society generally (education)
Free rider problem
The inventive to benefit from others’ work without making a contribution
Politics
The process the determines what government does
Economic individualism
The autonomy of individuals to manage their own financial decisions without government interference
Free market
An economic system based on competition among businesses without government interference
Redistributive tax policies
Policies, generally favored by democratic politicians, that use taxation to attempt to create greater social equality (higher taxation on riches for poor funding)
Culture wars
Political conflict in the US between “red state” Americans, who tend to have strong religious beliefs, and “blue state” Americans, who’re more secular
Melting pot
The idea that as different racial and ethnic groups come to America, they should assimilate into American culture, leaving their traditions behind
