Chapter 1 vocab

Question 0

What is an autocracy?

Answer 0

A form of government in which the power to make authoritative decisions and allocate resources is vested in one person

Question 1

What does the term “absolute majority” mean?

Answer 1

50 percent plus one of all members or eligible voters

Question 2

What is a democracy?

Answer 2

A form of government in which all the citizens have the opportunity to participate in the process of making authoritative decisions and allocating resources.

Question 3

What is direct democracy?

Answer 3

A form of government in which ordinary citizens,rather than representatives, collectively make government decisions.

Question 4

What is considered “Economic equality”?

Answer 4

The idea that each individual should receive the same amount of material goods, regardless of his or her contribution to society.

Question 5

What is an “elitist”?

Answer 5

A term used to describe a society in which organized,influential minority interest dominate the political process

Question 6

What does the term “empirical” refer to?

Answer 6

Questions and debates that can be answered by careful observation. Systematic empirical observation is the foundation of science and the scientific method

Question 7

What does the term “equality of opportunity” mean?

Answer 7

The idea that every individual has the right to develop to the fullest extent of his or her abilities.

Question 8

What does the term “ equality under the law” refer to?

Answer 8

The idea that the law is supposed to be applied impartially, without regard for the identity or status of the individual involved.

Question 9

What does the term “false consensus” refer to?

Answer 9

The tendency of people to believe their views are normal or represent common sense and there-for are shared by most people.

Question 10

What is a government?

Answer 10

The institution that has the authority to make binding decisions for all of society

Question 11

What is “ideology”?

Answer 11

A consistent set of values,attitudes, and beliefs about the appropriate role of government in society.

Question 12

What is an “initiative”?

Answer 12

An election in which ordinary citizens circulate a petition to put a proposed law on the ballot for the voters to approve.

Question 13

What is a “liberal democracy”?

Answer 13

A representative democracy, such as Great Britain or the United States, that has a particular concern for individual liberty. The rule of law and a constitution constrain elected representatives and the will of the majority from using their power to take away the rights of the minorities.

Question 14

What is “majority rule”?

Answer 14

The principle under which government follows the course of action proffered by most people.

Question 15

What is “minority rights”?

Answer 15

The full rights of democratic citizenship held by any group numerically inferior to the majority. These fundamental democratic rights cannot be taken away-even if a majority wishes to do so-without breaking the promise of democracy.

Question 16

What does the term “normative” refer to?

Answer 16

Theories or statements that seek to prescribe how things should be valued, what should be, what is good or just, and what is better or worse.

Question 17

What is the “null hypothesis”?

Answer 17

A statement positing that there is no relationship between variables being observed. It is the opposite of the research hypothesis.

Question 18

What is an “oligarchy”?

Answer 18

A form of government in which the power to make authoritative decisions and allocate resource is vested in a small group of people.

Question 19

What does the term “partisanship” refer to?

Answer 19

A psychological attachment to a political party.

Question 20

What does “pluralistic” mean?

Answer 20

It is a term used to describe a society in which power is widely distributed among diverse groups and interest.

Question 21

What does “plurality” mean?

Answer 21

This is the largest percentage of a vote, when no one has the majority.

Question 22

What is “political equality”?

Answer 22

The idea that individual preferences should be given equal weight

Question 23

What is “political science”?

Answer 23

The systematic study of government, political institutions, processes, and behavior.

Question 24

What is “politics”?

Answer 24

The process of making binding decisions about who gets what or whose values everyone is going to live by.

Question 25

What does the term “popular sovereignty” refer to?

Answer 25

The idea that the highest political authority in a democracy is the will of the people.

Question 26

What is a “referendum”?

Answer 26

An election in which a state legislature refers a proposed law to the voters for their approval.

Question 27

What is a “representative democracy”?

Answer 27

Defined as a system of government where ordinary citizens do not make governmental decisions themselves but chose public officials -representatives of the people- to make decisions for them.

Question 28

What is “science”?

Answer 28

A method of acquiring knowledge through the formulation of hypotheses that can be tested through empirical observation in order to make claims about how the world works and why.

Question 29

What is a “simple majority”?

Answer 29

50 percent plus one of those participating or of those who vote

Question 30

What is the concept of “social equality”?

Answer 30

The idea that people should be free of class or social barriers and discrimination.

Question 31

What is “sovereignty”?

Answer 31

The legitimate authority in a government to wield coercive power to authoritatively allocate values.

Question 32

What does the term “utility” refer to?

Answer 32

The amount of enjoyment an individual receives from a given situation or outcome