Chapter 1 Vocab Flashcards
Government
The system for implementing decisions made through the political process.
Factions
Groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government.
Separation of Powers
The division of power across the judicial, executive, and legislative branches.
Checks and Balances
A system in which each branch of government has some power over the others.
Federalism
The division of power across the local, state, and national levels of government.
Politics
The process that determines what government does.
Ideology
A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world.
Conservative
One side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for lower taxes, a free market, and a more limited government.
Liberal
One side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulation.
Libertarian
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.
Liberty
Political freedom, such as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. Those and other legal and due process rights protecting individuals from government control are outlined in the Bill of Rights and of the US Constitution.
Democracy
Government by the people. In most contexts, this means representative democracy in which the people elect leaders to enact policies. Democracies must have fair elections with at least two alternatives.
Equality
In the context of American Politics, equality means equality before the law, political equality (one person, one vote), and the equality of opportunity (the equal chance for everyone to realize their potential) but not material equality.
