Chapter 2 Flashcards
A system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual.
autocracy
A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few people.
oligarcy
A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly.
democracy
A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness.
procedural democratic theory
The concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making.
universal participation
The principle — basic to procedural democratic theory — that the decision of a group must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating; a simple majority.
majority rule
A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.
participatory democracy
A system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf.
representative democracy
A decision-making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people wants.
responsiveness
The view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure.
substantive democratic theory
The benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizens by majority decisions.
minority rights
The classical theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people.
majoritarian model of democracy
An organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy. Also called a lobby.
interest group
An interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups.
pluralist model of democracy
The view that a small group of people actually makes most of the important government decisions.
elite theory