Chapter 6 + Chapter 16 Definitions Flashcards
demography
The science of population changes.
Census
An “actual enumeration” of the popula-tion, which the Constitution requires that the government conduct every 10 years. The Census is a valuable tool for understanding demographic changes.
Melting pot
A term often used to characterize the United States, with its history of immigration and mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples.
Political culture
An overall set of values widely shared within a society.
reapportionment
The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the Census.
Exit poll
Public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision.
Political ideology
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.
Gender gap
The regular pattern in which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates, in part because they tend to be less conservative than men and more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending.
Civil disobedience
A form of political participation based on a conscious decision to break a law believed to be unjust and to suffer the consequences.
Laissez- faire
The principle that government should not meddle in the economy.
Monetary policy
Government influences short term interest rates
Federal reserve system
The main instrument to regulate the lending practices of banks and thus the money supply
Fiscal policy
Use of the federal budget -taxes, spending, and borrowing — to influence the economy, fiscal policy is the main tool by which the government can attempt to steer the economy. Fiscal policy is almost entirely determined by Congress and the president.
Keynesian economic theory
the theory emphasizing that government spending and deficits can help the economy deal with its ups and downs. Proponents of this theory advocate using the power of government to stimulate the economy when it is lagging.
Supply side economics
An economic theory, first applied during the Reagan administration, holding that the key task for fiscal policy is to stimulate the supply of goods, as by cutting tax rates.
