Chapter 7 Vocab Flashcards
Divided government
When one party controls the presidency and another controls the congress
Direct primary
The selection of a political party’s candidate for the general election by vote of ordinary citizens
Duvergers law
The tendency for a single member district plurality system to favor a two party system, as documented by French sociologist Maurice Duvergers
Merit system
A system of governing in which jobs are given based on relevant technical expertise and the ability to perform
Multiparty system
A political system in which 3 or more political parties effectively compete for political office, and no one party can win control of all
One-party system
A political system in which representatives of one political party hold all or almost all of the major offices in government
Parliamentary system
An electoral system in which the party holding the majority of seats in the legislature selects the chief executive
Party discipline
Requiring political party members in public office to promote or carry out the party’s agenda and punishing those who do not
Party in the electorate
The component of the political party that is made up of the people in public who identify with a political party
Party in government
The component of a political party that is made up of elected and appointed government office holders who are associated with a political party
Party in organization
The component of a political party that is composed of party professionals who hold office positions in the party
Party professionals
Party activist whose incentives for participating in party activities are primarily material and social in nature
Party vote
A vote in which a majority of democrats vote on one side and a majority of republicans vote on the other
Policy-motivated activist
Party activist whose incentives for participating in party activities are primarily purposive and social. They are dedicated to implementing certain principles in public policies, and they are less willing to compromise those principle than are party professional
Political machine
A political organization characterized by a reciprocal relationship between voters and office holders. Political support is given in exchange for government jobs and services. Headed by a “party boss”, political machines and party bosses maintain their power and control over government offices with techniques such as control over nomination, patronage, graft and bribery, vote buying, and election-rigging
Political party
An organization that nominates and runs candidates for public office under its own label
Political patronage
The giving of government jobs to people based on their party affiliation and loyalty
Presidential system
A political system in which the chief executive and the legislature are elected independently
Proportional representation
A method of selecting representatives in which representation is given to political parties based on the proportion of votes obtained. This method has the effect of encouraging multiple parties
Responsible party model
A concept that describes democracies with competitive parties in which one party wins control of the government based on its policy proposals, enacts those proposals once it is in control, and stands or falls in the next election based on its performance in delivering on its promises
Role theory
A behavioral model of politics based on the assumption that human beings have a psychological need for predictability in their relations with each other
Single-member district plurality system(SMDP)
A method of selecting representatives in which a nation or state is divided into separate election districts and voters in each district choose one representative. The candidate in each district with a plurality of the votes wins the seat
Straight ticket voters
Voting for the same party’s candidates for president and congress
Third parties
Minor political parties that periodically appear but have little success in winning office
Two-party system
A political system in which only two political parties have a realistic chance of controlling the major offices of government
