Exam 1: Study Guide Terms Pt 1 Flashcards
Government
organization with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force to control human behavior
State of nature
Total Freedom - “Life in a state of nature is nasty, brutish, and short”
Social contract theory
members of a society agree to form and recognize a gov’t and give that govt adequate power to ensure protection/welfare of all its individuals.
Order
Government’s basic role
- Defend against attack (external/intl order)
- provide internal order (stop/punish crime)
Public goods/services
Government’s basic role
Essential services that individuals cannot prove for themselves (eg building/maintaining roads, welfare programs, operating public schools, preserving natl parks)
Resolving conflicts
There will always be disagreement among groups in regards to distribution of resources, policies, etc. Conflicts are resolved through Power (ability to influence behaviour) and Authority (ability to legitimately exercise power). The US does this through laws/policy and the Judicial Branch/ supreme court.
Democrats and Republicans
Democrats: Liberal political party of USA
Republicans: Conservative political party of USA
GOP
See Republicans
Majority party in House/Senate
House of Rep (GOP)
Senate (D)
[President (D)]
Divided government
When the Senate and House majorities are held by different political parties.
Current: Democrats hold majority w/ President and Senate
Bush tax cuts
Bush tax cuts have been extended indefinitely (in place since 2001/03.
They cut all 3 tax types: Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Eliminated Estate Tax.
Democrats’/GOP’s preferred solution to debt and poor economy
GOP wants less taxes/govt control of money so we have more money to spend and stimulate the economy and use taxes to pay off debts.
Democrats want to tax more to stimulate economy through government spending and help distribute resources to the poor.
Sequestration (sequester)
General cuts are made to all areas of govt in order to limit budget, not strategically made. No one likes them, all parties unhappy. In effect through 2021.
Cuts made to military/defense programs (conservatives dislike), cuts made to domestic programs (liberals dislike).
Debt limit
There is a limit on national debt (all deficits accumulated over time). We usually just raise it every few years. Dems and GOP can’t agree on how to fix the matter…. Shocker.
Syria
It’s a country. In the middle east. People are killing each other after peaceful protests (2011) which the gov crazy reacted to by killing/torturing people.. Now theres a civil war.
Sectarian Rebalancing (rebalancing of power among religious/ethnic lines) and Assad Regime was not sustainable (clawing their way down?).
Russia has naval bases in Syria, cold war mentality, and Syria buys weapons from Russia. Syria also protects Iran (Israel and USA are threats).
There are no viable options to fix it but they have chemical weapons. If we bomb them it sends a message to the world (regulation of war tactics)?
Killing will likely continue for years and Syria will be a broken society for generations+, Russia will block intl action. Eventually Syria conflict will cool (partial victory or exhaustion).
Juan Peron
ARG history: President Juan Peron
Member of miliitary, studied tactics in WWII Italy under Mousalinni (sp?) aka Fascist influence, was placed in charge of working people (wages/condits). He used $$ for healthcare/education, anti-foreign companies/involvement, Elected in 1946, reelected in 1951, Grew unpopular with inflation/debt increases and made unpopular measures (pay freezes, limited press freedom, etc). Peron urged violent response after bombing of casa rosada, exiled, returned in 1973 and reelected 1 yr.
Monarchy/dictator
Monarchy: Form of Autocracy (Govt where power is in hands of single person) King/Queen/Emperor/Empress/Tsar/etc is the highest govt authority. Usually inheritance of power.
Dictator: Absolute power is held by a person/group whose power is not supported by tradition.
Direct democracy
System of Government where all political decisions are made by the people themselves, not an elected representative. (e.g.- ancient Greece)
Representative democracy
Political decisions are made by an elected representative whose views reflect the majority who then makes decisions.
Republic
Representative democracy where there is no king or queen and people are sovereign.
Income
Money someone earns through working or other matters (measured annually)
Wealth
Accumulation of income not spent and other sources of value one owns.
Flat tax
Everyone pays same % proportion on their income. (Linear pos corr graph)
Progressive tax
The more $$ you earn the higher % proportion of tax on income you pay. (Pos corr exp graph)
Political culture
Set of ideas, values, and attitudes about govt and political process held by a community or nation. (Compare/Contrast USA/ARG?)
American creed
Equality, Democracy, Limited Government
Equality (2 types)
Equality of Opportunity (Chance for success; everyone has education/run for office/etc)
Equality of Outcome (Everyone has the same level of success- controversial)
Limited gov’t
Govt does not control private life (economy, religion, etc)
Property
Not only limited to personal possessions such as automobiles/houses. Also consists of assets that can be used to create/sell goods/services like factories, shops, farms. Property gives owners political power and liberty to do what they want (within legal limits).
Religion (US is different)
Freedom of Religion in US although based on christian values at founding of our country. (???)
Communism
State enforces equality. Government controls and rations the economy and social aspects of a nation. Currently China and few other nations. (Extreme breakaway from Socialism)
Natural rights
Rights inherent of the fact one is a human being (life, liberty, and property)
Totalitarian government
Govt controls EVERYTHING (opposite of Limited Govt)
Capitalism
An economy based on private ownership of wealth producing property, free markets, and freedom of contract. General american value but relationship of govt and capitalism ideas vary.
Ideology
A system of political ideas that are rooted in religious or philosophical beliefs concerning human nature, society, and govt.
Liberalism/progressivism
“Those who want to be free from tradition and establish new policies/practices”
Arrose in 1960s with medicare/medicaid. “Big Govt?” Liberals strongly value separation of church and state, relative negative view of military action.
Popularly called “Progressives” as opposed to “Liberals”.
Conservatism
“Those who wish to conserve traditional social and political habits/institutions”
USA: Freedom from govt control or regulation of most business enterprise. The general view that little or no govt involvement/action on social and economic matters is optimal.
note- New Deal programs under Roosevelt and big govt ideals were greatly opposed.
Libertarianism
Oppose almost all govt regulation of economy and income. True libertarians oppose govt involvement in issues of private morality, more in common socially with liberals. But Economic issues remain more important, generally support Republican party.
Tea Party Movement: 2009 w/ Obama opposition. Opposes big govt and current levels of taxation and rejects political compromise. Less liberal socially than Libertarians.
Moderate
Those who fall in the middle of the political spectrum. Generally more democrats identify as moderates. We call Moderates “Independents”. Regardless, they do not identify as Republican or Democrat.
What corporations can’t build
A Sentence.
Increasing use of written communication, lack of writing skills are evident. Corporations are increasingly spending a lot of money on training for writing and expression of ideas for employees. People are typing incoherently, text language, too wordy and non-consice manners. Overuse of punctuation and emoticons are used/unprofessional.
