exam 1 vocab Flashcards
the contest over and exercise of power
politics
the ability to cause someone to do something he or she would not otherwise do
power
a system of institutions, rules, and leaders for making group decisions
government
a form of government in which the people rule, either directly or indirectly through elected representatives
democracy
the principle that the people should have a say in how they are governed
popular sovereignty
a state in which political power rests with the public through their representatives (in contrast to a monarchy)
republic
rule by an individual
dictatorship
rule by an ‘elite’ class
oligarchies
an economic system in which the government decides what to produce and who should get the products
socialism
a form of capitalism wherein there are no restrictions on the market at all. exist in theory but are problematic in practice
Laissez Faire Capitalism
a market system in which the government intervenes to protect rights
regulated capitalism
a set of shared ideas, values, and beliefs that define the role and limitations of government and people’s relationship to that government and that, therefore, bind people into a single political unit
political culture
a statement by government of what it intends to do
public policy
a benefit that can be enjoyed by all group members regardless of whether they contribute to it
public goods
a view of democracy linked to a decision making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and representatives
procedural democracy
a view of democracy based on principles, not on procedures
substantive democracy
when all members of the group meet to make decisions, observing political equality and majority rule
participatory/direct democracy
when citizens participate in government by electing public officials to make decisions on their behalf
representative/indirect democracy
a plan to place the British North American colonies under a more centralized government
albany plan of action
called for a bicameral congress that was to be elected on a proportional basis based on state population, an elected chief executive, and an appointed judicial branch
virginia plan
called for an elected executive but retained the legislative structure created by the Articles
new jersey plan
resulted in a bicameral Congress divided between the House of Representatives based on population and a Senate where each state had equal representation
great compromise
a compromise between the northern and southern states in which slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for determining seats in the House of Representatives
3/5th compromise
the distribution of legislative, executive, and judicial powers among multiple branches of government
separation of powers
