Exam 2 Review Flashcards
What is the significance of the 15th amendment?
15th - prohibited denying right to vote based on race
What is the significance of Smith vs Allwright? (1944)
Determined white primaries are unconstitutional (Allwright is all right)
What is the significance of the 19th amendment?
Allowed women to vote (1920)
What is the significance of the 26th amendment?
Lowered voting age to 18 (1971)
What is the significance of Harper vs Virginia State Board of Elections (1966)?
Poll taxes are unconstitutional
Voting Acts of 1965 resulted
What does suffrage and franchise mean?
Right to vote
Why did your founding fathers not create a pure democracy? (4 reasons)
- Tyranny of the majority
- Distrustful that masses could discern themselves
- Masses easily manipulated
- Madison feared mob rule
What are the 4 purposes of Elections?
- Implement democracy by allowing citizens to choose among candidates and issues
- Socialize political activity
- Institutionalize access to political power
- Bolster state’s power and authority
What are some influences on a person’s political socialization?
- Family
- Media
- Peers
- Education
- Income
- Race
- Gender
- Religion
- Opinion Leader
- Lifestyle
What is an Open Primary?
When voters do not have to declare their party affiliation and choose for either party’s primary ballot
What is a closed primary?
When voters must declare their party affiliation before voting for their party’s nominee
What is a blanket primary?
When voters may vote for candidates from either party for the offices under consideration
According to De Tocqueville, what is required in order to have equal opportunity?
Equal Rights
What is the literal meaning of Democracy
Greek Demos (the people) kratos (authority), A system of government in which political authority is vested in the people
What is the Procedural View of Democracy?
Universal participation, political equality, majority rule, a government responsive to public opinion
What is the Substantive View of Democracy?
It focuses on the substance of the government policies, not the policy making procedure
What is the history of the enfranchisement of women in America?
- Wyoming allowed women to vote first in 1869
- 12 states followed until 1918
- Then in 1920 19th amendment allowed all women the right to vote
What is totalitarianism?
Unlimited power of government to control all aspects of political, economic, and social life.
What is Authoritarianism?
A type of regime in which only the government is fully controlled by the ruler. Social and economic institutions that exist are not under the government’s control
What is an Aristocracy?
Rule by the best, normally the most wealthy
What is Theocracy?
Rule by God
What is an Oligarchy?
Rule by a few
What is Democracy?
A system of government in which political authority is vested in the people
What is Madison’s solution to factions?
Pluralism. Allow all ideas to exist so that one faction cannot dominate.
What are some of the obstacles to voting faced by Black Americans following the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment?
Poll taxes, literacy tests, white primaries, and violence
What is the definition of government?
The legitimate use of force to control human behavior and the organization authorized to exercise that force.
What is the definition of Republic?
The majority is limited by a written constitution that safeguards the rights of the individual and the minorities.
What is the Division of Labor View of Democracy?
There are two classes of people: those who govern and those who are governed
What is the Agency View of Democracy?
Those who govern a country would function as no more than the agents of the people
What is the difference between the Division of Labor and the Agency Views of Democracy?
One thinks people are governed and the other thinks the government should just be representatives of the people.
What are the 3 key factors in the have led to lower voter turnout since 1968?
- 26th amendment
- Belief government no longer is responsive to citizens
- Change in attitude about political parties
What is the Spirit of Law?
Virtue and Equality
According to De Tocqueville, what is the social condition of people in America?
It is eminently Democratic.
According to De Tocqueville, what is the belief about fortune and intellect in America?
People see themselves and others as equal
According to De Tocqueville, what do Americans think of money?
No other country has a stronger love of money in the world.
According to De Tocqueville, what do Americans think of personal exertion?
The people are taught to rely on their own personal exertion to overcome the evils and the difficulties of life.
According to De Tocqueville, what are the qualifications to enjoy political freedom?
People cannot enjoy political freedom unless they purchase it with some sacrifices, and they can never get possession of it unless by many efforts.
According to De Tocqueville, what is the greatest passion engendered by equality?
The love of that same equality.
According to De Tocqueville, what is the relationship of equality and freedom?
They are not the same thing, infact, unequal things.
According to De Tocqueville, what will those desiring equality will and will not tolerate?
They will tolerate poverty, but won’t tolerate aristocracy
According to De Tocqueville, what is the kind of equality is necessary for freedom and despotism?
Equal opportunity is necessary for freedom, equal outcome is necessary for despotism
What are the characteristics of those who tend to vote more?
Higher education, income, and age
According to Aldrich, what are the components of political parties?
- Ambitious Office Seekers
- Nominating Candidates
- Voters are consumers
- Endogenous Institution
How did Laswell define politics?
Who, what, when, and how?
What is the original political dilemma?
How to balance freedom and order
What is the modern political dilemma?
How to balance freedom and equality
What did Madison claim was the only new power granted to the federal government in the new constitution?
Regulation of commerce
What did Madison believe about the Constitutional powers allotted to the federal government?
Few and defined
What level of government did Madison believe the Constitution favored?
State governments had an advantage over the federal government
What are the two opposing ideals that run against each other throughout American history?
Achievement and equality
What does Brooks believe about Red America?
Moral lines
What does Brooks believe about blue america
Class lines
How does Brooks explain the divide?
Cafeteria nation
What are the ideals of Communitarians?
They favor governments that promote equality and government activities that impose social order
What are the ideals of Libertarians?
They oppose government activities that interfere with the market and the restriction of individual liberties
What are the ideals of Conservatives?
They favor activities that impose social order. Oppose governments that interfere with the market
What are the ideals of Liberals?
They favor government activities that promote equality and oppose actions that restrict individual liberties
What did Madison believe the Constitution did for the powers of the central government?
Checks and balances
What did Madison believe would ultimately result in tyranny?
A large republic
