Final Exam

Question 1

government

Answer 1

The institution in which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges for the people as a whole.

Or– the legitimate use of force.

Question 2

collective goods

Answer 2

Resources (national parks, roads, etc.) that are paid for by taxpayers, managed by the government, and available to all. (Usually too large-scale to be owned and managed privately.)

Question 3

Dilemmas of the Government

Answer 3

Freedom vs. Order (how much freedom to give citizens)

Freedom vs. Equality (how much the government should get involved in maintaining equality)

Question 4

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 4

A public good is overused until it is destroyed completely.

Question 5

Democracy

Answer 5

System of government where the people govern themselves; often involves voting.

Question 6

Republic

Answer 6

System of government in which the people decide who shall govern them.

Question 7

Conservatism

Answer 7

Economic freedom, social order.

Often have traditional social values and support a free market.

Question 8

Libertarian

Answer 8

Freedom in society, freedom in the market.

Extreme libertarians are anarchists. Libertarians are a minority US party. Often they side with Republicans, who share their view on market.

Question 9

Populist or Communitarian

Answer 9

Order in society, freedom in market.

No major political party holds these views in the United States, but the Catholic Church is a good example. Often side with Democrats. Extreme Populists are totalitarian.

Question 10

ideology

Answer 10

Consistent system of ideas, values, and beliefs about the proper function and scope of government.

Question 11

elite theory

Answer 11

Having a small group rule the masses is inevitable in any social construct.

Question 12

pluralism

Answer 12

Belief that democracy can be achieved through competition between multiple organized groups.

Question 13

hyperpluralism

Answer 13

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Question 14

Who was John Locke and what did he believe?

Answer 14

Locke: 17th century philosopher during the Scientific Revolution who believes that humans are social beings, but work in their own self-interest.

Believed the “circle” should have a center of majority rules and outer ring of natural rights.

Question 15

inalienable rights

Answer 15

Rights of all people that cannot/should never be ignored, violated, or taken away. (Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness in our Constitution.)

Question 16

State of Nature

Answer 16

Scenario where a group of people have no existing government or structure and no knowledge of the rest of the world.

Question 17

natural rights

Answer 17

Most basic rights of a person– life, liberty, and property.

Question 18

Bill of Rights

Answer 18

First ten Constitutional Ammendments, granting rights of free speech, to bear arms, of religion, of the press, etc.

Originally there was not one because the Founding Fathers reasoned that since the Constitution did not give the government rights to do such things, they could not.

Question 19

Federalist

Answer 19

Person who favored the Constitution and wanted a strong central government. Opposed a Bill of Rights. James Madison was one. Virginia supported this ideal.

Question 20

Antifederalist

Answer 20

Opposed the Constitution; favored state rights over federal power. Wanted a Bill of Rights.

Question 21

checks and balances

Answer 21

Constitutional provisions for each branch of government to check the power of the other two and keep one another in line.

Question 22

Confederal government

Answer 22

States/counties have more power than central government.

Ex: European Union

Question 23

Unitary government

Answer 23

States/counties have NO power; central government rules.

Ex: England

Question 24

Federal government

Answer 24

Central government and state/county each have some powers.

Ex: United States

Question 25

Great Compromise

Answer 25

aka Connecticut Compromise

Resolved conflict between states like Virginia, who wanted representatives based on population, and states like New Jersey, who wanted a uniform number for each state. Established one house with each (respectively Upper House/Senate and Lower House/House of Representatives)

Question 26

Three-Fifths Compromise

Answer 26

Allowed states to count 3/5 of slaves toward representative count. (Great advantage to Southern States.) Also allowed slave trade to keep importing until 1808.

Question 27

judicial review

Answer 27

Power of courts to overturn state and federal laws that are unconstitutional.

Question 28

Federalism

Answer 28

Divides power between two separate authorities– states and nation– each of which enforces its own laws directly on its citizens. Both pass laws, impose taxes, spend money, etc.

Question 29

dual federalism

Answer 29

Early concept of federalism in which state and federal functions were distinctly separate.

Federal government had “delegated” powers such as national defense, admission of new states, tariffs, and coinage. States handled policy issues such as education, welfare, health, and criminal justice.

Question 30

politics

Answer 30

The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges.

Or– the authoritative allocation of values.