GOVERNMENT: political science concepts, terms, perspectives, and research skills Flashcards
basic terms of political science (pt 1):
- federalism
- judicial review
- loose and strict construction
- original intent
a. federalism: system of gov. that divides power between a national gov. and smaller units. the US has a federalist system, w/ some powers granted to the states and others to the fed. gov.
b. judicial review: power of a court to review, revise, or overturn laws or decisions made by the legislature or executive branch.
c. loose and strict construction: methods of interpreting a text, such as the constitution
- strict construction: not open to broad interpretation
- loose: view the text as a guide and is open to interpretation of implied meaning
d. original intent: the goals and/or purpose of the authors of a document
- EX. the original intent of the nation’s founders is often considered when interpreting the Constitution
basic terms of political science (pt 2):
- executive privilege
- patronage
- injunction
- balance of power
- sovereignty
a. executive privilege: the right of a chief executive to keep some info secret from other gov. officials or the public. this can be limited (EX. US v. Nixon)
b. patronage: a system in which leaders offer favors to supporters, such as appointing them to office
c. injunction: an order from the court requiring that an action be taken or prohibited (EX. a restraining order). this can be temporary of permanent
d. balance of power: the distribution of powers to the state and fed. govs. in international relations, the equality of strength in competing nations (i.e. military)
e. sovereignty: supreme authority; often refers to the power to the rule or to make and carry out laws w/ jurisdiction. these states aren’t under the rule of others
- EX. the People’s Republic of China is a sovereign state, and Hong Kong SAR falls under its sovereignty
basic terms of political science (pt 3):
- natural rights
- gerrymandering
- filibuster
- logrolling
- eminent domain
a. natural rights: rights that individuals are born w/, as contrasted w/ legal rights which are granted through laws
- life and liberty are natural rights // free speech is a legal right
b. gerrymandering: intentionally modifying district boundaries to create homogeneous voting blocks or exclude certain voting pops. to win an election
c. filibuster: an attempt to delay or prevent a vote.
EX. long speeches and debates
d. logrolling: exchanging political favors- trading a vote on one measure for a vote on another
- EX. a politician may agree to vote in favor of development of a new housing project if the author of the housing bill votes in favor of a bill supported by the politician
e. eminent domain: governmental power to seize private property for public use
basic terms of political science (pt 4):
- enumerated (expressed) powers
- implied powers
- political culture
- political socialization
a. enumerated (expressed) powers: explicitly granted to gov. in written documents (EX. enumerated powers are granted in the Articles of the Constitution)
b. implied powers: powers claimed by gov. through not explicitly stated in governing docs. (EX. US Constitution grants Congress power to regulate commerce→ Congress has the implied power to enact specific laws to serve this purpose (establishing a minimum wage)
c. political culture: beliefs, practices, and values about gov. shared by citizens (EX. in a participant culture, citizens feel their voices can and should be heard to influence decision making)
d. political socialization: the process of learning political behaviors
basic terms of political science (pt 5):
- modernization theory
- interest group theory
- social contract theory
a. modernization theory: a framework for globalization that emphasizes acceptance and integration of new technology, leading to new and independent forms of gov.
b. interest group theory: framework for gov. in which individuals or groups w/ common interests influence policymaking.
- competing interest groups form to represent different citizen positions
c. social contract theory: framework for gov. in which citizens accept certain restrictions on individual rights in return for a gov. that benefits all citizens and helps maintain social order
- EX. the US gov. protects safety by requiring citizens to follow the speed limit
major figures in political theory:
- Plato
- Aristotle
- Justinian
- Machiavelli
- John Locke
a. Plato: “Plato’s Republic” presented a framework for an ideal city-state w/ governance based on wisdom and reason
b. Aristotle: his views on the political community were influential in the development of democratic forms of gov. w/ the middle class as the ruling body
c. Justinian: “Justinian Code” differentiated public law (i.e. gov) from private law (i.e. natural law, civil law)
d. Machiavelli: his book ‘The Prince’ introduced new ideas about political power - his separation from religion and ethics was scandalous and misunderstood
e. John Locke: emphasized individuals’ rights to life, liberty, and property - his ideas are seen throughout the Declaration of Independence
major figures in political theory:
- Thomas Hobbes
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Karl Marx
a. Thomas Hobbes: argued the civil society is based on rational self-interest - ‘Leviathan’ emphasized social contract theory but also favored an absolute sovereign
b. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: ‘The Social Contract’ argued that society itself could be a corrupting influence and a good society is one where people are constrained by rules and a just society in which people work toward a common goal
c. Karl Marx: argued that a perfect society would have no class distinctions, private property, or the need for the gov. or state
history of democracy: Athens
a. democratic gov. has its roots in Athens in the 6th c. BCE - Cleisthenes instituted a policy where citizens would meet in Assembly and make policy decisions, every Athenian man had one vote
b. a Council of 500 men was selected to represent the citizens when full assembly wasn’t possible
c. this gov. was replaced when the Roman Empire came to rule in the 2nd c. BCE
history of democracy: Europe
- the Magna Carta (1215)
- the revolt of the Netherlands (1568)
- the Glorious Rev (1688)
- the chartist movements (1830s)
a. highlighted in 1215- King John of England signed the Magna Carta: limited the power of the king as sovereign and granted all free men the right to justice and fair trial
b. 1568: the Dutch rebelled against Spanish rule in the Revolt of the Netherlands - the result lead to the powerful Dutch Republic
c. the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89: the king was overthrown and the parliamentary system allowed the people to have more voice
d. the Chartist movement (1830s): workers demanded voting rights and other freedoms to participate in governance and economic decisions
history of democracy: post war period
a. another wave of democratization occurred following WW2, in particular among countries that were annexed by Germany of Japan
b. by the late 1940s, almost half of the world’s population lived in countries w/ at least limited democracy, although many didn’t remain democratic
history of democracy: in the 1980s and 90s
a. worldwide economic growth and increases in educational opportunities helped contribute to additional increases in democratic govs in developing countries, especially in Latin America
b. after the collapse of the Soviet, democracy took power.
c. by the end of the century EU, Australia, and the Americas were almost entirely democratic. more countries in Asia and Africa established democracies
systems of government:
- autocracy
- monarchy
- theocracy
- oligarchy
- democracy
a. autocracy: one person rules w/ unlimited power
b. monarchy: ruled by a king or queen, based on lineage
c. theocracy: a God is the ruler or representative of divine powers (EX. Saudi Arabia)
d. oligarchy: small group of individuals rule - often serve the needs of the rulers more than needs of the general public
e. democracy: 2 types-
- representative (indirect): citizens elect officials to represent their needs (EX. the US)
- direct: all citizens take part in decision-making and governance
systems of government:
- authoritarianism
- totalitarianism
- communism
- fascism
a. authoritarianism: rulers exert considerable power to maintain power and the citizens have limited voice in governance (EX. China)
b. totalitarianism: gov. leaders attempt to control every aspect of citizens lives (ex. North Korea)
c. communism: governance and and economics are linked and the state controls the factors of production (EX. Cuba)
d. fascism: a single leader maintains control of all individuals and groups. they emphasize unity and obedience among all citizens (EX. Italy during WW2)
the US political system: federal system and presidential democracy
a. federal system: a central authority and individual states that share sovereignty w/ the federal gov. power is shared at national and local lvls.
- countries w/ federal systems: the US, Austria, Canada, Germany, India, Iraq, Russia, and Mexico
- in contrast, a unitary system, power is centralized and states have no legislative authority (the UK, Afghanistan, Israel, South Korea, France, Indonesia, and Chile)
b. presidential democracy: the US pres. is elected by the citizens and controls the executive branch, which is independent of the legislature
- found in Weimar Republic of Germany, Argentina, the PI, Kenya, and South Korea
- in contrast, parliamentary system, the head of gov. is the leader of the majority party of the popularly elected house of the legislature w/ no clear distinction between the two (Austria, Greece, Switzerland, Lebanon, GB, France, and Germany)
the US political system: limited government and multiple party system
a. limited gov: gov. powers are limited by the Constitution and by checks and balances
- in contrast, unlimited govs maintain absolute power (EX. Cuba under Fidel Castro)
b. multiple-party system: either the democratic or republican party can maintain governmental power. each party presents.a platform and voters choose
- includes India, France, Germany, and Israel
- in contrast, a one-party system, individuals from one party can run for or hold office (North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, and former Soviet Union)
