POLI CH.2

Question 1

autocracy

Answer 1

A system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual.

Question 2

oligarchy

Answer 2

A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few people.

Question 3

democracy

Answer 3

A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly.

Question 4

procedural democratic theory

Answer 4

A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness.

Question 5

universal participation

Answer 5

The concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making.

Question 6

political equality

Answer 6

Equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally.

Question 7

majority rule

Answer 7

The principle—basic to procedural democratic theory— that the decision of a group must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating; a simple majority.

Question 8

participatory democracy

Answer 8

A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.

Question 9

e-government

Answer 9

Online communication channels that enable citizens to easily obtain information from government and facilitate the expression of opinions to government officials.

Question 10

representative democracy

Answer 10

A system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf

Question 11

responsiveness

Answer 11

A decision-making principle, necessitated by representative government, that implies that elected representatives should do what the majority of people wants.

Question 12

substantive democratic theory

Answer 12

The view that democracy is embodied in the substance of government policies rather than in the policymaking procedure.

Question 13

minority rights

Answer 13

The benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizen by majority decisions.

Question 14

majoritarian model of democracy

Answer 14

The classical theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people.

Question 15

interest group

Answer 15

An organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy; also called a lobby.

Question 16

pluralist model of democracy

Answer 16

An interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups.

Question 17

elite theory

Answer 17

The view that a small group of people actually makes most of the important government decisions.

Question 18

democratization

Answer 18

A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.