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PoliSci > Textbook Vocab > Flashcards

Textbook Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Democracy

A

System of government by which the people rule; rule by many. Trusts common people.

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2
Q

Oligarchy

A

Rule by the few; a minority group (i.e. aristocracy or clergy) holds power over the majority. Does not trust common people.

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3
Q

Monarchy

A

Rule by one, power rests in king or queen

(often some sense of divine sanction). Does not trust common people.

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4
Q

Direct Democracy

A

public business decided by all citizens in small assemblies

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5
Q

Representative Democracy

A

Also indirect democracy; people rule through elected representatives

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6
Q

Majority Rule

A

Policies are decided based on what a majority of people want (there is some assumption that majorities shift, so that everyone gets what they want at least some of the time)

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7
Q

Political Equality

A

The principle that each person carries equal wait in public business

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8
Q

Civil Rights

A

Guarantee by government of equal citizenship to all

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9
Q

Political Liberty

A

Principle that citizens in a democracy are protected from government interference in certain basic freedoms (i.e. speech, association, conscience)

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10
Q

Social Contract

A

Idea that the government is the result of an agreement among the people, and they have the right to establish a new government if the terms of the agreement (contract) are violated by the existing one
Also a philosophical device used by Enlightenment thinkers (i.e. Locke, Rousseau)

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11
Q

Liberal democracy

A

Representative Democracy characterized by popular sovereignty, liberty, an political equality

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12
Q

Confederation

A

Loose associate of territorial units (states) with a weak central authority
AoC writers liked this because they feared executive tyranny
Current example is the United Nations

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13
Q

Constitution

A

Basic framework that prescribes how government should be organized, how decisions will be made, and what powers and responsibilities the government has.

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14
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

First constitution, adopted during the last stages of the Revolutionary War established the U.S. a confederation

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15
Q

Republicanism

A

Political doctrine advocating a limited government based on popular consent and protected against majority tyranny

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16
Q

Stay Acts

A

Laws postponing the collection of taxes or mortgage payments (shortly after the revolution)

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17
Q

The Connecticut Compromise

A

Also called the Great Compromise; Compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia plans. Established a lower legislative house based on population, and an upper house based on equal representation of the states.

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18
Q

Electoral College

A

Elected representatives of the states who formally elected the President. Today, citizens vote for the party/candidate they want the representative to vote for. Number of electors in each state is equal to its total senators and representatives

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19
Q

Federal(ism)

A

A system in which government powers are divided between a central government and smaller territories/states

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20
Q

Supremacy Clause

A

In Article VI of the Constitution. Asserts that the Constitution and federal laws take supremacy over state laws

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21
Q

Elastic Clause

A

Article I, Section 8. The “necessary and proper” clause. Gives Congress the authority to make whatever laws are necessary to carry out the enumerated powers.

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22
Q

Bill of Rights

A

First 10 amendments to the Constitution, concerned with the protection of basic liberties

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23
Q

Separation of Powers

A

Distribution of governmental powers among the 3 branches of government

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24
Q

Checks and Balances

A

Principle that each of the branches has the power to hinder the actions of the other branches, to prevent tyranny of any one branch

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25
Q

Free enterprise

A

Economic system characterized by competitive markets and private ownership. Like capitalism, but the framers encouraged it before the actual rise of capitalism

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26
Q

Federalists

A

Proponents of the Constitution during the ratification fight. Wanted a more centralized gov, and encouraged in this by Shay’s Rebellion. Hamilton, Washington, Adams.

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27
Q

Anti-Federalists

A

Opponents of Constitution during the ratification fight. Fear of centralized power and concern about absence of bill of rights.

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28
Q

Judicial Review

A

Power of the Supreme Court to declare the actions of the other branches and levels of government unconstitutional

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29
Q

Signing Statement

A

Document issued by president when he signs a bill, outlining his understanding of the bill and how executive branch officials should carry it out. Bush infamously issued signing statements that effectually said he wouldn’t follow the law he was signing.

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30
Q

Unitary System

A

Central government has complete power over its constituent units/states. i.e. China, Japan, the U.K. and France

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31
Q

The Tenth Amendment

A

10th Amendment in Bill of Rights, also known as the reservation clause, powers not given to the federal government and not prohibited from the states are reserved for states or the people

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32
Q

Concurrent Powers

A

Powers under the constitution that are shared by the federal and state governments

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33
Q

Horizontal Federalism

A

Constitution regulates this, it is the relations among the states (i.e. public acts and judgements valid in one state are valid in all states)

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34
Q

Interstate Compacts

A

Agreements among state to cooperate on solving mutual problems. Must be approved by Congress

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35
Q

Nationalist Position

A

View of American federalism that the Constitution made the federal government supreme relative to states, and granted the federal government a broad range of powers. Invokes the elastic clause. Has prevailed over most of American history.

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36
Q

State’s Rights Position

A

View that the constitution created a system of dual sovereignty, in which the national and state governments are each sovereign in their own spheres. Supports dual federalism (that state and federal powers do not overlap). Tempers the expansion of the federal government.

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37
Q

Nullification

A

Attempt by states to declare national laws or actions null and void

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38
Q

Preemption

A

Exclusion of states from actions that might interfere with federal authority

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39
Q

Civil War Amendments

A

13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments adopted after the Civil War. 13 abolished slavery, 14 calls for equal protection, rights, and liberties, 15th gives black men the right to vote

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40
Q

Due Process Clause

A

Section of the 14th Amendment. Prohibits states from depriving anyone of life/liberty/property “without due process of law” Goal to prevent unfair government action

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41
Q

Equal Protection Clause

A

Section of 14th Amendment, provides equal protection of the laws to all persons

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42
Q

Devolution

A

The delegation of power by the central government to state or local bodies. Reagan, WH Bush, and Clinton.

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43
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

Powers and responsibilities of the state and national governments are intertwined, and they work smoothly together to solve problems. Characterized the 1960s and 70s.

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44
Q

Fiscal Federalism

A

The transfer of money from the national government to state and local governments

45
Q

Grants-in-Aid

A

Funds from national gov given to state and local governments to support programs created by the national government

46
Q

Categorical Grants

A

Federal aid to states/localities clearly specifying what the money can be used for

47
Q

Block Grants

A

Federal grants to be used for general activities (more general than categorical grants)

48
Q

General Revenue Sharing

A

Federal aid to states without any conditions

49
Q

Conditional Grants

A

Grants with provisions requiring that state/local governments follow certain policies to obtain funds, no clear line between incentive and coercion

50
Q

Mandate

A

Formal order from the national government that states carry out certain policies
Esp important in movements for civil rights and the environment

51
Q

Nativist

A

Anti-foreign; applied to political movements active in the 19th century in the US

52
Q

Median Household Income

A

midpoint of all households ranked by income, has grown only modestly, and has not kept pace with the overall growth of the economy

53
Q

Capitalism

A

Economic system characterized by private ownership of productive assets, where decisions about how to use these assets are made by individuals and firms rather than the government

54
Q

Core Beliefs

A

Most fundamental beliefs in a national population about human nature, the country, government, the economy.

55
Q

Political Culture

A

The core beliefs in a country. Shapes how people behave politically, and what they believe the government should do

56
Q

Political Socialization

A

The process by which individuals obtain certain core beliefs and political attitudes

57
Q

Populism

A

Distrust of the elite and those in power. Belief in the judgement of the common person, a variation of this is common in conservative political ideologies

58
Q

Public Opinion

A

Political attitudes (and core beliefs) as expressed through surveys

59
Q

Sample Survey

A

Interview study questioning a set of people who are chosen as representative of the whole population

60
Q

Random Sampling

A

Selection of survey respondents by chance, with equal probability of being selected, to ensure their representativeness of the whole population

61
Q

Agents of Socialization

A

Institutions and individuals that shape political attitudes and core beliefs - school, families, neighborhood, popular culture

62
Q

Political Ideology

A

A coherent system of interlocking attitudes and beliefs about politics, the economy, and the role of government

63
Q

Rational Public

A

The notion that collective public opinion is rational, in the sense that it is generally stable and consistent, and when it changes it does so as an understandable response to events or new information

64
Q

Presidential Approval Rating

A

Percentage of Americans who approve a president’s “handling of his job”

65
Q

Economic Conservatives

A

People who favor private enterprise and oppose government regulation of business

66
Q

Economic Liberals

A

People who favor government regulation of business, and gov spending for social programs

67
Q

Social (lifestyle) Liberals

A

People who favor civil liberties, abortion rights, and alternative lifestyles

68
Q

Social (lifestyle) Conservatives

A

People who favor traditional social values, and strong law and order measures. Oppose abortion and gay marriage

69
Q

Policy Preferences

A

Citizen’s ideas about what policies they want government to pursue.
A majority of Americans are philosophical conservatives and moderates, but operational liberals

70
Q

Isolationism

A

Policy of avoiding involvement in foreign affairs

71
Q

Unilateralist

A

U.S. should “go it alone” in foreign policy, pursuing its own national interests without seeking the cooperation of other nations or multilateral institutions

72
Q

Multilateralist

A

U.S. should seek the cooperation of other nations and multilateral institutions in pursuing foreign policy goals
Roughly 2/3 of Americans

73
Q

Enumerated Powers

A

Powers of the federal government that are specifically given by the Constitution

74
Q

Bicameral

A

legislative body of 2 houses or chambers

75
Q

Descriptive Representation

A

Also statistical representation, degree to which the composition of a representative body reflects the demographic composition of the population

76
Q

Constituency

A

District of a legislator

77
Q

Constituent

A

citizen who lives in the district of an elected official

78
Q

Reapportionment

A

The allocation of House seats among the states, done after each national census, to ensure that the represent equal population sizes

79
Q

Redistricting

A

Redrawing of congressional district lines

80
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Redrawing district lines to give an advantage to a particular party or candidate

81
Q

Packing

A

concentrating voters of one party into fewer districts, to weaken their influence elsewhere

82
Q

Open-Seat Election

A

election in which there is no incumbent officeholder

83
Q

Franking Privilege

A

Public subsidization of mail from members of Congress to their constituents

84
Q

Casework

A

Services performed by members of Congress for constituents

85
Q

Pork

A

federally funded projects designed to bring a constituency jobs and public money… for which Congress members can claim credit

86
Q

Party Conference

A

Organization of the members of a political party in the House or Senate

87
Q

Caucus

A

A regional, racial, economic, or party subgroup within the House or Senate

88
Q

Whip

A

Political party member in Congress charged with keeping members informed of the plans of party leadership, counting votes before action on important issues, and rounding up party members for votes on bills

89
Q

Standing Committees

A

Relatively permanent congressional committees that address specific areas of legislation

90
Q

Hearings

A

taking of testimony by a congressional committee or subcommittee

91
Q

Markup

A

Process of revising a bill in committee

92
Q

Select Committees

A

Temporary committees in Congress created to conduct studies or investigations, no power to report bills. Resolve matters for standing committees

93
Q

Joint Committees

A

Congressional committees with members from both the House and Senate

94
Q

Conference committees

A

Ad hoc committees made up of members of both the House and Senate to reconcile differences in the provisions of bills

95
Q

Reciprocity

A

Deferral by members of Congress to the judgement of subject-matter specialist, in decline in favor of deference to party leaders

96
Q

filibuster

A

In the Senate, opponents of a bill can tie it up by refusing to stop debating, can talk about anything. Even the threat of a filibuster can stop a bill.

97
Q

Cloture

A

Vote to end a filibuster, requires 3/5 of the Senate (60 votes).

98
Q

Discharge Petition

A

Petition signed by 218 House members to force a bill that has been before a committee for 30 days or longer onto the floor
Rarely successful

99
Q

Oversight

A

Congressional responsibility for monitoring the actions of executive branch agencies and personnel to ensure conformity to federal statutes and congressional intent

100
Q

Habeas Corpus

A

The legal doctrine that a person who is arrested must have a timely hearing before a judge. Suspended by Abraham Lincoln.

101
Q

State of the Union

A

Annual report to the nation by president. Now delivered before a joint session of Congress. Discusses the state of the nation and their legislative proposals for addressing national problems

102
Q

Executive Order

A

Rule or regulation issued by the president that has the force of law. Based on constitutional powers of the presidency or congressional statutes

103
Q

Treaty

A

Formal international agreement between 2 or more countries. Requires the “advice and consent” of the Senate

104
Q

Executive Agreement

A

Agreement with another signed by the president. Has the force of law like a treaty, but does not require Senate approval. Originally only used for minor matters, now a very powerful tool for the president

105
Q

Institutional Presidency

A

Permanent bureaucracy associated with the presidency, to help him carry out his duties

106
Q

Chief of Staff

A

Top adviser to the president who also manages the White House staff

107
Q

National Security Advisor

A

Top foreign policy and defense advisor to the president. Heads the National Security Council.

108
Q

Executive Office of the President

A

Group of organizations that advise the president on a wide range of issues

109
Q

Divided Government

A

Control of the executive and legislative branches by different political parties

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