The Political Landscape

Question 0

What is a citizen?

Answer 0

Member of political community to whom certain rights and obligations are attached.

Question 1

What is Government?

Answer 1

A collective of individuals and institutions.

The formal vehicles through which policies are made and affairs of the state are conducted.

Question 2

What are politics ?

Answer 2

The study of who gets what,when, and how– or how policy decisions are made.

Question 3

What is a monarchy?

Answer 3

A form of government in which power is vested in hereditary kings and queens who govern in the interests of all.

Question 4

What is totalitarianism?

Answer 4

An economic system in which the government has total control over the economy.

Question 5

What is an oligarchy?

Answer 5

A form of government in which the right to participate is conditioned on the possession of wealth, social status, military position, or achievement.

Question 6

What is democracy?

Answer 6

A system of government that gives power to the people, whether directly or through their elected representatives.

Question 7

Social contract?

Answer 7

An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed.

Mayflower compacted is an example of a social contract.

Question 8

Direct democracy

Answer 8

A system of government in which members of policy meet to discuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule.

Question 9

Indirect(representative) democracy

Answer 9

A system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf.

Question 10

Republic

Answer 10

A government rooted in the consent of the governed

A representative or indirect democracy

Question 11

Personal liberty

Answer 11

A key characteristic of US democracy.

Initially meaning freedom from governmental interference, today it includes demands for freedom to engage in a variety if practices free from governmental discrimination.

Question 12

Popular consent

Answer 12

The idea that government must draw their power from the consent if the governed.

Question 13

Majority rule

Answer 13

The central premise of direct democracy in which only policies that collectively garner the support of the majority of voters will be made into law.

Question 14

Popular sovereignty

Answer 14

The right of the majority to govern themselves

Question 15

Natural law

Answer 15

A doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason.

Popular sovereignty

Question 16

Civil society

Answer 16

Society created when citizens are allowed to organize and express their views publicly as they engage in an open debate about public policy.

Question 17

Political ideology

Answer 17

The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals.

Question 18

Conservative

Answer 18

One thought to believe that the government is best that governs least and that but government can only infringe on individual, personal and economic rights.

Question 19

Liberal

Answer 19

In considered to favor extensive governmental involvement In the economy and the provision if social services and to take an activist role in protecting women, the elderly, minorities, and the environment.

Question 20

Libritarian

Answer 20

One who favors a free market economy and no governmental interference in personal liberties.

Question 21

American dream

Answer 21

An American ideal of a happy successful life, which often includes wealth, a house, a better life for one’a children, and, for some, the ability to grow up to be president