Unit 1 - American Gov't Flashcards
Unitary System
A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
Federal system
A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and the state or provincial governments
Socialism
And economic system in which the government owns the basic means of production, distributes the products and wages, and provides social services such as healthcare and welfare
Communism
An economic system in which the central government directs all major economic decisions
Politics
The effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government
Social contract
Theory that by contract, people surrender to the state the power needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect it’s citizens
- An agreement in society to work together
- Must give up some right
- Cannot punish someone who has wronged you parentheses government/society will)
Nation
Group of people united by bonds of race, language, customs, tradition, and, sometimes, religion
Inherent powers
Powers that the national government may exercise simply because it is a government
- Power that a government has because it is a sovereign government
State
A political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government with the power to make and enforce laws without approval from any higher authority
Expressed powers
Powers directly stated in the Constitution
- A.k.a. enumerated powers and delegated powers
Industrialized nation
A nation with large industries and advanced technology that provides a more comfortable way of life than developing nations
Separation of powers
The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government
- Powers that each branch has that makes it unique (division of powers between three branches of government)
Nation-state
A country and which the territory of both the nation and the state coincide
Checks and balances
The system where each branch of government exercises some control over the others
- Powers that each branch has to prevent other branches of government from becoming too powerful
- ex: veto, impeach, unconst.
Popular sovereignty
Rule by the people
- The right of the people decide what the government is going to do two voting
- vote on… Levy’s, gambling, legalization of marijuana, morning Dove
Limited government
A system in which the power of the government is limited, not absolute
- The government should not become too powerful over the people
Capitalism
An economic system providing free choice and individual incentive for workers, investors, consumers, and business enterprises
Implied powers
Powers that the government has to carry out the expressed powers
- ex: Air Force, draft
- Article 1, section 8, clause 18–> Necessary and proper clause
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
- Division of power between the state and federal government
Reserved powers
Powers that belong strictly to the states
- ex: Marriage
- 10th Amendment any power not listed in the constitution are states rights
Concurrent powers
Powers that both the national government and the states have
-Taxes, education, enforce laws
Interstate compact
A written agreement between two or more states
Ex: New Jersey and New York created the port of New York Authority in 1921 to develop and manage harbor facilities in the area
State of nature
Survival of the fittest
States’ rights position
A position that favors states and local action in dealing with problems
The Mayflower Compact
Written in 1620 by the pilgrims in Massachusetts where a new charter was needed
Goals:
- Government is formed with the consent of the governed
- Government should work for the common good of the people (not always liked but needed)
- ex. of a social contract
Nationalist’s position
A position that favors national action in dealing with problems
Extradition
The legal procedure in which a person accused of a crime who has fled to another state is returned to the state where the crime took place
Ex: Jen murdered her boyfriend inOhio and fled to Maine. She was returned Ohio.
The amendment process
- Proposal phase
- Ratification phase
- Congress must first grant an enabling act
- The president must sign the enabling act. At this point the people in the concerned territory prepare a Constitution
- A constitution is drafted and must be approved by a popular vote in the area
- The Constitution is submitted to Congress and if they’re agreeable and act will be passed admitting the territory a state
Natural rights
Rights you have to being human
- Rights include doing what you want and punishing those who wronged you
- Cannot affect others rights though
Developing nation
A nation only beginning to develop industrially
Judicial review
The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional
- The ability of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional
The second amendment
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”
DC v. Heller
- DC law prevents possession of handgun and no person shall carry a gun without a license
- Heller is a special police officer allowed to carry a gun off-duty. He was denied.
- Heller sues claiming violation of the Second Amendment
- Ruling
- Rights of the people means individual rights
- Banin the home is inconsistent with the Second Amendment
- Regional restrictions acceptable (military grade guns)
Constitution article 1
Legislative
The declaration of independence
Written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson
Goal: Break all ties with Great Britain (a complaint letter)
Articles of Confederation
- 1781 – 1789
- No right to levy taxes regulate commerce
- Nine votes needed to pass laws
- 13 votes needed to change articles
- No executive or judicial branches
- Complete failure
Constitution article 6
Supremacy
Shays rebellion
Daniel Shays leads a rebellion to protect farmers fearful of losing land after the Revolutionary war
- MA calls for Continental Congress to put down the rebellion but Congress couldn’t raise the army or money to act
Democracy types
Representative and pure
Constitutions format
- Preamble
- 7 articles
- 27 amendments
Constitution article 3
Judicial
Constitution article 4
State/national relations
Constitution article 5
Amendment process
Constitution article 7
Ratification
Judicial review process
A lot has to be broken, appealed, and if it makes it to the Supreme Court, it can be declared unconstitutional
Traditional Monarchy
All power exercised by a king or queen, power derived from divine right
Ex: Louis of France
Proposal phase
- 2/3 Approval of both houses of Congress
- 2/3 Approval of states call for Constitutional convention (hasn’t been used since Articles of Confederation)
The Constitution
Was written in the summer of 1787 by James Madison and went into effect in 1789
Ratification phase
- 3/4 Of state conventions approve
- 3/4 Of state legislative approve
Constitution article 2
Executive
Anarchy
The absence of a controlling mechanism and a return to the state of nature
- the absence of a political govt
Ex: Samalia, the world (international politics)
Totalitarianism/dictatorship
Government that imposes its decisions by force without any restrictions or permission by the people
Ex: Venezuela, North Korea
Denied power
Powers that one or both levels are not allowed to do ( national, state)
Democracy
Govt and power in the hands of many
Representative democracy
Citizens elect officials to manage government affairs
Ex: US
The Declaration of Independence three major parts
- Declaration of values
- List of grievances (27 complaints)
- Intended action (break ties)
Pure democracy
Citizens directly participate in making government decisions
Ex: Athens
Oligarchy
Government and power in the hands of a few people
Ex: China
Autocracy
Government and power in the hands of one person
Autocracy types
Constitutional monarchy
Traditional monarchy
Dictatorship
Constitutional monarchy
Government must live with within the rules of a constitution, but the ruler is not elected
Ex: Great Britain
Amendment process facts
- Congress sets time limit for state passage (generally 7 years)
- No convention has ever been called under the Constitution
Roles of government
- Maintaining legal and social frameworks
- Maintaining competition
- Providing public goods and services
- Redistribution of income
- Correcting for externalities
- Stabilizing the economy
Maintaining legal and social frameworks
The creation of laws and courts
Ex: Policies to regulate behavior (speed limit)
Maintaining competition
The creation of laws to prevent monopolies
Ex: CVS wanted to buy how drug mart but was denied
Providing public goods and services
Creating programs that the market is unable/unwilling to provide
Ex: Roads, military
Redistribution of income
Taking money from those that have and giving it to those that have not
Ex: welfare, healthcare (check form)
Correcting for externalities
Punishments for next analogy
Ex: I guy smokes A lot and gets Medicare with our tax dollars. We’re the third-party getting screwed.
Stabilizing the economy
Using the government budget and/or money supply to promote economic growth
Ex: Government pays workers to build a road; workers get a salary which gets the money flowing back in the economy. (Ripple effect)
-FRB and interest rates
Externality
Costs from the production/conception of a product that are passed on to a third-party
Adam Smith
A Scottish philosopher/economist that provided a philosophy for capitalism in his work, “the wealth of Nations. “
Adam Smith’s work
“The Wealth of Nations “
International groups
- Terrorist groups
- National liberation organizations
- Multinational organizations
- International organizations
Terrorist groups
Al Qaeda – composed of Islamic radicals (staged 9/11)
National liberation organizations
- Irish Republican Party (IRA) – goal is to integrate Ireland and North Ireland into one government
- Palestinian liberation organization (PLO) – represent all Palestinians struggling to gain territory in their homeland of Israel
Multinational organizations
General Motors, uni- lever, Nabisco, Sony, British Petroleum
International organizations
World trade organization (WTO), UN, world meteorological organization
Characteristics of a true democracy
- Individual liberty – people be as free possible to develop their own capacities
- Majority rule with minority rights
- Free elections – give people the chance to elect leaders and voice opinions
- Competing political parties – help make elections meaningful
What are three economic decisions all governments must make?
What it how much should be produced?
how many goods and services should be produced?
who gets the goods and services that are produced?
Features of a state
- Population: affects stability, mobility
- Territory: establish boundaries, could change because of war, purchases, negotiations, etc.
- Sovereignty: means state has supreme and absolute authority with a territorial boundaries; has complete independence and power to make laws, she foreign-policy, indeterminate dumb question action
- Government: institution through which state maintains a social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions that are binding on all people living within the state
Three main purposes of the Constitution
- Sets out ideals that the people bound by the Constitution believe in and share
- Establishes the basic structure of government and defines governments power and duties
- Provides the supreme law for the country
Full faith and credit
Each state must recognize the laws and legal proceedings of the other states.
Ex: Car registrations in one state must be excepted by all other states
Privileges and immunities
One state may not discriminate unreasonably against citizens of another state. It must provide citizens of other states the same privileges and immunities it provides it’s own citizens.
Ex: rights to pass through or live in any state, use the courts, make contracts, buy, sell, and hold money, and to marry
Privileges and immunities exceptions
Voting, serving on juries using certain public facilities
How does federalism increase participation?
- It increases opportunities for citizens of the US to participate in politics at the national, state, and local levels.
- It increases the possibility that a person’s participation will have some practical effect at any one of these levels
10th Amendment
any power not listed in the constitution are states rights
What is the one place that can hear a case being argued by two more states?
The Supreme Court
Ways the national government has expanded its power
- War Powers: has the power to wage war
- Commerce powers: has the authority to regulate commerce
- Taxing powers: has the authority to raise taxes and spend money
Second Continental Congress
Created to be the central government during the Revolutionary war
John Locke
17th-century philosopher who had the most influence on the American colonist
New Jersey plan
Call for keeping the major features of the articles of Confederation in tact
Virginia plan
Called for a strong Legislature, Judiciary, and executive branch
Thomas Jefferson
The principal writer of the Declaration of Independence
Federalists
This group of people supported the creation of a strong central government to protect the rights of citizens
Anti-Federalists
This group of people opposed a strong central government without a Bill of Rights because the people might lose the rights they won during the Revolutionary war
3/5 compromise
This compromise resolved the issue counting slaves for tax and representation purposes
Connecticut compromise
Resulted in the creation of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Magna Carta
Document that provided protection against unjust punishment and the loss of life, liberty, and property except according to law
Political system
The governments powers, it’s rules for participation in decision-making classified according to how much the public can affect government decisions
