Unit 1 Buzzwords

Question 1

Age of Enlightenment

Answer 1

18th century intellectual movement that emphasized the use of reason and the scientific method as means of obtaining knowledge

Question 2

social contract theory

Answer 2

The government is supposed to serve the people not the other way around.

Question 3

personal liberty

Answer 3

freedom from government interference, demands for freedom to engage in a variety of practices without government interference or discrimination

Question 4

power

Answer 4

ability of one person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions

Question 5

authority

Answer 5

the right to use power

Question 6

legitimacy

Answer 6

in the US it’s the concept of democracy and Constitutionality

Question 7

monarchy

Answer 7

“One ruler” a king, or emperor maybe. Maybe… even a pharaoh

Question 8

unitary system

Answer 8

centralized governmental system in which state or municipal governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government

Question 9

democratic centralism

Answer 9

“central” government makes decisions in interest of the people

Question 10

representative democracy

Answer 10

acquisition of power by leaders who compete for votes via election

Question 11

direct democracy

Answer 11

the population directly governs itself

Question 12

majority rule

Answer 12

leaders do exactly as the people want

Question 13

oligarchy

Answer 13

ruled by the few that are of higher class

Question 14

republic

Answer 14

system with chosen representatives and usually a president

Question 15

politics

Answer 15

method of maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government (who gets what, when, and how)

Question 16

elitist theory

Answer 16

decisions made by identifiable group who hold unequal share of political power, have larger influence in the language, repercussions of the policy

Question 17

Marxist

Answer 17

government merely reflects economic forces, economy dominated by one social class: capitalists or workers. Control economy= Control government

Question 18

bureaucrats

Answer 18

appointed officials who operate government agencies and large corporations

Question 19

pluralist

Answer 19

no single elite, divided into corporate leaders, politicians, media, unions, etc, many interests to serve, power not equally shared

Question 20

political culture

Answer 20

distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life should be carried out

Question 21

political efficacy

Answer 21

belief that one’s political participation really matters - that one’s vote can actually make a difference

Question 22

political ideology

Answer 22

coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who should rule, what policies they should pursue and the rules by which leaders govern

Question 23

conservative

Answer 23

favors limited government intervention, particularly in economic affairs

Question 24

liberal

Answer 24

favors greater government intervention, particularly in economic affairs and in the provision of social services

Question 25

totalitarianism

Answer 25

central government power is held by dictator leader or an oligarchy. Individual is subordinate to the state, state controls all aspects of life

Question 26

libertarian

Answer 26

believes in limited government interference in personal and economic liberties