Unit 1: exam Flashcards
The ideas that people are the source of governmental power and authority
Popular sovereignty
The idea that people create a government to protect the rights of the people
Social contract
a form of government where people choose representatives to make public policy
repblicanism
republicanism in the consitution
elect representatives to House, electoral college
*representatives
popular sovereignty in the consitution
elections
partcipatory democracy (def.)
theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government
ex. #METOO, March for Our Lives, amendments that expand suffrage
partcipatory democracy in brutus 1
power should be held by the people. Smaller governments are more democratic
Pluralist Democracy
group-base activism striving to imapact political decison making; people become more power as a group (power in numbers)
ex. political parties, intrest groups
Pluarist democracy in Federalist No. 10
Groups (factions) will compete for power in a large, diverse republic. The competition will ensure no one group/faction has complete power
elite democracy
limited or filtered citizen participation in politics. The elite (in money, power, knowlege, etc.) has the most power
*not trusting the general public to make good choices
Federalist ideas
- supported the consitution
- opposed a bill of rights (thought it wasn’t need)
- favored a strong, central governmetn
Antifederalist ideas
- opposed the Consitution
- demanded a Bill of Rights
- opposed a strong central government
Federalist No. 10 (overview)
factions are bad, but inveitable. The best way to solve them is to have a large, diverse republic
Federalist No. 10 (key ideas)
- feared tyranny of the majority (majority rule, minority rights)
- factions are natural
- wanted a republican form of government (as representatives will vote for the good of the nation)
- factions are the greatest threat to liberty
- Democracies fail: there’s nomally nothing to check the majority from doing what they want. In turn, oppresing the minority
Brutus No. 1 (overview)
antifederalist paper against ratifying the consitution
Brutus No. 1 (key ideas)
feared:
- federal gov will tax excessivly (oppressing th people)
- against a standing army (gov may use it against to people to put them in submission)
- the necessary and proper clause (elestic clase), becuase it gave the fed gov too much power
*wanted a small republic, power to be held by the people, an dmore local govs
agaisnt ratifying the consitution
Federalist No. 51 (overview)
seperation of powers + checks and balances
Federalist No. 51 (key ideas)
- “if men were angels…” (men aren’t angels, so we need government)
- since congress is the strongest, weaken it by dividing it into two houses (bicameral)
- “ambition must counteract ambition –> each branch wants more power, but doesn’t want the others to have more power (checks)
10th amendment
STATES RIGHTS - all powers not delegated to the federal gov, or not denied for the states, are reserved for the states
14th amendement
anyone born in the United States is a citizen and that all states must give citizens the same rights guaranteed by the federal government in the Bill of Rights (power to the fed gov; states are restricted by the Bill of Rights through selective incorporation)
what two ways can the consitution be ratified
- 2/3 of both houses propose it, and 3/4 of the states ratify it
- at a consitutional conventional, 2/3 of states propose an amendment, and 3/4 of the states ratify it
categoral grants
money given to the states, only if they comply with specific rules :/
block grants
money given to states with a broad set of rules to follow :)
unfunded mandate
something the federal government sends out (new law, regulation, standard, etc.) that the states must comply with…wihtout federal funding :(
revenue sharing
federal money given to states, without rules :)))
what have grants in aid done to federalism
expanded federal power. the states want the money…but they don’t want to comply with the rules that come with it. Yet, the states take the money anyway. So it’s kinda like a bribe
ex. raising the drinking age or highway money is taken away
dual federalism
- layered cake
- federal and state governments are in their own spheres, and are supreme in those said spheres
coorporative federalism
- marble cake
- modern
- federal and state govs. share responsiblities, costs, and administration of policies
- gives federal government more power
MuCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
- Facts: congress established a national bank and serveral states tried suing it
- Result: congress may establish a national bank, AND states may NOT tax it
- Principle: the necessary and proper clause gives congress implied powers AND the supremacy clause asserts that the national gov is uperior to states when they clash
expanded the powers of the federal government
U.S. v. Lopez (1995)
- facts: Alonso Lopez was arrested for bringing a unloaded gun to school, violating the Gun Free Zones Act.
- Result: federal law is unconsitutional becuase posseion of a gun doesn’t affect interstate commerce
- Principle: 10th amendment creates a federal system that protects state power. The commerce clause doesn’t grant congress unlimited power
federalism case
advantages of federalism in relation in creating public policy
- states can create laws based of their indvidual needs
- states become labs of democracy
purpose of the bill of rights
- makes sure the power of the federal gov stays limited: protecting civil liberties
- checks the majoity
–it wasn’t orignally added because it was thought it would be used by the federal gov to repress liberites–
Declartion of Independence
*breakup letter
- natural rights
- popular soverignty
- social contract
Articles of Confederation (1787)
*weak bond of the states
- states were sovereign (states had more power than the federal gov)
- unicameral (no judical or executive branch)
- each state had one vote in congress
Powers of Congress under the articles of confederation
- declare war
- enter treaties
- raise an army
- coin money (but the states could too)
- settle disuputers between states
The Consitution (1788)
- republican style government
- gave the federal government more power (which was divided)
Article I
conitution
congress
- lawmaking
- bicameral
- section 8: powers of congress
- necessary and proper clause
Article II
conitution
executive
- electoral college
- powers of the president: commander in cheif of the military, execute laws
Article III
conitution
Judiciary
- establish other courts
- interpret laws in terms of consituionality (judical review)
- appelate judiction (hearing appeals from the lower courts)
Article V
conitution
amendment process
Article VI
conitution
supremacy clause
John Locke
- “second treatise of government”
- natural law - man is born free and can only be subjected to politcal power of another with their consent
- natural rights
Jean-Jaques Rosseau
- “The Social Contract”
- people give up some of their freedom to the government in exhange for an orderly society
Baron de Monteque
- checks and balances
- limit government to procect inalienable rights
- republicanism
Thomas Hobbs
kinda like John Locke and his natural law stuff
The natural state of man is chaotic, that is why we need government
The Enlightenment
time of great euopean thought (helped form our government)
