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)