Unit 1 Key Terms Flashcards
Issue
a conflict, real or apparent, between the interests, ideas, or beliefs or different citizens
Politics
the activity by which an issue is agitated or settled
Power
the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions
Authority
the right to use power
Legitimacy
political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution
Democracy
the rule of the many/the rule of the people
Direct or participatory democracy
a government in which all or most citizens participate directly
representative democracy
a government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote or people choose leaders to make law for them.
Elite
persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource, such as money, prestige, or expertise (in this case political power)
Class view
view that the government is dominated by capitalists
Power elite view
view that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of the government
Bureaucratic view
view that the government is dominated by appointed officials
Pluralist view
view that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy
Creedal passion view
view that morally impassioned elites drive important political changes
Political agenda
issues that people believe require governmental action
Cost
a burden that people believe they must bear if a policy is adopted
Benefit
a satisfaction that people enjoy if a policy is adopted
Majoritarian politics
almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays
Interest group politics
one small group benefits and another small group pays
Client politics
one small group benefits and almost everybody pays
Entrepreneurial politics
almost everybody benefits and a small group pays
Pork-barrel legislation
legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their voters in return
Log-rolling
a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers
Policy entrepreneurs
activists in or out of government who pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interests
Unalienable
a human right based on nature or God
Articles of Confederation
a weak constitution that governed American during the Revolutionary War
Constitutional Convention
a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution.
Shay’s Rebellion
a 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes
Virginia Plan
proposal to create a strong national government
New Jersey Plan
proposal to create a weak national government
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state.
Republic
a government in which elected representatives make the decisions.
Judicial Review
the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
Federalism
government authority shared by national and local governments.
Enumerated powers
powers given to the national government alone.
Reserved powers
powers given to the state government alone
Concurrent powers
powers shared by national and state governments.
Separation of powers
sharing of constitutional authority by multiple branches of government or each branch has its own power and independence.
Checks and balances
Constitutional ability of multiple branches of government to limit each other’s power.
Faction
a group with a distinct political interest
Coalition
an alliance of groups
Habeas corpus
an order to produce an arrested person before a judge.
Bill of Attainder
a law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime.
Ex post facto law
a law that makes an act criminal even though the act was legal when it was committed.
Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Sovereignty
the ultimate political authority in a system
Unitary system
a system of government where sovereignty if fully vested in the national government, not the states.
Confederation or confederal system
a system of government where state governments are sovereign, and national government can do only what the states permit.
Federal system
a system of government where the national and state governments share sovereignty.
“Necessary and proper” clause
section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and that has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution.
Nullification
the doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution.
Dual federalism
doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate.
Cooperative federalism
idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas.
Laboratories of democracy
idea that the different states can implement different policies, and the successful ones will spread.
Initiative
process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot.
Referendum
procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature.
Recall
procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office.
Grants-in-aid
money given by the national government to states.
Categorical grants
federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport.
Conditions of aid
terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds.
Mandates
terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants.
Waiver
a decision by an administrative agency granting some other party permission to violate a law or rule that would otherwise apply to it.
Devolution
the transfer of power from the national government to state and local governments.
