Unit 2: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs Flashcards
American Core Values (5)
Individualism, Equality of Opportunity, Free Enterprise, Rule of Law, Limited Government
Political Culture
the dominant set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and government
Individualism
the belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make
Equality of Opportunity
everyone should have the chance to succeed based on their effort
Free Enterprise (Laissez-Faire)
an economic system in which government intrudes as little as possible in the economic transactions among citizens and businesses
Rule of Law
the principle that no one, including public officials, is above the law
Limited Government
human beings have inherent rights that the government cant take away
Political Socialization
the experience and factors that shape an individual’s political values, attitudes, and behaviors
Political Ideology
an individual’s coherent set of beliefs about government and politics
Generational Effect
the impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views
Life-Cycle Effect
the impact of a person’s age and stage in life on his or her political views
Globalization
the increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses, and countries around the world
Outsourcing
occurs when a company moves its businesses to a place where labor costs are cheaper or production is more efficient because workers work long hours
Public Opinion
the sum of individual attitudes about government, policies, and issues
Focus Groups
a small group of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues
Scientific poll
takes into account a representative sample of randomly selected respondents with a statistically significant sample size, using neutral language
Sample
a group of individuals from a larger population used to measure public opinion
Random Selection
a method of choosing all poll respondents in a way that does not over- or underrepresent any group of the population
Representative Sample
a sample that reflects the demographics of the population
Sampling Error
the margin of error in a poll
Entrance Survey
a poll conducted of people who are coming into an event
Exit polls
a survey conducted following an event or at a polling place after individuals have voted, asking who or what individuals voted for and why
Benchmark Polls
a survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign in order to gauge support for a candidate and determine which issues are important to voters
Tracking Polls
determine level of support for a candidate or issue
What are the 3 Survey Techniques?
1) Random digital dialing- uses telephone numbers randomly generated by a computer to select respondents
2) Question Order- the sequencing of questions in a public opinions polls
3) Question Wording- the phrasing of question in a public opinion poll
Political Ideology
a set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of process of governance
Right
something guaranteed that the government cant take away
Privilege
something a person may obtain or receive but that the government can take away
Party Identification
an individual’s attachment to a political party
Conservatism
an ideology favoring more control over social behavior, fewer regulations on businesses and less government interference in the economy
Liberalism
an ideology favoring less government control over social behavior and more greater regulation of businesses and of the economy
Libertarianism
an ideology favoring very little government regulation and intervention beyond protecting private property and individual liberty
Command-and-control economy
economic policy in which government dictates much of nation’s economic activity, including the amount production and price of goods
Mixed economy
economic policy in which many economic condition are left to individuals and businesses, with government regulating economic activity
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
the total value of goods and services produced by an economy
Economic Recession
two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth
Unemployment Rate
the percentage of people actively looking for work who cant find a job
Inflation
the rise in prices of goods and services
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services over time, used to measure the cost of living
Keynesianism Theory
effects of individuals decisions with regard to saving and spending drives business cycles
What is a Boom in economy? (Keynesianism)
people spend more money, invest unwisely
What is a Bust in economy? (Keynesianism)
people cut back on spending and investing, exacerbating contraction
Supply-Side Theory
proposes lower taxes on individuals and businesses
Fiscal Policy
government use of taxes and spending to attempt to lower unemployment, support economic growth, and stabilize the economy
Federal Reserve System
a board of governors, Federal Reserve Banks, and member banks responsible for monetary policy
What are the 3 main tools of the Fed to influence the economy?
1) Buys and sells treasuries
2) sets and reserve rates that require banks to have a certain amount of deposits kept in reserve
3) influences interest rates banks pay to borrow money from the federal government
Medicare
a federal program that provides health insurance to seniors and the disabled
Medicaid
a federal program that provides health care for the poor
