Unit 4 Review Flashcards
Five core values
Individualism, equality of opportunity, free enterprise, rule of law, limited government
Individualism
Places emphasis on self reliance and independence
Equality of opportunity
The belief that every American regardless of their race, gender, etc. deserves equality in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
Free enterprise
As little government intervention in economy as possible
Rule of law
Belief that every citizen is equal under the law & no one has any special privileges
Limited government
A government whose restrained through separation of powers & checks & balances
Conservatives
Cherish established institutions & seek to preserve them for the good of society. Emphasize smaller government.
Liberals
Push for new reforms in order to make society more equal and just
Views on Individualism
Conservatives
Self-centered individualism: Emphasize the interest of the individual above the interests of society
Liberals
Enlightened individualism: emphasizes the interests of society above the interest of the individual
Views on Equality of Opportunity
Conservatives
Meritocracy: everyone rises in society based on their own toil & sweat
Liberals
Meritocracy with condition: not all groups start that climb in the same place
Views on Free Enterprise
Conservatives
Want the government to stay out of businesses & just let the free market decide what’s best
Liberals
Want the government to intervene with appropriate regulations to ensure safety & equality
Views on Rule of Law
Conservatives
Sees the laws themselves as embodying equality, emphasize the letter of the law
Liberals
Laws embody equality with a condition: emphasize the unequal application of those laws especially in regards to minority groups
Views on Limited Government
Conservatives
Want to define strong boundaries of federalism, less government interference in peoples’ lives
Liberals
Embrace the need for government intervention in society for the sake of the greater good
Political socialization
How we come to form our political opinions
Factors that contribute to political socialization
Family, schools, peers, media, civic / religious organizations, globalization
Generational effects
A person’s voting behavior & political ideology is very influenced by the generation they’re born in
Life-cycle effects
Whatever stage of life a person is in will contribute to their political beliefs & behaviors
Political events
Any event that’s significant in the life of our nation, can have an affect on our political beliefs
EX: FDR’s New Deal after Great Depression, 9/11
Poll writing process
Writing questions that are free from bias, presenting them to a small random group of people, generalizing results to the larger population
Types of polls
Opinion poll: helps get a feel for the public’s opinion on a certain topic or candidate
Benchmark poll: poll taken at the beginning of a candidate’s run
Tracking poll: conducted over time usually w/ the same group of people
Entrance / Exit Poll: polls conducted at voting sites that ask people how they voted
Sampling methodology
A sample needs to be representative (have the same characteristics as the larger population its measuring) & needs to be random
Sampling error
Always a chance that the sample wont exactly represent the general population
• If a poll has a plus or minus 3 sampling error then its a good & representative poll
Mass survey
When pollsters put together a questionnaire that can be given to as many people as possible. Can only measure quantitative data
Focus group
When pollsters measure the opinion of a small group of people. Collects qualitative data
Social desirability bias
When people are filling out surveys and they give a socially desirable answer even if they disagree with it
Non-response bias
Certain groups are more likely to respond to public opinion polls than others
Political ideology
Set of ideas that form the basis for political decision making
Conservative ideology
Emphasize limited government, strong stances of crime & punishment, states’ rights above federal power
Liberal ideology
Emphasizes civil rights for the marginalized, equal opportunity, government involvement in public affairs
Republican party
Most closely aligns with conservation ideology
Party platform
Set of goals published by a certain party that they plan to pursue should their candidate win an election
Democratic party
Most closely aligns with liberal ideology
Fiscal policy
Decisions the government makes about spending & taxation
Monetary policy
Actions by a central bank, like adjusting interest rates or money supply, to control inflation, economic growth, & maintain price stability
Federal reserve process
Buy & sell government bonds
Set reserve requirements
Setting interest rates
Explain both parties views on fiscal policy
Liberals: Keynesian - government spending
Conservatives: Supply-side - support businesses
Explain both party’s views on monetary policy
Conservatives: favor using it to stabilize the economy
Liberals: believe its too slow to effect real change
Libertarians
Want as little government involvement as possible, including social issues. With economic issues they lean more conservative & with social issues they lean more liberal
