Unit 4 Test - American Political Ideologies

Question 1

American core values

Answer 1

• Individualism
• Equality of opportunity
• Free enterprise
• Rule of law
• Limited government

Question 2

Individualism

Answer 2

• A belief in the fundamental worth and importance of an individual
• Promotes individual well-being over the well-being of society as a whole

Question 3

Equality of opportunity

Answer 3

• The idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life
• No person should be limited by circumstances outside of her control

Question 4

Free enterprise

Answer 4

The ability of individuals and businesses to make money with minimal government interference

Question 5

Rule of law

Answer 5

The notion that everyone in the country, including government officials, are subject to its laws

Question 6

Limited government

Answer 6

• A government that is kept under control by laws and a system of checks and balances
• The belief that political officials and institutions should have significant constraints on their power

Question 7

Political socialization

Answer 7

• The process by which one develops their political beliefs
• Factors that influence the development of political opinions include family, school, social groups, media, historical events, and personal experience

Question 8

Ideology

Answer 8

• The set of ideas, beliefs, and values that individuals have about how government should work and the kinds of policies that government should implement
• Two major ideologies in the USA: Liberalism and conservatism

Question 9

Liberals (economic/social beliefs)

Answer 9

• Typically associated with the Democratic Party
• Importance of government regulation of the economy to protect the rights of individual and control some of the drawbacks of free-market capitalism
• Believe in minimum wage, environmental protection, and worker protections
• Emphasis on policies that promote social equality and justice, opposing government interference in private lives

Question 10

Conservatives (economic/social beliefs)

Answer 10

• Typically associated with the Republican Party
• Advocates for less government regulation of the economy and argues for a more laissez-faire, free-market capitalism approach to economic issues
• Emphasizes certain family and societal values with regards to social issues, promoting government interference in private lives in order to do so

Question 11

Generational effects

Answer 11

• Significant events that can permanently affect the political attitudes of the people who lived through them
• Ex: Great Recession, Great Depression, 9/11

Question 12

Types of polls

Answer 12

• Opinion polls: Gathers information about individuals’ attitudes and views on various issues
• Entrance/exit polls: A type of opinion poll that is conducted at a voting site during elections to measure the opinions and attitudes of voters

Question 13

Methods of polling

Answer 13

• Sampling techniques
• Identification of respondents
• Mass surveys
• Focus groups
• Sampling error

Question 14

Sampling techniques

Answer 14

• Methods to assure an accurate poll with fair and equal representation of the population
• Various sampling include random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and quota sampling

Question 15

Identification of respondents

Answer 15

• The method used to identify respondents can significantly impact the results of a public opinion survey
• Includes in-person sampling, phone call sampling, or online sampling

Question 16

Sampling error

Answer 16

• Occurs when a sample is not representative of the population being studied
• Results in a biased understanding of public opinion

Question 17

Tracking polls

Answer 17

• Measures how prospective voters feel about an issue and how they may vote on election day
• Conducted regularly to measure public opinion on various issues over time

Question 18

Liberals on economic issues (regulating the marketplace, fiscal policy, trade)

Answer 18

• Regulating the marketplace: Believe in Keynesian economics, which calls for significant government involvement in the economy
• Fiscal policy: Favors a progressive tax, where one’s tax rate increases as their income increases
• Trade: Favors government regulation, as barriers will promote/protect American industry and workers

Question 19

Liberals on social issues (safety net, labor, privacy, education)

Answer 19

• Safety net: Favors large entitlements, like Social Security and supports Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)
• Labor: Positive view; support collective bargaining and benefits
• Privacy: Government should not regulate on private and personal matters
• Education: Supports funding for public schools, and believe if public funds go to charter schools, it will weaken the system

Question 20

Conservatives on economic issues (regulating the marketplace, fiscal policy, trade)

Answer 20

• Regulating the marketplace: Supports supply-side economics, or when the government leaves as much of the money supply as possible with the people, letting the law of economics govern the marketplace
• Fiscal policy: Argues for flat tax, or when citizens taxed at the same rate
• Trade: Free trade, with no government regulations to create free flow of services

Question 21

Conservatives on social issues (safety net, labor, privacy, education)

Answer 21

• Safety net: Oppose expensive govt programs and want to cut back on social welfare programs like food stamps or public housing
• Labor: View labor as an element of the free market that should not be regulated; wages should be determined by supply and demand; organized labor is a negative influence
• Privacy: States have the rights to pass laws on right to privacy; federal govt cannot pass laws to overrule state laws regarding right to privacy as it is not explicitly stated in the Constitution
• Education: Freedom to choose educational environment and curriculum is fundamental; favor competition to public schools with charter schools

Question 22

Libertarian beliefs

Answer 22

• Based on the principles of individual liberty and limited government principles
• Believe in a free market economy
• Support the legalization of drugs and same-sex marriage
• Advocate for non-interventional foreign policy, gun rights, and privacy
• Support eliminating government-run social welfare programs
• Believe that education and healthcare should be left to the private sector

Question 23

Keynesian economics

Answer 23

• Supports an active role of the government in regulating the marketplace
• Government can use monetary and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy and prevent recessions
• Government should increase spending during recessions to stimulate demand and boost economic growth
• Support using monetary policy, such as lowering interest rates, to encourage borrowing and spending

Question 24

Supply-side economics

Answer 24

• Supports a limited role for the government in regulating the marketplace
• Government should create a favorable business environment by cutting taxes and regulations to encourage investment and economic growth
• Lowering taxes on businesses and individuals will increase the incentive to work, save, and invest, leading to economic growth
• Reducing government regulations will allow businesses to operate more efficiently, leading to increased productivity and economic growth

Question 25

Monetary policy

Answer 25

• How the government manages the supply and demand of its currency and the value of the dollar
• The use of the money supply and interest rates by the central bank to influence the economy
• Used to control inflation and stabilize the economy