Vocab Flashcards
the institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society
government
a system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences
democracy
a democracy in which citizens themselves vote on all laws and create policies for their country
direct democracy
citizens elect officials to make laws and these representatives are accountable to those who they govern
representative democracy
the citizens elect the legislature and the legislature elects the executive
parliamentary democracy
the citizens elect the legislative and executive branches
presidential democracy
a system of government that views individual freedom as subordinate to the powers and authorities of the state
authoritarian
a single individual retains all of the power in a country
dictatorship
the supreme power in government is lodged in the hands of a king, queen, or emporor
monarchy
a small group of people control the government
oligarchy
a form of government where the national government holds most of the power
unitary
a government in which state and local governments hold most of the power
confederate
the government’s power is divided and/or shared between national and local government
federal
the process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue; produces authoritative decisions about public issues
politics
the party’s opinion on various public policy issues; written every four years at the national convention
party platform
the issues that attract the serious attention of people involved in politics
policy agenda
the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time
policymaking system
political channels through which people’s interests, problems, and concerns become political issues on the policy agenda
linkage institutions
ex. political parties, elections, media, interest groups
an overall set of values widely shared within a society
political culture
a problem that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it
political issue
all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of leaders or the policies they pursue
political participation
groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics
single-issue groups
things, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone must share
public goods
a choice that government makes in response to a political issue
public policy
a condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy; the result is that nothing may get done
gridlock (policy)
a theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
pluralism
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened
hyperpluralism
a theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided among class lines
elite and class theory
a fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory that states that in a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the great number of citizens’ desire be respected
majority rule
a principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument
minority rights
opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption; thought it favored the wealthy elite and didn’t protect individual rights
Anti-Federalists
the first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781
Articles of Confederation
a legislature divided into two houses
Bicameral Legislature
an act of legislature allowing people to be convicted of a crime without a trial
Bills of Attainder
an important part of the Madisonian model designed to limit government’s power by requiring that power be distributed among the different governmental institutions; these institutions continually limit one another’s activities
Checks and Balances
the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that established two houses of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate
Connecticut Compromise
the idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people
Consent of the Governed
a nation’s basic law; it creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens
Constitution
1776 document approved by representative of American colonies that stated their grievances against the British monarch and proclaimed their freedom
Declaration of Independence
an American institution created by the Constitution that provides for the selection of the President
Electoral College
a law that allows a person or group of people to be punished, or have their punishment increased when the penalty of the crime changes after their actions
Ex Post Facto Laws
interest groups arising from the unequal distribution of property or wealth
Factions
a collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name “Publius” to defend the Constitution in detail
Federalist Papers
supporters of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption
Federalists
the power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and, by implication, the executive are in accord with the U.S. Constitution
Judicial Review
the idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens
Limited Government
a structure of government proposed by James Madison which separated the government into three branches and worked against faction control
Madisonian Model
rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property
Natural Rights
the proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state’s population
New Jersey Plan
the principle that government is created to serve the will of the people and is subject to them
Popular Sovereignty
the approval of legislation needed for it to take effect and be legally valid
Ratification
a form of government which derives its power from the people
Republic
a feature of the Constitution which requires each of the three branches to be relatively independent of the others so one cannot control the others
Separation of Powers
a series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings
Shays’ Rebellion
an agreement which results in the formation of a state or organized society, the prime motive being the desire for protection
Social Contract Theory
representation and taxation were based on the number of free people and three-fifths of the number of slaves
Three-Fifths Compromise
a legislature with only one house
Unicameral Legislature
the proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state’s share of the U.S. population
Virginia Plan
a court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody
Writ of Habeas Corpus
a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group
Affirmative Action
requires employers and public facilities to make “reasonable accommodations” for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against these individuals in employment
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
policies designed to protect people against government officials’ and individuals’ arbitrary or discriminatory treatment
Civil Rights
made racial discrimination against any group in hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination
Civil Rights Act (1964)
the issue raised when women are paid less than men for working at jobs requiring similar skill
Comparable Worth
segregation that occurs as a matter of fact
De Facto Segregation
segregation that is permitted and enforced through law
De Jure Segregation
clause that emphasizes that the laws must provide equivalent defense for all individuals
Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
passed by Congress in 1972; states that “equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged because of sex”
Equal Rights Amendment
guaranteed African Americans the right to vote
Fifteenth Amendment
a term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates
Gender Gap
an unofficially acknowledged barrier to advancement in a profession, especially affecting women and minorities
Glass Ceiling
used by Southern states; exempted persons whose grandfathers voted in 1860 from taking literacy tests in order to vote
Grandfather Clause
segregational laws used in the South to relegate African Americans to separate school systems, public facilities, and restrooms
Jim Crow Laws
women cannot be denied or subject to discrimination in any education program
Title IX of the Higher Education Act (1972)
prohibited poll taxes in federal elections
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
prohibited any government from using voting procedures that denied a person the vote based on race and abolish date use of literacy requirements for people who completed sixth grade
Voting Rights Act (1965)
federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services
Block Grants
federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes of state and local spending; they come with strings attached, such as non discrimination provisions
Categorical Grants
part of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution which gives Congress the power to regulate trade with foreign nations, and among the several states
Commerce Clause
authorities shared by both the states and the federal government
Concurrent Powers
a system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government; they may also share costs, administration,and blame
Cooperative Federalism
transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments
Devolution
a system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies
Dual Federalism
powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the Constitution
Enumerated powers
a legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed
extradition
a way of organizing the government so that two levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people in a system of shared power
federalism
the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government’s relations with state and local governments
fiscal federalism
federal categorical grants distributed according to a equation specified in legislation or in administrative regulations
formula grants
part of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgements rendered by the courts of other states
full faith and credit clause
the federal government give the states money to help them do whatever they want them to do
funded mandates
powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution
implied powers
the workings of the federal system; the entire set of interactions among national, state, and local governments
intergovernmental relations
commerce that exists or occurs within the boundaries of a state
intrastate commerce
part of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution which authorizes Congress to pass all laws required to carry out the enumerated powers
necessary and proper clause
part of Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution according citizens of each state most of the rights of citizens of other states
privileges and immunities clause
federal grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications
project grants
powers of the state government
reserved powers
Article VI of the Constitution
supremacy clause
a statute or regulation that requires a state or local government to perform certain actions, with no money provided for fulfilling the requirements.
unfunded mandates
the legal constitutional protections against government
Civil Liberties
the legal requirement that the conduct in a legal case must de done in a way that protects the rights of all the people involved
Due Process
the clause guaranteeing that persons cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property by the United States or state governments without full legal proceedings
Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
part of the First Amendment stating that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”
Establishment Clause
a First Amendment provision that prohibits government from interfering with the practice of religion
Free Exercise Clause
the exception to the Exclusionary Rule which allows illegally seized evidence to be admissible if the officers had a reasonable belief that they were acting according to legal authority
Good Faith Exception
the legal concept under which the Supreme Court has nationalized the Bill of Rights by making most of its provisions applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment
Incorporation Doctrine
the publication of false or malicious statements that damage someone’s reputation
Libel
the principle that provides that objects that are visible to an officer who is rightfully in a position to observe them can be seized without a search warrant and can be used as evidence
Plain View Rule
a government’s preventing material from being published
Prior Restraint
the situation occurring when the police have reason to believe that a person should be arrested; in making the arrest, police are allowed legally to search for and seize incriminating evidence
Probable Cause
a legal standard of proof to justify stopping and sometimes searching people thought to be involved in criminal activity based on specific and articulable facts
Reasonable Suspicion
the right to a personal life free from the intrusion of government
Right to Privacy
a written authorization from a court specifying the area to be searched and what the police are searching for
Search Warrant
the situation occurring when an individual accused of a crime is compelled to be a witness of themselves in court
Self-Incrimination
spoken defamation
Slander
nonverbal communication
Symbolic Speech
obtaining evidence in a haphazard or random manner
Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
the rule that evidence, no matter how incriminating, cannot be introduced into a trial if it was not constitutionally obtained
Exclusionary Rule
characteristics of population changes
demographics
a tool for understand demographic changes; the Constitution requires that the government conduct an “actual enumeration” of the population every ten years
census
the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation
melting pot
a concept suggesting that the cultures in the United States are juxtaposed and do not merge into a single homogenous culture
salad bowl
an overall set of values widely shared within a society
political culture
the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority, as compared with a white, generally Anglo-Saxon, majority
minority majority
an act which requires that employers document the citizenship of their employees
Simpson-Mazzoli Act
the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every ten years on the basis of the results of the Census
reapportionment
the process through which a young person acquires political orientations as they grow up, based on inputs from parents, teachers, the media, and friends
political socialization
a poll taken by sampling a cross section of the public in order to gage their viewpoint on issues
public opinion polls
a relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole
sample
key technique employed by survey researchers, which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
random sampling
the level of confidence in the findings of public opinion poll
sampling error
a technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey
random digit dialing
