Vocabulary (1-4) Flashcards
Direct Democracy
type of government characterized by citizens attending a town meeting and voting on issues raised, with the majority prevailing
Elite and Class Theory
group theory that revolves around an economic strata of society controlling the policy agenda
Government
those institutions that create public policy
HYperpluralism
group theory characterized by many interest groups vying for control resulting in a government that is tied up in gridlock
Linkage institution
means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy
Loose construction
liberal interpretation of the Constitution
Pluralism
group theory that involves different groups all vying for control of the policy agenda. NO single group emerges, forcing the groups to compromise.
Policy agenda
agenda that results from the interaction of linkage institutions.
Political party
group of people joined together by common philosophies and common approaches with the aim of getting candidates elected in order to develop and implement public policy. It is characterized by an organization that is responsible to the electorate and has a role in government.
Public policy
the final action(s) taken by government in promotional, regulatory, or distributive form
Representative Democracy
form of government that relies on the consent of the people and is often called a republican government.
Strict constructionists
individuals who believe in a conservative interpretation of the Constitution
Unitary system of government
type of government that centralizes all the powers of government into one central authority.
Anti Federalists
led by Thomas Jefferson, one of the first political parties urging the rejection of the Constitution. Its members were farmers and represented the interest of the common people.
Articles of Confederation
the first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weaknesses, the period of time it governed (1781-1789) became known as the critical period.
Connecticut Compromise
offered at the Constitutional Convention of Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and created a bicameral legislature, where one house is represented by population, and the other house is represented by the states.
Consent of the governed
a derivative of the doctrine of natural rights; a philosophy, later adopted by Jefferson when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, that puts the authority of the government in the people’s hands.
Constitution
provides the basic framework of government. It is the supreme law of the land.
Declaration of Independence
blueprint for the American Revolution containing three parts. 1) introduction including ideas such as natural rights as related to life, liberty, and property, the consent of the governed, and the concept of limited government. 2) a list of grievances against the King of England 3) a declaration of independence
Democratic-Republicans
led by Thomas Jefferson, they were characterized as the party of the “common man.” They believed in a more limited role of the central government.
Federalist Papers
written using the pen name Publius; John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote a series of articles urging the adoption of the Constitution. They argued for establishing a government that could deal with “the tyranny of the majority” by creating three branches of government having distinctive and separate powers.
Federalist Party
headed by Alexander Hamilton, made up of the country’s upper class, supported a strong national government and set a policy agenda that would solve the nation’s economic problems.
Limited government
derived from the doctrine of natural rights, it was adopted by Jefferson and restricts the power of government especially in the area of protecting the rights of the people.
Natural rights
part of Locke’s philosophy; rights that are God given such as life, liberty, and property.
New Jersey Plan
offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on equal representation by the states.
Second Treatise of Civil Government
written by John Locke, it contains the blueprint principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Shay’s Rebellion
failed attempt by Daniel Shay, a farmer who lost his property, to revolt against the state government.
Three-Fifths Compromise
offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and counted every five slaves as three people for representation and tax purposes.
Unalienable rights
rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are derived from the doctrine of natural rights.
Virginia Plan
offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on the population of each state.
Politics
who gets what, when, how and why.
BIcameral
two house legislature
Checks and balances
a key aspect of the Constitution of the United States protecting the balance of power among the three branches of government. The concept was first suggested by James Madison in the Federalist Papers.
Elastic Clause
found in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution, it gives Congress the power to make “all laws necessary and proper” to carry out the other defined powers of Congress.
Electoral College
consists of presidential electors from each state. The number of electors is based on the state’s population. The states with the greatest population have the most electoral votes. When the voter casts a vote for president, in reality the vote goes to one of the presidential electors designated by the candidate in that state, The number of electors for each state equals the number of senators and representatives that state has in Congress. The candidate with a majority of the electoral votes is elected to office. If no candidate receives the majority, the House of Representatives will determine the outcome of the election.
Enumerated powers
delegated powers of Congress, including the power to collect taxes, pay debts, provide for the common defense and general welfare, regulate commerce among the states, coin money, and declare war.
Ex post facto laws
laws that take effect after the act takes place. Congress is prohibited from enacting this type of legislation.
Executive privilege
the ability of the president to protect personal material.
Federalism
the overall division of power between the federal government and state governments; as defined in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. It specifically tells the states that they have reserved powers. Powers not delegated to the government by the Constitution are given to the respective states.
Full faith and credit
phrase used to describe the mutual respect and legality of laws, public records, and judicial decisions made by states.
Judicial review
derived from the Marbury v Madison decision, it gives the Supreme Court the power to interpret the Constitution and specifically acts of Congress, the present, and the states.
Preamble
the introduction to the Constitution, outlining the goals of the document.
Privileges and immunities
the guarantees that the rights of a citizen in one state will be respected by other states. Also a clause in the 14th Amendment that protects citizens from abuses by a state.
Reserved Power Amendment
found in the 10th Amendment, it gives states powers not delegated to the national government.
Separation of powers
originally developed by Montesquieu in The Spirit of Natural Laws written during the Enlightenment and James Madison in Federalist No. 48, this important doctrine resulted in the establishment of 3 separate branches of government– the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, each having distinct and unique powers
Supremacy clause
clause that states that “the Constitution, and the laws of the United States…shall be the supreme law of the land.”
Unwritten Constitution
traditions, precedent, and practice incorporated into our form of government that add to the Constitution’s elasticity and its viability. Political parties, the president’s cabinet, political action committees, and the federal bureaucracy are important examples.
Block grants
a form of fiscal federalism where federal aid is given to the states with few strings attached.
Categorical Grants
include project and formula grants and aim at assisting the states in areas such as health, income security, and education.
Competitive federalism
begun under Richard Nixon and known as the new federalism, this approach stressed the downsizing of the federal government and more reliance on revenue sharing and grants.
Cooperative federalism
developed during the New Deal, it is characterized by the federal government becoming more intrusive in what were traditionally state powers.
Creative federalism
developed during President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, it was characterized by the Great Society programs, which placed a major responsibility on federally funded programs.
Dual federalism
the earliest type of relationship established between the federal government and the states where the federal government’s powers were defined as delegated and the state government;s powers were reserved.
Fiscal federalism
a concept of federalism where funding is appropriated by the federal government to the states with specific conditions attached. The legislation can be in the form of mandates.
Funded mandates
those regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states with federal funds to support them.
Layer cake federalism
federalism characterized by a national government exercising its power independently from state governments.
Marble Cake federalism
also known as cooperative federalism, it developed during the New Deal, and is characterized by the federal government’s becoming more intrusive in what was traditionally states’ powers.
Unfunded mandates
those regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states without federal funds to support them
Bill of Rights
adopted in 1791 by the states two years after the ratification of the Constitution, it established the basis of civil liberties for Americans.
Civil liberties
those rights of the people that are protected by the Bill or Rights.
Clear and Present Danger Doctrine
established in Schenck v United States (1919), it gives government the right to censor free speech if, during national emergencies such as war, it can be proven that the result of the speech will significantly hurt national security.
Cruel and unusual punishment
doctrine found in the 8th Amendment to the Constitution that prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive penalties for crimes committed.
Double jeopardy
legal concept wherein once a verdict is handed down, you cannot be tried again for the same crime.
Establishment clause
component of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution that defines the right of the citizens to practice their religions without governmental interference. It also places a restriction on government creating a “wall of separation” between church and state.
