Week 1 Flashcards
the institutions and procedures through which a land and its people are rules
government
a form of government in which a single individual rules
autocracy
a form of government in which a small group of landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants controls most of the governing decisions
oligarchy
a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the selection of key public officials
democracy
a system of rule-a constitution- that specifies formal and effective limits on the powers of government government
constitutional government
a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions
authoritarian government
a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it
totalitarian government
conflict, struggle, cooperation and collaboration over the leadership, structure, and policies of government- over who governs and who has power
politics
done with a purpose sometimes with forethought, and even with calculation
instrumental
rules and procedures that provide incentives for political behavior, thereby shaping politics
institutions
the domain over which an institution or member of an institution has authority
jurisdiction
the control over what a group will consider for discussion
agenda power
the ability to defeat something even if it has made it onto the agenda of an institution
veto power
a specification of when a vote may be taken, the sequence in which votes on amendments occur, and how many supporters determine whether a motion passes or fails
decisiveness rules
the transmission of authority to some other official or body for the latters use
delegation
the relationship between someone with authority and someone to whom he or she delegates the authority
principle-agent relationship
the cost of clarifying each aspect of a principle-agent relationship and monitoring it to make sure arrangements are complied with
transaction costs
the policy of resources and the coordination of effort and activity by a group of people to achieve common goals
collective action
enjoying a benefit while letting others bear the costs of providing it
free riding
a benefit that, first, may be enjoyed by anyone if it is provided and, second, may not be denied to anyone once it has been provided
public good
the idea that a common access facility, owned by no one because it is available to everyone, will be overused
tragedy of commons
the idea that certain possibilities are made more or less likely because of earlier decisions-because of the historical path taken
path dependency
americas first written constitution, adopted by the continental congress in 1777, they were the formal basis for americas national government until 1789, when they were superseded by the constitution
articles of confederation and perpetual union
an agreement reached at the constitutional convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population but linked representation in the house of representatives to population
great compromise
an agreement reached at the constitutional convention of 1787 stipulating that for purposes of the appointment of congressional seats, only 3/5 of slaves would be counted
three fifths compromise
the division of a legislative assembly into two chambers, or houses
bicameralism
the powers that the constitution explicitly grants to a branch of the federal government
expressed powers
article 1 and section 8 of the constitution which enumerates the powers of Congress and provides Congress with the authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry them out; also referred to as the elastic clause
necessary and proper cause
power of the courts to determine whether the actions of the president, Congress, and state legislature are not consistent with the constitution
judicial review
a clause of article VI of the constitution that states that all laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme laws of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision
supremacy clause
the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making
separation of powers
the system of government in which a constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments
federalism
the first 10 amendments to the US constitution adopted in 1791; it ensures certain rights and liberties to the people
bill of rights
the mechanism through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches
checks and balances
oppressive government that employs the cruel and unjust use of power and authroity
tyranny
