Unit 1: Government in America

political power

influence over a government's institutions, leadership, or policies

monarchy

a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power

social capital

connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

policy making institutions

A set of institutions and activities that link together government, politics, and public policy.

What makes an ideal democracy?

Effective participation Equality in voting Informed electorate Citizen control of the agenda Inclusion Fundamental rights

What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?

In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.

policy agenda

In politics, a political agenda is a list of subjects or problems (issues) to which government officials as well as individuals outside the government are paying serious attention at any given time. ... Although the media does often have an effect on the political agenda, these results are not always immediate.

What is the pluralism-elitism debate?

Many Americans fear that a set of elite citizens is really in charge of government in the United States and that others have no influence. This belief is called the *elite theory* of government. In contrast to that perspective is the *pluralist theory* of government, which says that political power rests with competing interest groups who share influence in government. Pluralist theorists assume that citizens who want to get involved in the system do so because of the great number of access points to government. That is, the U.S. system, with several levels and branches, has many places where people and groups can engage the government.

What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?

People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues of the day. They can contribute money to a campaign or attend a rally in support of a political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of Congress and to state and local politicians. They can vote.

What role do groups play in American politics?

The United States allows its citizens to participate in government in many ways. The United States also has many different levels and branches of government that any citizen or group might approach. Many people take this as evidence that U.S. citizens, especially as represented by competing groups, are able to influence government actions.

Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff? A. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes. B. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but angers ranchers by placing their cattle in danger. C. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations. D. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.

The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.

oligarchy

a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power

totalitarianism

a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights

direct democracy

a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them

democracy

a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people

representative democracy

a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws

majority rule

a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

toll good

a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so

intense preferences

beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time

latent preferences

beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time

elite theory

claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people

pluralist theory

claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people

public goods

goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge

private goods

goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them

common goods

goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply

According to the pluralist theory of government, ________. government does what the majority of voters want it to do government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no interest in pleasing anyone else

government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests

When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little interest in and has not thought much about, that person's answer will likely reflect ________. ideology partisanship intense preferences latent preferences

latent preferences

Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of ________. partisanship ideology latent preference social capital

partisanship

minority rights

protections for those who are not part of the majority

What goods are available to all without direct payment? private goods public goods common goods toll goods

public Goods

partisanship

strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party

ideology

the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy

government

the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals

politics

the process by which we decide how resources will be allocated and which policies government will pursue

The elite theory of government maintains that ________. special interest groups make government policy politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people

wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people