AP Gov Chapter 5 Vocab
Party Identification Chapter 8
Book Definition: A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other. (A person's declaration of preference of a certain party). Examples: Republican, Independent, Democrat. Miscellaneous: In recent years the gap between Democrats and Republicans has closed, and most people have been identifying themselves as Independent.
New Deal Coalition Chapter 8
Book Definition: A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930's to the 1960's. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals. (A coalition formed by the Democrats in the 1930's through the 1960's formed of urban workers and intellectuals). Miscellaneous: Urban dwellers, labor unions, catholics and jews, poor, Southerners, African Americans. Miscellaneous: This made the Democrats the majority for decades.
Coalition Chapter 8
Book Definition: A group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends on. (A group of people who all unite under a common interest). MIscellaneous: Lydon Johnson promised to not send American boys into the Vietnam war but he did. Miscellaneous: Ronald Reagan promised he would balance the national budget but ran up the largest deficit.
Rational-Choice Theory Chapter 8
Book Definition: A popular theory in poltical science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives. (A theory in politics that states people act for their own benefit weighing the costs and benefits of a decision). Examples: citizens, parties, and policy. Miscellaneous: The theory argues taht voters want to aximize the chance that policies they favor will be adopted by government, and that parties want to win office.
Party Machines Chapter 8
Book Definition: A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern. (A political organization taht uses material gifts to gain support). Examples: Kansas City, Philadelphia, Albany, Chicago. Miscellaneous: This organization rewards its members in material ways.
Responsible Party Model Chapter 8
Book Definition: A view favored by some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises. (A model of the political system in which parties would offer clear cut campaign platforms and then voters can correctly choose the right candidate. Also candidates would then carry out promises made). Examples: parties must present distinct, comprehensive programs for governing the nation, each party's candidates must be committed to its program and have the internal cohesion and discipline to carry out its program, majority party must implement its programs, and the minority party myst states what it would do if it were in power, majority party must accept responsibility for the performance of government. Miscellaneous: Candidates should say what they mean to do if elected and once tehy are elected do what they promised, critics of the American system lament that this is too often not the case.
Political Party Chapter 8
Book Definition: According to Anthony Downs, a "team of men, and women, seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election". (A group of people who band together to gain control of a public office during an election). Examples: Independents, Democrats, Republicans. Miscellaneous: Three heads of the political parties are the party in the electorate, party organization, and the party in the government.
Critical Election Chapter 8
Book Definition: An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Critical election period are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era. (A shift in elections that brings about new issues, coalitions, and upsets the majority party; this usually happens about a new crisis). Miscellaneous: Each party forms a new coalition. Miscellaneous: This is comparable to an electoral earthquake, creating fissures within a party until it cracks.
Winner Take All System Chapter 8
Book Definition: An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constitutencies. In American presidential election, the system in which the winner of the popular vote in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state. (A system in which only the person who comes in first gets the seats in the legislator). Miscellaneous: This discourages third party participation. Miscellaneous: No prizes are awarded second and third place.
Proportional Representation Chapter 8
Book Definition: An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election. (A system in which a party earns the number of seats in the legislator by the number of votes it receives).
Closed Primaries Chapter 8
Book Definition: Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty. (Primaries in which only people registered to vote a certain way are welcome). Miscellaneous: Some states give parties greater power than others to limit who can aprticipate in their nomination contest. Miscellaneous: This type of primary encourages party loyalty.
Blanket Primaries Chapter 8
Book Definition: Elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all teh parties. Voters can then select some Democrats and some Republicans if they like. (A type of primary in which people can vote for candidates from any party). Examples: Republicans, Democrats, Independents. Miscellaneous: This allows even more freedom for the people allowing them to choose candidates from any political party.
Open Primaries Chpater 8
Book Definition: Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests. (Voters can decide day of whether they want to participate in Republican or Democratic elections). Examples: Democratic, Republican, etc. Miscellaneous: Voters can decide between each party allowing more freedom in thier choices.
Third Parties Chapter 8
Book Definition: Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections. (Parties other than the major two parties, democrats and Republicans). Examples: Teddy Roosevelt's progressives in 1912, Strom Thurmond's States' Righters in 1948, and George Wallace's American Independents in 1968. Third parties come in three basic varieties; parties that promote a single issue, offshoots of major parties, or extreme ideological position such as socialism or libertarianism.
Party Eras Chapter 8
Book Definition: Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections. (Period throughout history in which voters slant towards a certain party that tends to win). Examples: Libertarians, Reforms, Greens. Miscellaneous: Most democratic nations have more than two parties represented in their legislature.
National Committee Chapter 8
Book Definition: One of the institutionals that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories. (An institutuion that keeps the party active between elections, the committee is made up of delegates from states and territories). Examples: President and Vice President. Miscellaneous: The Democratic party committee also includes assorted governors, members of Congress, and other party officials.
Patronage Chapter 8
Book Definition: One of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone. (A way in which political machines gain people's favor through job, money, or other favors). Examples: George Washington Plunkett, James Michael Curley, and Richard J. Daley. Miscellaneous: One of the leaders of a political machine reportedly made forty million to two hundred million from tax receipts, payoffs, and kickbacks.
Party Competition Chapter 8
Book Definition: The battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics. (The battle of parties to have more control than the other in government, the roller coaster of government control). Examples: Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Miscellaneous: Our two party system has been in tact for over two hundred years.
Linkage Institutions Chapter 8
Book Definition: The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In teh United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. (The different routes the public's concerns take to become issues on the policy agenda). Examples: Elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. Miscellaneous: The tasks parties perform are picking candidates, running campaigns, give cues to voters, articulate policies, and coordinate policymaking.
Party Realignment Chapter 8
Book Definition: The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period. (The upset of the minority party beating out the majority party during a critical election). Examples: Great Depression, Civil War, etc. Miscellaneous: Realignments are generally associated with times of crisis in the American government.
Party Dealignment Chapter 8
Book Definition: The gradual disengagement of people and politicaians from the parties, as seen in party by shrinking party identification. (When people leave a party).
National Convention Chapter 8
Book Definition: The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform. (A meeting of people from a certain party to decide on presidential nominations and the party's platform every four years). Miscellaneous: The convention meets every four years. Miscellaneous: The main task of teh party if write the party's platform and nominate the party's candidates for president and vice president.
National Chairperson Chapter 8
Book Definition: The national chairperson is responsile for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee. (The person in charge of the party's activities and is picked by the presidential nominee). Examples: Democratic and Republican. Miscellaneous: The national party chairperson hires the staff, raises money, pays bills, and attends to the daily duties of the party.
Party Image Chapter 8
Book Definition: The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism. (A person's perception of what the different parties stand for). Examples: liberal or conservative, pro-choice or pro-life, pro-business or pro-labor. Miscellaneous: The party in the electorate consists largely of symbolic images and ideas.
Ticket Splitting Chapter 8
Book Definition: Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm in American voting behavior. (A way in which people can vote for both Democrats and Republicans on one ticket). Examples: California, Hawaii, and Vermont are usually Democrat. Virginia, Kansas, and Oklahoma are usually Republican. Miscellaneous: This allows the positions in government to be more evenly distributed between the parties.
Coalition Government Chapter 8
Book Definition: When two or more parties join together to form a majority in national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe. (When two or more parties join forces to have a majority in government, most common in Europe). Examples: Mali, Kenya, Algeria.
