Chapter 1: American Gov't & Civic Engagement

Trade-offs

A balance achieved between two desirable but incompatible features; a compromise (Involved in the Elitism and Pluralism Theory) Ex. People trying to have abortions, and the protesters: Protesters are requires to stand a certain number of feet away in order to prevent violence and harassment to people trying to abort

Oligarchy

A form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power Ex. China: Chinese Communist Party

Totalitariansim

A form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights Ex. Joseph Stalin, Mussolini, Adolf Hitler

Monarchy

A form of government where one rules, usually a hereditary one, holds political power Ex. North Korea: Kim Dynasty

Direct Democracy

A form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representative to do this for them Ex. Switzerland

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 Ex. United States

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 Ex. Cable/WiFi, Private school, Turnpikes

Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of _______. A. Partisanship B. Ideology C. Latent Preference D. Social capital

A. Partisanship

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 environment activists group to protest the drilling operation. D. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are allowed to protests outside Congress and the White House.

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

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

B. Government policy is formed as a result of a competition between groups with different goals and interests

What goods are available to all without direct payment? A. Private Goods B. Public Goods C. Common Goods D. Toll Goods

B. Public Goods

Intense Preferences

Beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time A person with intense preferences tends to be more politically engaged.

Latent Preferences

Beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time They may not represent a person's true feeling, since they are being formed on the spot when someone asked a question.

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, the person's answer will likely reflect ___________. A. Ideology B. Partisanship C. Intense Preferences D. Latent Preferences

C. Latent Preferences

In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power? A. Direct Democracy B. Monarchy C. Oligarchy D. Totalitarian

C. Oligarchy

Is citizen engagement necessary for a democracy to function? Explain.

Citizen engagement increases the power of ordinary people to influence government actions. One example can be seen with the abolitionism of slavery. What was once legal, was something abolished and granted blacks citizenship. If citizen engagement decreases it is easier for elites to rule.

Elite Theory

Claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people that often use wealth to gain important political positions in order to benefit themselves and not ordinary people

Pluralist Theory

Claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people These individuals are often involved in government to gain better access to government officials

Social Capital

Connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

The elite theory maintains that ______. A. Special interest groups make government policy B. Politicians who have help office for a long time are favored by voters C. Poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote D. Wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people

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

Private Goods

Good provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them Ex. Cell phones, Automobiles, Homes

Public Goods

Goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge Ex. Public education, Mail service, National security (police department & fire department)

Common Goods

Goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply Ex. Fish in the ocean, Fresh water

Political Power

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

Are all Americans equally able to become engaged in government? What factors make it more possible for some people to become engaged than others? What could be done to change this?

Not all Americans are able to be equally engaged in government. The factors that partake in this is age, wealth, education, and how strongly someone feels about current political issues . College students tend to find it difficult to vote because they attend a school that is outside of their home state. The more money that one has and the more highly educated one is, the more likely that he or she will form intense preferences and take political action. We could fix this problem by providing more education to less fortunate neighborhoods and communities.

Are there any redeeming qualities to elitism and any downsides to pluralism? Are there benefits to having elites rule? Are there problems with allowing interest groups to exercise influence over government? Explain.

One redeeming quality of elitism is that they are often graduating from prestigious universities as well as engaged in state or local politics, were business people, or practiced law before being elected. A downside to pluralism is that they often compete and find themselves in conflicts regarding important issues. The benefits to having elites rule is they can get things done faster than it would take for the democratic government. The problems with allowing interest groups to exercise influence over government is it takes longer for problems to be fixed, and also cause problems with people who do not like the direction of the government.

Minority Rights

Protections for those who are not part of the majority

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

Representative democracy is when the people vote on individuals to make laws and decisions on behalf of all people. While direct democracy is when people are directly making decisions in government.

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

Staying informed on debates & events in the community, state, or nation. Write or email political representatives; filing complaints with city council to fix unknown issues. Voting elected officials. Attending political rallies, donating money to campaigns, and signing petitions. Working in groups to participate in political activities or performing services to the community.

Partisanship

Strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a political party

Ideology

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

What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?

The kind of people that are typically active in politics or community service are over the age of 30. Another factor is they are wealthy and more educated.

Government

The means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals Goals: economic prosperity, secure national borders, safety & well-being of citizens

Politics

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