Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement
Define monarchy
a form of government where one ruler, usually a heredity one, holds political power
What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
-- People can pay attention to the news and be aware -- Contribute money to a campaign -- Write letters to members of Congress -- They can vote
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.
Define oligarchy
a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power
Define totalitarianism
a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights
Define direct democracy
a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them
Define democracy
a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people
Define toll good
a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so
Define latent preferences
beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time
Define intense preferences
believes and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time
Define elite theory
claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people
Define pluralist theory
claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people
What is a good example of a tradeoff?
he government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.
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...
latent preferences
In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
monarchy
What goods are available to all without direct payment?
public goods
Define partisanship
strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party
The elite theory of government maintains that...
wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
