American Government And Politics Today

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Politics

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The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges.

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Institution

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An ongoing organizations or informal groups that performs certain functions for society.

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Government

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The preeminent institution within a society. Government has the ultimate authority to decide how conflicts will be resolved and how benefits and privileges will be allocated.

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Order

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A state of peace and security. Maintaining order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity is the oldest purpose of government.

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Liberty

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The greatest freedom of the individual that is consistent with the freedom of other individuals in society.

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Authority

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The right and power of a government or other entity to enforce its decisions and compel obedience.

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Legitimacy

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Popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority.

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Totalitarian Regime

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A form of government that controls all aspects of the political, social, and economic life of a nation.

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Authoritarianism

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A type of regime in which only the government itself is fully controlled by the ruler. Social and economic institutions exist that are not under government control.

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Democracy

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A system of government in which political authority is vested in the people.

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Direct Democracy

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A system of government in which political decisions are made by the people directly, rather than by their elected representatives.

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Legislature

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A governmental body primarily responsible for making of laws.

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Intiative

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A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.

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Referendum

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An electoral device whereby legislative or constitutional measures are referred by the legislature to the voters for approval or disapproval.

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Recall

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A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official from office before his or her term has expired.

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Republic

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A form of government in which sovereign power rests with the power, rather than with a king or monarch.

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Popular Sovereignty

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The concept that ultimate political authority on the will of the people.

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Democratic Republic

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A republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce jaws and policies.

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Representative Democracy

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A form of government in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies, but

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Universal Suffrage

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The right of all adults to vote for their representatives.

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Majority Rule

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A basic principle of democracy asserting that the greatest number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies.

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Limited Government

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A government with powers that are limited either through a written document or through widely shared beliefs.

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Majoritarianism

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A political theory holding that in a democracy, the government ought to do what the majority of the people want.

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Elite Theory

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The argument that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interests.

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Pluralism

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A theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups. Political decision making is characterized by bargaining and compromise.

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Political Culture

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The patterned set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics that characterizes a people.

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Political Socialization

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The process by which people acquire political beliefs and values.

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Civil Liberties

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Those personal freedoms, including freedom of religion and of speech, that are protected for all individuals, in a society.

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Bill of Rights

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The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

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Equality

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As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.

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Property

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Anything that is or may be subject to ownership. As conceived by the political philosopher John Locke, the right to property is a natural right superior to the human law( laws made by government).

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Capitalism

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An economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.

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Political Ideology

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A compromise set of beliefs about the nature of politics and the role of government.

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Conservatism

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A set of beliefs that includes advocacy of a limited role for the national government in helping individuals, support for traditional,

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Conservative Movement

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An American movement launched in the 1950s that provides a comprehensive ideological framework for conservative politics.

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Liberalism

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A set of beliefs that includes advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change.

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Socialism

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A political ideology based on strong support for economic and social equality. Socialists traditionally envisioned a society in which major businesses were taken over by the government or by employee cooperatives.

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Libertarianism

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A political ideology based on skepticism or opposition toward most government activities.

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Progressive

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A popular alternative to the term liberal.

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oligarchy

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which simply means “rule by a few.”