Ap Government Vocabs Chapter 1

Front 1

The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society.

Back 1

Government

Front 2

Goods, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone must shair.

Back 2

Public Goods

Front 3

According to Harold Lasswell, "who gets what, when, and how."

Back 3

Politics

Front 4

All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue.

Back 4

Political Participation

Front 5

Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics.

Back 5

Single-Issue Group

Front 6

The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. People's interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers.

Back 6

Policymaking system

Front 7

The political channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.

Back 7

Linkage Institutions

Front 8

The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time.

Back 8

Policy Agenda

Front 9

An issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it.

Back 9

Political Issue

Front 10

The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues.

Back 10

Policymaking Institutions

Front 11

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue.

Back 11

Public Policy

Front 12

A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences.

Back 12

Democracy

Front 13

A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority's desire be respected.

Back 13

Majority Rule

Front 14

A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument.

Back 14

Minority Rights

Front 15

A basic principle of traditional democratic theory that describes the relationship between the few leaders and the many followers.

Back 15

Representation

Front 16

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

Back 16

Pluralist Theory

Front 17

A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upperclass elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Back 17

Elite and Class Theory

Front 18

A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

Back 18

Hyperpluralism

Front 19

A condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy. The result is that nothing may get done.

Back 19

Policy Gridlock

Front 20

The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation.

Back 20

Gross Domestic Product

Front 21

The belief that individuals should be left on their own by the government.

Back 21

Individualism