Government Vocab

Front 1

Power

Back 1

the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions

Front 2

Authority

Back 2

the right to use power

Front 3

Legitimacy

Back 3

political authority conferred by law or by a state or national Constitution

Front 4

Democracy

Back 4

the rule of many

Front 5

Representative democracy

Back 5

A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a struggle for the popular vote

Front 6

Popular Sovereignty

Back 6

The government is controlled/restrained by the people

Front 7

Limited Government

Back 7

the government can only do what the people allow

Front 8

Separation of Powers

Back 8

Constitutional authority is shared by 3 different branches of government

Front 9

Checks & Balances

Back 9

Authority shared by 3 branches of government; each limits the other branches

Front 10

Federalism

Back 10

government authority shared by national and state governments

Front 11

Virginia Plan

Back 11

A proposal to create a strong national government with the legislative representatives based on population

Front 12

New Jersey Plan

Back 12

A proposal to create a weak national government; power divided equally in legislative

Front 13

Marxist View

Back 13

view that the government is dominated by capitalists

Front 14

Power Elite View

Back 14

view that the government is dominated by a top few leaders, most of whom are outside of government

Front 15

Bureaucratic view

Back 15

view that the government is dominated by appointed officials

Front 16

Pluralist View

Back 16

belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy

Front 17

Political Culture

Back 17

accepted/shared principles about the structure and operation of government (like voting rights)

Front 18

Political Ideology

Back 18

Basic set of beliefs held by an individual (like Republicans & Democrats)

Front 19

Liberal

Back 19

Believes in reducing economic inequality and protecting personal freedoms

Front 20

Conservative

Back 20

Believes in free markets and regulation of conduct

Front 21

Libertarian

Back 21

Believes in free markets and allowing personal freedoms

Front 22

Populist

Back 22

Believes in reducing economic inequality and regulation of conduct

Front 23

Public Opinion

Back 23

the beliefs of the people that the government should notice

Front 24

Interest Group

Back 24

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy

Front 25

Institutional Interests

Back 25

individuals/organizations representing other organizations

Front 26

Membership interests

Back 26

interests where members of the public join the group

Front 27

Majority

Back 27

more than half

Front 28

Plurality

Back 28

more votes than anyone else

Front 29

Iron Triangle

Back 29

Close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

Front 30

Issue network

Back 30

A networks of people in Washington, DC-based interest groups, on congressional staffs, in universities & think tanks, and in the mass media, who regularly discuss and advocate public policies

Front 31

Discretionary Authority

Back 31

the extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws

Front 32

Judicial Review

Back 32

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional

Front 33

Stare Decisis

Back 33

belief that the law should remain constant (not overturning previous rulings)

Front 34

Strict Construction

Back 34

plain text reading of the Constitution

Front 35

Loose Construction

Back 35

Interpret Constitution; look at intent of founders

Front 36

Activism

Back 36

Make sure Congress is doing job correctly

Front 37

Restraint

Back 37

Belief of letting Congress do their job

Front 38

Remedy

Back 38

Judicial order enforcing a right or redressing a wrong

Front 39

Precedent

Back 39

Standard of the courts made by a previous decision

Front 40

Due Process

Back 40

the government may not act unfairly or arbitrarily when enforcing laws

Front 41

Equal Protection

Back 41

the government may not pass laws that discriminate unfairly against a particular group or class of person

Front 42

Suspect Groups

Back 42

most difficult discrimination to justify

Front 43

Civil Law

Back 43

duties that exist between persons or between citizens and their government (seek compensation)

Front 44

Criminal Law

Back 44

committed against the public as a whole; seek to impose a penalty

Front 45

Members of US Senate

Back 45

Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk

Front 46

Member of US House of Reps

Back 46

Don Manzullo

Front 47

Member of IL Senate

Back 47

Dave Syverson

Front 48

Member of IL House of Reps

Back 48

Dave Winters

Front 49

Chief Justice

Back 49

John Roberts, Jr