Government Vocab From Chapters 1 And 10

Front 1

Legislative Power

Back 1

The pwer to make a law and to frame public policies.

Front 2

Public Policy

Back 2

All of the goals a government sets and various courses of action it pursues as it is attempts to realize these goals.

Front 3

Law of Supply and Demand

Back 3

A law which states that when supplies of goods and seriveces become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When they become scarce the prices rise.

Front 4

Mixed Economy

Back 4

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amound of government regulation and promotion

Front 5

Free Enterprise System

Back 5

An economic System characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control and determined in a free market

Front 6

Compromise

Back 6

An adjustment of opposing principles or systems by modifying some aspect of each.

Front 7

Government

Back 7

The institution through wich a society makes and enforces its public policy

Front 8

Franking Priveledge

Back 8

A benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free.

Front 9

Oversight Function

Back 9

Review by legislative commitees of the policies and programs of the executive branch

Front 10

Politico

Back 10

Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elemtns of the trustee, delegate, and partisian roles

Front 11

Parlimentary Government

Back 11

A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official's cabinet.

Front 12

Presidential Government

Back 12

A form of government in which ithe executive and legislative branches of the government are separate independent and coequal

Front 13

Confederation

Back 13

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

Front 14

Division of Powers

Back 14

Basic priniple of federalism; the constitution provisions by which the governmental powers are divided on geographic basis

Front 15

Federal Government

Back 15

A form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments.

Front 16

Unitary Government

Back 16

A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single central agency.

Front 17

Oligarchy

Back 17

A form of government in chich the pwer to rule is held by a small, usually sel-appointed elite.

Front 18

Autocracy

Back 18

A form of government in which a single person holds unlimited political power.

Front 19

Sovereign

Back 19

Having supreme pwer within its own territory; neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority.

Front 20

State

Back 20

A body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the pwer to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority.

Front 21

Democracy

Back 21

A form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people

Front 22

Dictatorship

Back 22

A form of government in which the leader has absolute pwer and authority.

Front 23

Constitution

Back 23

The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures and processes of a government.

Front 24

Judicial Power

Back 24

The power to interpret laws to determine their meaning and to settle disputes within a society.

Front 25

Executive Power

Back 25

The power to execute, enforce, and administer laws.

Front 26

Trustee

Back 26

Lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgement, not the views of his or her constituents.

Front 27

Colleague

Back 27

A co-worker

Front 28

Constituency

Back 28

The people and interests that an elected official represents

Front 29

Gerrymander

Back 29

The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group.

Front 30

At Large Election

Back 30

An election of an officeholder by the voters of an entire governmental unit rather than by the voters of a district or subdivision.

Front 31

Single member district

Back 31

Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office.

Front 32

Off year election

Back 32

Congressional election that occurs between prsidential election years

Front 33

Reapportion

Back 33

Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body.

Front 34

Partisian

Back 34

Lawmaker who owes his/her first allegiance to his/her political party and votes according to the party line.

Front 35

Term

Back 35

Two-year period of time during which the Congress meets

Front 36

Apportion

Back 36

Distribue as in seats in a legislative body.

Front 37

Special Session

Back 37

An extrodinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation.

Front 38

Prorogue

Back 38

Adjourn, as in legislative session.

Front 39

Adjourn

Back 39

Suspend, as in session of Congress

Front 40

Session

Back 40

Period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business.

Front 41

Continuous Body

Back 41

Governement unit whose seat are never all up for election at the same time.