Govt2305 Federal Government Chapters 1-3

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Government

Back 1

Institutions and procedures through which a territory and it's people are ruled.

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Politics

Back 2

Conflict over leadership, structure, and policies of government.

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Political Efficacy

Back 3

The ability to influence government and politics

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Citizenship

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Informed and active membership in a political community

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Autocracy

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A form of government in which a single individual--a King, Queen or dictator--rules.

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Oligarchy

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A form of government in which a small group--landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants--control most of the governing decisions.

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Democracy

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A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

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Constitutional government

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A system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of government.

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Authoritarian government

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A system in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions

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Totalitarian government

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A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

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Power

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Influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies.

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Representative democracy

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A system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision making

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Direct democracy

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A system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies

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Pluralism

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The theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

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Political culture

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Broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function. American political culture emphasizes the values of liberty, equality, and democracy

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Liberty

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Freedom from governmentaL control

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Limited government

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A principle of Constitutional government; a government whose powers and defined and limited by a constitution

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Laissez-faire capitalism

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An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with limited or no government interference

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Equality of opportunity

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A widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

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Political equality

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The right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

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Popular sovereignty

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A principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people

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Majority rule, minority rights

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The Democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

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Articles of confederation

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America's first written Constitution; served as the basis for America's national government until 1789

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Confederation

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A system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national governemnt

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Virginia plan

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A framework for the Constitution, introduced by the Edmund Randolph, that called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state

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New Jersey plan

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A framework for the Constitution introduced by William Paterson that called for equal state representation in the National legislature regardless of population

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Great compromise

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The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of Senators regardless of its population but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population

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Three-fifths compromise

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The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulated that for the purposes of the proportionate of congressional seats every slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person

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Checks and balances

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Mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches major examples include the presidential veto power over Congressional legislation the power of the Senate to approve Presidential appointments and judicial review of congressional enactments

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Electoral college

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The electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for President and Vice President

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Bill of Rights

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The first ten amendments to the US Constitution ratified in 1791 they insure certain rights and Liberties to the people

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Seperation of powers

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The division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision-making

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Federalism

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A system of government in which power is divided by a constitution between a central government and Regional governments

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Expressed powers

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Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress Article 1 Section 8 and the president Article 2

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Elastic clause

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Article 1 Section 8 of The Constitution also known as the necessary and proper clause which enumerates the powers of congress and provides congress with the authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry them out

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Bicameral

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Having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers of houses distinguished from unicameral

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Judicial review

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The power of the courts to review and if necessary declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional the Supreme Court asserted this power in Marbury vs. Madison 1803

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Supremacy clause

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Article 6 of The Constitution which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and Superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision

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Federalists

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Those who favored a strong national government and supported the Constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

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Antifederalists

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Those who favored a strong state governments and a weak national government and who were opponents of the Constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

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Federalist Papers

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A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton James Madison and John Jay supported ratification of the Constitution

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Tyranny

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Oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority

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Limited government

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The principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

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Amendment

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A change added to a bill, law, or constitution

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Unitary system

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A centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government

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Expressed powers

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Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article 1 Section 8 of The Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed, but are implied through the through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers

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Necessary and Proper clause

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Article 1 Section 8 of The Constitution which provides congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its expressed powers

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Reserved powers

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Powers derived from the 10th Amendment to the Constitution that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states

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Police power

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Power reserved to the state government to regulate the health safety and morals of its citizens

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Concurrent powers

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Authority possessed by both state and National governments such as the power to Levy taxes

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Full faith and credit clause

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Provision from article 4 section 1 of the Constitution requiring that the state's normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

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Privileges and immunities clause

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Provisions from article 4 section 2 of The Constitution that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

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Home rule

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Power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

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Dual federalism

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The system of government that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 and which most fundamental Governmental powers are shared between the federal and state governments

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Commerce clause

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Article 1, Section 8, of The Constitution, which delegates to Congress "the power to regulate commerce with foreign Nations and among the several States and with the Indian tribes;" this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy

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States rights

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The principle that the state should oppose the increasing authority of national government this principle was most popular in the period before the Civil War.

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Grants in aid

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Programs through which Congress provides money to State and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for the purposes defined by the federal government

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Categorical grants

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Congressional grants given to States and localities on the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law

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Formula grants

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Grants-in-aid in which a formula is used to determine the amount of federal funds a state or local government will receive

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Cooperative federalism

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A type of federalism existed since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used traditionally to encourage States and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals also known as intergovernmental cooperation

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Regulated federalism

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A form of federalism in which Congress proposes legislation on States and localities requiring them to meet national standards

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Preemption

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The principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas; in foreign policy the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack

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Unfunded mandates

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Regulations are conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on State and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the federal government

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Devolution

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A policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government such as from the national government to the state and local governments

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Block grants

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Federal grants in Aid that allow States considerable discretion and how the funds are spent

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New federalism

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Attempts by President Nixon and Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

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General revenue sharing

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The process by which one unit of government use a portion of its tax income to another unit of government according to an established formula; revenue-sharing typically involves the national government providing money to state governments

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Redistributive programs

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Economic policies designed to control the economy through taxing and spending with the goal of benefiting the poor