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46 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

Political culture

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

Economic Regions

East TX, Plains, Gulf Coast, Border Region, Metroplex, Central corridor.

Political Ideology

System of beliefs, Explain and evaluate social conditions, provides programs for social and political action, role of government; Libertarianism, modern liberalism, and conservatism;

Libertarianism

Individual to live as one chooses, problems are laws, customs or conditions that block choices

Conservatism

Interconnected individual maintains order, stability, continuity, problems are radical ideas, innovations, passions, desires, lack of restraint

Liberalism

Indvidual ensures political, economical; improve humanity, problems are human nature and inequalities

Majority-minority state

Anglos are no longer majority, all minorities together outnumber Anglos; This can/might change political culture.

Political Subculture

Moralistic subculture, Individualistic subculture, Traditionalistic subculture

Moralistic subculture

the belief that government should be active in promoting the public good and that citizens should participate in politics and civic activities to ensure that good.

Individualistic subculture

the belief that government should limit its role to providing order in society, so that citizens can pursue their economic self-interests.

Traditionalistic subculture

the belief that government should be dominated by political elites and guided by tradition.

Traditionalistic/Individualistic subculture

Texas has what kind of political subculture?

Principles of constitutions

It is a social contract

Political culture and constitutions

Political culture drives constitutions; Texas has traditional/individualistic subculture. It is structured and organized, reflected in all by 1869 constitution, and it still works today

Structure of constitutions

Flexible, Brief and Explicit, and broad outlines of government

Revising constitutions

Amending the constitution, requires 2/3s of both chambers and majority of voters. (since 2007, 47 proposed, 44 passed)

Republican Government

A representative democracy, a system of government in which power is derived form the people

Separation of powers

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

Checks and balances

The constitutional idea that overlapping power is given to different branches of government to limit the concentration of power in any one branch.

Ballot wording

Description of amendment, usually non-instructive or misleading.

Citizen Initiative

Use of petitions; more often amendments proposed; not passed as often 32 to 64 percent; Texas doesn't allow this?

Denials of Power

Powers are denied

Grants of Power

Powers are granted

Past Texas Constitutions

Republic of Mexico (Coahuila y Tejas)


Republic of Texas


Statehood Constitution


Civil War and Reconstruction Constitutions


Constitution of 1876

Republic of Mexico (Coahuila y Tejas)

Federalistic government, didn't recognize slavery.

Republic of Texas

1836 cont.: Independence constitution, composite constitution, unitary government, president had limited term (3 years and no consecutive election/army raised).

Statehood Constitution

Limited exec authority; biennal sessions of legislature (every other year), 2 year terms, homstead protections, Women had equal property rights.

Civil War and Reconstruction Constitutions

Const. of 1861: Essentially the same as Statehood const; prohibited emancipation, provision to secede from U.S., Provision to join Confederacy.


Const. of 1866: Rejoin union, abolished slavery, nullified secession ability (overturned by reconstruction act of congress)


Const. of 1869: imposed by military rule; moralistic culture influenced.

Constitution of 1876

Current constitution; concerns of this are what government can and cannot do, that it reflects the Traditionalistic/Individualistic Subculture, there are shorter government terms, and restricted governor and legislature, and abolished state control over education.

General Purpose Governments

Cities, towns, municipalities. Discretionary powers (control finances; hire/fire personnel)

Limited Purpose Governments

Counties, nonschool special districts, school districts.

Nonschool Special Districts

Any special district other than a school district; examples include municipal utility districts and hospital districts. (sometimes known as "Ghost governments")

General-law City

Charter create by state statue, it is aldermanic.

Home-Rule city

The rules in which a city operates; local governments have considerable independent governing power under these charters.

Mayor-Council

A form of government in which the mayor is the chief executive and the city council is the legislative body.

Strong Mayor system

A system in which the mayor's power enables them to control executive departments and the agenda of the city council

Weak Mayor System

A system in which the mayor's power is more limited in their capacity.

Council-Manager system

A form of city government in which public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager.

Mayoral elections

Non partisan elections; no party

City Commission/Council

Non-partisan elections; single number district; at-large elections; or combination of both

At-large elections

an election in which officials are selected by voters of the entire geographical area, rather than from smaller districts within that area

Non-partisan elections

No party is advertised during these type of elections

Cumulative voting

Votes are equal to number of seats open; Can cast all votes for one candidate or any number of combinations.

County Government

This type of government does not have power to legislate; they often function primarily as an administrative arm of the state government.

School Districts

A specific type of special district that provides public education in a designated area.


Types: Independent, Consolidated, Municipal (Stafford, TX).

Single-member district

An electorate that elects only one representative for each district