American Government Chapter 1

Front 1

government

Back 1

a collective of individuals and institutions, the formal vehicles through which polices are made and affairs of state are conducted

Front 2

citizen

Back 2

member of the political community to whom certain rights and obligations are attached

Front 3

politics

Back 3

the study of who gets what, when, and how - or how policy decisions are made.

Front 4

monarchy

Back 4

a form of government in which power is vested in hereditary kings and queens who govern in the interests of all

Front 5

totalitarianism

Back 5

an economic system in which the government has total control over the economy

Front 6

oligarchy

Back 6

a form of government in which the right to participate is conditioned on the possession of wealth, social status, military position, or achievement

Front 7

democracy

Back 7

a system of government that gives a power to the people, whether directly or through their elected representatives

Front 8

social contract

Back 8

an agreement between the people and hteir government signifying their consent to be governed

Front 9

social contract theory

Back 9

the belief that people are free and equal by god-given right and that this in turn requires taht all people give their consent to be governed; espoused by John Locke and influential in the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

Front 10

direct democracy

Back 10

a system of government in which members of the polity meet to dicuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule

Front 11

indirect (representative) democracy

Back 11

a system of government that gives citizens the oppotunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf

Front 12

republic

Back 12

a government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy

Front 13

political culture

Back 13

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

Front 14

personal liberty

Back 14

a key characteristic of U.S. democracy. Initially meaning freedom from governmental interference, today it includes demands for freedom to engage in a variety of practices free from governmental discrimination

Front 15

popular consent

Back 15

the idea that governments must draw their powers from the consent of the governed.

Front 16

majority rule

Back 16

the central premise of direct democracy in which only policies that colletively garner the support of a majority of voters will be made into law

Front 17

popoular sovereignty

Back 17

the right of the majority to govern themselves

Front 18

natural law

Back 18

a doctrine that society should be governed by certain ehtical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason

Front 19

civity society

Back 19

society created when citizens are allowed to organize and express their views publicly as they engage in an open debate about public policy

Front 20

political ideology

Back 20

the coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals

Front 21

conservative

Back 21

one thought to believe that a government is best that governs least and taht big government can only infringe on individual, personal, and economic rights

Front 22

liberal

Back 22

one considered to favor extensive governmental involvement in the economy and the provision of social services and to take an activist role in protecting the rights of women, the elderly, minorities, and the environment

Front 23

libertarian

Back 23

one who favors a free market economy and no governmental interference in personal liberties

Front 24

American dream

Back 24

an american idea lof a happy, successful life, which often includes wealth, a house, a better life for one's children, and, for some, the ability to grow up to be president