Political Ideology and Parties

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to political ideologies and party dynamics discussed in the lecture, specifically focusing on liberalism, conservatism, and their respective factions.

Political Ideology

A cluster of ideas that frames how you think about various policy issues.

Political Party

An organization of people that seeks to influence government policy by nominating candidates and winning elections.

Liberalism

An ideology that prefers plurality of values and collective responsibility.

Conservatism

An ideology that prefers shared traditional values and individual responsibility.

Dichotomy

A division or contrast between two things that are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

Plurality of Values

A concept in liberalism that values a wide range of beliefs and ideas.

Shared Traditional Values

A concept in conservatism that emphasizes common cultural beliefs and practices.

Collective Responsibility

The expectation that the group, such as the government, should be responsible for societal issues.

Individual Responsibility

The belief that individuals should be responsible for their own outcomes and actions.

Rights of the Accused

A principle that emphasizes the rights entitled to individuals accused of crimes.

Law and Order

An emphasis on maintaining public order and ensuring effective legal enforcement.

New England Liberalism

A liberal faction that advocates for extensive social programs funded by higher taxes.

Southern Democrats

A faction that holds conservative views on social issues but liberal views on fiscal matters.

Blue Dog Democrats

Moderate Democrats who often have conservative views on social issues.

Neoliberalism

An ideology that advocates for human rights and democracy on a global scale.

Libertarianism

An ideology that promotes individual freedom and minimal government intervention.

Social Conservatives

A group that emphasizes traditional values and a lower wall of separation between church and state.

Neoconservatism

An ideology advocating for an assertive foreign policy to promote capitalism and democracy.

Active Foreign Policy

A strategy that involves engagement in international issues to promote national interests.

Tax-and-Spend

A term describing economic policy that increases taxes to fund social programs.

Separation of Church and State

The constitutional principle that government must maintain an official neutrality toward religion.

Dixiecrats

Southern Democrats who emerged against desegregation policies in the mid-20th century.

Human Rights

A set of rights that belong to every person, emphasizing dignity and freedom.

Global Capitalism

An economic system that operates on a worldwide scale with limited government intervention.

Social Justice

The concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society.

Polarization

The process by which public opinion divides and contrasts sharply around an issue.

Factions

Groups within a political party or organization that have distinct preferences or beliefs.

Policy Making Agenda

A list of issues to be addressed by elected officials and government agencies.

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

An economic system where private transactions are free from government intervention.

Commonality

An aspect that two or more people or groups share or have in common.

Voter Base

The group of voters who consistently support a particular political party or candidate.

Grassroots Movements

Local organizations that aim to influence policy from the bottom up.

Election Cycle

The period during which elections are conducted, including primaries and general elections.

Swing States

States where both Democratic and Republican candidates have similar levels of support among voters.

Electoral College

The body that officially elects the President and Vice President of the United States.

Civic Responsibility

The duties and obligations of citizens to participate in their government and society.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to support a conclusion.

Public Opinion Polls

Surveys that measure the attitudes and opinions of the public on various issues.

Policy Analysis

A systematic evaluation of the effects and implications of policies.

Political Spectrum

A system that classifies different political positions and ideologies.

Moderate

A political viewpoint that is not extreme and seeks compromise.

Activism

The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.