AP Gov Mod 1 Key Terms

Authority

The legitimate power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience in social, political, or governmental contexts.

Direct Democracy

Is a system of government where citizens vote directly on laws and policies instead of electing representatives to make choices for them

Elite Democracy

Is a system of government where a small number of elite citizens hold the majority of power and influence over political decisions, often at the expense of broader public participation.

Legitimacy

The widely held public belief that a government has the rightful authority to exercise power and govern its citizens and that its laws and actions are justifiable.

Majoritarian Politics

A political theory stating that the government should do what the majority of the people want

Public Policy

A course of action adopted and pursued by a government to address societal issues and achieve goals.

Political Power

Influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy that emphasizes broad, direct citizen involvement in politics and civil society, where individuals shape policy and political decisions rather than relying solely on proxy representatives

Pluralistic Democracy

A model of representative democracy where power is distributed among competing organized interest groups

Representative Democracy

A form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to directly vote on laws