Lecture Notes: Government, Politics, and Public Opinion

A comprehensive set of Q&A flashcards covering government basics, power dynamics, public goods, democracy types, political polling, and public opinion factors.

What is government?

The institution with authority to make and enforce laws for a society.

What is legitimate authority?

Authority recognized as right and proper by the people.

What is sovereignty?

Supreme power or authority within a territory.

What is the legislative branch?

The part of government that makes laws; also called the legislature.

What is the executive branch?

The branch responsible for enforcing laws.

What is the judicial branch?

The branch that interprets laws and resolves legal disputes.

What is the power of the sword?

The government's power to use force or military/police.

What is the name of the federal legislature?

The United States Congress.

What are the two chambers of the U.S. Congress?

Senate (upper chamber) and House of Representatives (lower chamber).

What is the name of Georgia’s state legislature?

The Georgia General Assembly.

What are the two chambers of Georgia's legislature?

Georgia State Senate (upper) and Georgia House of Representatives (lower).

Who is the head of the federal executive branch?

The President of the United States.

Who is the head of Georgia's executive branch?

The Governor of Georgia.

What is the highest federal court?

The U.S. Supreme Court.

What is the highest court in Georgia?

The Georgia Supreme Court.

Which branch do bureaucratic agencies belong to?

The executive branch.

Do all governments claim legitimate authority to use the power of the sword?

Yes, most governments claim they have the right to use force for law enforcement and defense.

What is relational power?

Power based on relationships and influence over others.

What is the power of the purse?

The government's ability to influence behavior through spending and taxing.

What is a positive incentive?

A reward used to encourage behavior.

What is a negative incentive?

A punishment or penalty used to discourage behavior.

What is affecting hearts and minds?

Shaping beliefs and attitudes to align with government goals.

What is propaganda?

Information spread to influence public opinion, often biased or misleading.

How is the power of the purse different from the power of the sword?

The power of the purse influences through money; the power of the sword uses force.

What is the difference between positive and negative incentives?

Positive incentives reward desired actions; negative incentives punish undesired ones.

Why isn’t the power of the purse part of the definition of government?

Because it’s an optional tool, not essential to the government's existence.

Why isn't “affecting hearts and minds” part of the definition of government?

Because it's an influence strategy, not a formal authority or function.

What are private goods?

Goods owned and consumed by individuals (e.g., food, clothing).

What are public goods?

Goods that everyone can use and can't be excluded from (e.g., clean air, national defense).

What is free riding?

Benefiting from a public good without contributing to its cost.

What are collective action problems?

Situations where individuals would benefit from cooperation but don’t act due to personal costs.

What two public goods do governments always provide?

Law and order; national defense.

What is a liberal democracy?

A democracy that protects individual rights and freedoms.

What is representative democracy?

Citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.

What is direct democracy?

Citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

What is an authoritarian/autocratic government?

A government with concentrated power in one leader or group with limited political freedom.

What is an interest group?

An organization that seeks to influence public policy.

What is a political party?

A group seeking to win elections and control government.

What is limited government?

A government whose power is restricted by law or constitution.

What is the rule of law?

Principle that everyone, including government officials, must follow the law.

What is a constitutional government?

A government defined and limited by a constitution.

What is a sham constitution?

A constitution that exists in name only, without real enforcement or limitations on power.

What are constitutional protections for human rights?

Legal safeguards that protect freedoms like speech, religion, and due process.

What is separation of powers?

Division of government into branches to prevent concentration of power.

What are checks and balances?

Each branch of government has powers to limit the others.

What is federalism?

Division of power between national and state governments.

Difference between representative and direct democracy?

Representative uses elected officials; direct involves citizens voting on laws directly.

What kind of democracy is the U.S.?

A representative democracy.

How is an authoritarian government different from a democratic one?

Democratic governments are accountable to the people; authoritarian are not.

Is a country with a sham constitution a constitutional government?

No, because the constitution is not truly followed or enforced.

Which branch holds the power of the sword?

The executive branch.

Which branch holds the power of the purse?

The legislative branch.

What is politics?

The process by which people make collective decisions, often about government.

What is pernicious polarization?

Dangerous division in politics where partisans see each other as enemies.

How is politics an alternative to authoritarianism or civil war?

It allows peaceful resolution of conflict through debate and compromise.

What are dangers of pernicious polarization?

Government dysfunction, loss of trust, and potential for political violence.

What is public opinion?

The collective attitudes and beliefs of the public on political issues.

What is a population in polling?

The entire group a poll aims to understand.

What is a sample?

A smaller group selected from the population to represent it in a poll.

What is social desirability bias?

When people give answers they think are socially acceptable rather than truthful ones.

What are ordering effects?

How the order of questions affects responses.

What are double-barreled questions?

Questions that ask about two things at once, making answers unclear.

What are leading questions?

Questions phrased to guide respondents toward a specific answer.

What is a representative sample?

A sample that accurately reflects the population.

What is a demographically representative sample?

A sample that mirrors the population in age, race, gender, etc.

What is nonresponse bias?

When certain people don’t respond to surveys, skewing results.

What is margin of error?

The range of possible error in poll results due to sampling.

Difference between a sample and population?

A population is the whole group; a sample is a subset used for measurement.

Typical sample size in opinion polls?

About 1,000 to 1,500 people.

How does nonresponse bias affect results?

It can make the sample unrepresentative of the true population.

How does sample size relate to margin of error?

Larger samples reduce the margin of error.

Why not use samples as big as 4,500?

Diminishing returns—cost increases but accuracy gains are minimal.

Section 4: Interpreting Polls — What is the bandwagon effect?

People support a candidate or position because it's popular.

What are poll aggregators?

Websites or tools that combine results from multiple polls.

What is the delegate model of representation?

Elected officials follow the preferences of their constituents closely.

What is the trustee model of representation?

Elected officials use their own judgment to make decisions.

What are political predispositions?

Deeply held beliefs that shape how people think politically.

What is political socialization?

The process through which people acquire political beliefs.

What are agents of political socialization?

Influences like family, media, education, and peers.

What is the funnel of causality?

A model showing how long-term factors shape political opinions over time.

What is rational ignorance?

Choosing not to learn about politics because the cost outweighs the benefit.

What are heuristics in politics?

Mental shortcuts used to make political decisions without full information.

How are predispositions and socialization related?

Predispositions are shaped through the process of political socialization.

Most influential agent of socialization on children?

Family.

Why do Americans often lack political knowledge (rational ignorance)?

Because they don’t see personal benefit in being fully informed.

How do heuristics help uninformed voters?

They simplify decision-making using cues like party labels.

How does the economy influence political opinions?

A good economy boosts support for leaders; a bad one lowers it.