POSC 100 EXAM 1

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government

government

institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled

politics

conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments

autocracy

a form of government in which a single individual—a king, queen, or dictator—rules

oligarchy

a form of government in which a small group—landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants—controls most of the governing decisions

popular sovereignty

a principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people

democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

constitutional government

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government

authoritarian government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions

totalitarian government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

direct democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies

majority rule, minority rights

the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

representative democracy (republic)

a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision-making

political power

influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies

pluralism

the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

citizenship

membership in a political community that confers legal rights and carries participation responsibilities

political knowledge

information about the formal institutions of government, political actors, and political issues

disinformation

false information that is shared intentionally to reach a political goal

political efficacy

the belief that one can influence government and politics

political culture

broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function; American __________ emphasizes the values of liberty, equality, and justice

liberty

freedom from governmental control

limited government

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

laissez-faire capitalism

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference

equality of opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

political equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

justice

the fairness of how rewards and punishments are delivered, especially by governments and courts, but also in society

fairness

impartial decision-making; the quality of treating people equally, free from discrimination

social justice

the just allocation of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society

settler colonialism

a form of colonialism that seeks to remove Native peoples from land and replace them with a new settler population

enslavement

a system of slavery in which individuals are held as property for the purpose of forced labor so that profit can be extracted

Articles of Confederation

America's first written constitution; served as the basis for America's national government until 1789

confederation

a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government

Virginia Plan

a framework for the Constitution that called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state

bicameral legislature

a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses

New Jersey Plan

a framework for the Constitution that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population

unicameral legislature

a legislative assembly having only one chamber or house

Great Compromise

the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population

Three-Fifths Compromise

the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulated that for purposes of apportioning congressional seats only three-fifths of enslaved people would be counted

Bill of Rights

the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

separation of powers

the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision-making

federalism

a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between a central government and regional governments

expressed powers

specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article I, Section 8) and to the president (Article II)

elastic clause

the concluding paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution (also known as the "necessary and proper clause"), which provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its enumerated powers

judicial review

the power of the courts to review actions of the legislative and executive branches and, if necessary, declare them invalid or unconstitutional

supremacy clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision

amendment

a change added to a bill, law, or constitution; the process of making such change through constitutional procedure

checks and balances

mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches; examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the Senate's power to approve presidential appointments, and the Supreme Court's power of judicial review of congressional enactments

Federalists

those who favored a strong national government and supported the Constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Antifederalists

those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and who were opponents of the Constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Federalist Papers

a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay supporting ratification of the Constitution

tyranny

oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority

limited government

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

unitary system

a centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government

intergovernmental relations

the processes by which the three levels of American government (national, state, local) negotiate and compromise over policy responsibility

implied powers

powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers

necessary and proper clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its expressed powers

reserved powers

powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states

concurrent powers

authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes

police power

power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens

full faith and credit clause

provision from Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

privileges and immunities clause

provision, from Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution, that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

home rule

power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

dual federalism

the system of government that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments

commerce clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States and with the Indian tribes"; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy

grants-in-aid

programs through which Congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government

categorical grants

congressional grants given to states and localities on the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law

cooperative federalism

a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals; also known as intergovernmental cooperation

regulated federalism

a form of federalism in which Congress imposes legislation on states and localities, requiring them to meet national standards

preemption

the principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas; in foreign policy, the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack

states' rights

the principle that the states should oppose the increasing authority of the national government; this principle was most popular in the period before the Civil War

devolution

a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government, such as from the national government to the state and local governments

block grants

federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent

New Federalism

attempts by Presidents Nixon and Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

general revenue sharing

the process by which one unit of government yields a portion of its tax income to another unit of government, according to an established formula; revenue sharing typically involves the national government providing money to state governments

diffusion

the process by which policy decisions in one political jurisdiction are influenced by choices made in another jurisdiction

unfunded mandate

a law or regulation requiring a state or local government to perform certain actions without providing funding for fulfilling the requirement

redistributive programs

economic policies designed to transfer income through taxing and spending, with the goal of benefiting people in poverty

civil liberties

areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected from government interference

habeas corpus

a court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention

Bill of Rights

the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

selective incorporation

the process by which different protections in the Bill of Rights were incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment, thus guaranteeing citizens protection from state as well as national governments

establishment clause

the First Amendment clause that says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"; this constitutional provision means that a "wall of separation" exists between church and state

Lemon test

a rule articulated in Lemon v. Kurtzman that government action toward religion is permissible if it is secular in purpose, neither promotes nor inhibits the practice of religion, and does not lead to "excessive entanglement" with religion

free exercise clause

the First Amendment clause that protects a citizen's right to believe and practice whatever religion they choose

"clear and present danger" test

test used to determine whether speech is protected or unprotected, based on its capacity to present a "clear and present danger" to society

fighting words

speech that directly incites damaging conduct

"speech plus"

speech accompanied by conduct such as sit-ins, picketing, and demonstrations; protection of this form of speech under the First Amendment is conditional, and restrictions imposed by state or local authorities are acceptable if properly balanced by considerations of public order

prior restraint

an effort by a governmental agency to block the publication of material it deems libelous or harmful in some other way; censorship; in the United States, the courts forbid prior restraint except under the most extraordinary circumstances

libel

a written statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to a victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

slander

an oral statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to the victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

due process of law

the right of every individual against arbitrary action by national or state governments

exclusionary rule

the ability of courts to exclude evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment

grand jury

jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial; ______ do not rule on the accused's guilt or innocence

double jeopardy

the Fifth Amendment right providing that a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime

Miranda rule

the requirement, articulated by the Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona, that persons under arrest must be informed prior to police interrogation of their rights to remain silent and to have the benefit of legal counsel

right to privacy

the right to be left alone, which has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to entail individual access to birth control and abortions

eminent domain

the right of government to take private property for public use

digital citizenship

using the internet, social media, and other information technology to engage in society and government

public goods

goods that benefit everyone but that no individual \n or group on its own can afford to supply

Totalitarian

government recognizes no limits on their authority.

\n Authoritarian

government recognizes no limits on \n their authority, but they are constrained by other institutions, such as a business or a church.