Building Blocks and Foundational Ideas of U.S. Government

Policy Agenda

Informal list of issues and topics that government will work to address

Public Policy

Course of action taken by government to address an issue on the policy agenda

Power

Skills and resources used to influence others

Authority

Legal use of power

Legitimacy

Political authority confirmed by an official constitution

Federal System

Power and responsibilities are shared between the central government and states

Legislative Branch

Elected officials responsible for discussing and writing public policy

Executive Branch

Administrative branch led by the president, governor, or mayor that implements and executes laws

Judicial Branch

Courts that interpret laws and situations where there is no clear answer

Social Contract

Informal balance between individual rights and public policy

Participatory Democracy

Citizens have a direct voice in policy decisions

Elite Democracy

A small selected group controls policy decisions

Pluralist Democracy

Competition and interaction among many groups shapes policy decisions

Republic

Government where voters elect representatives to make policy decisions

Class View of Power

View that government action is dominated by capitalists

Power Elite View

View that government action is dominated by leaders outside of government

Bureaucratic View of Power

View that government action is dominated by appointed, non-elected government officials

Pluralist View

View that competition among affected groups shapes government action

Creedal Passion View

View that morally passionate elites drive official government action

Majoritarian Politics

Government action where almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays a cost

Interest Group Politics

Government action where one small group benefits and a different small group pays a cost

Client Politics

Government action where one small group benefits and almost everybody pays a cost

Entrepreneurial Politics

Government action where almost everybody benefits and a small group pays a cost

Policy Entrepreneurs

Activists inside or outside government who create political support for unorganized interests