Gov Unit/Chp 1

politics

the process of influencing the actions and policies of government

government

the rules and institutions that make up the system of policy making, the top insitution within a society and holds ultimate authority

5 roles of government

national defense, provide public goods and services, preserve order, socialize the young, collect taxes

order

peace and security

liberty and freedom

freedom of the individual consistent with freedom of other individuals, social, political, and economic freedoms.

authority

the right/power of a government to enforce its decisions

legitimacy

popular acceptance of the right and power of a gov to exercise authority

monarchy

one person has power ordained as head of gov (pros/cons: single leader subject to their abilities to preform the job effectively)

republic

a form of gov in which sovereign power rests within the people (pros/cons: involves the need for common beliefs and

oligarchy/aristocracy

rule by the few or rule by the elites of society (pros/cons: tends to look out for the interests of only a small group)

totalitarian

a solitary leader or small group controls all aspects of political cultural and economic life (pros/cons: easy to get things done; majority have no say in life/gov)

authoritarian

a government is controlled completely by a leader (or small group) but not economy or cultural life (pros/cons: little to no say in the gov)

democracy

rule by the people, direct: all vote on issues , representative: all vote for someone to represent them to vote on all issues

theocracy

a gov based in religious ideology; rule by god’s or God, rule by religious leaders (pros/cons: no freedom of religion)

legislature

a gov body primarily responsible for making laws

political participation

all the activity by which a citizen attempts to influence the selection of political leaders and the policies they pursue BEST ex: voting

traditional theory

democracy must have: equality in voting (your vote means/weighs as much as mine), effective participation, enlightened understanding, citizen control of the agenda, and inclusion

pluralism

groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing concerns in organized efforts

elitism

wealth is the basis of power; those w/ wealth have power in the government

Hyperpluralism

the diverse and competing group in the country weaken the government and make it incapable of acting (Bad Pluralism)

popular soverignty

the concept that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people

limited government

a gov with powers that are limited either by a constitution or widely held beliefs

majority rule

the larger 4 of people in society who share beliefs, ideas, etc.. have laws passed that represent their views (cant have this without…)

Minority rights

regardless of the views of the majority certain rights are protected for minority groups in a nation

political culture

the set of ideas values and ways of thinking about government and politics that characterizes a people

political socialization

the process by which people acquire political beliefs and values (tv, news, school, gender, etc..)

capitalism

an economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth creating assets, free markets and freedom of contract

socialism

a political ideology based on strong support for economic and social security; socialists traditionally envision a society in which major business are controlled or managed by the gov

communism

an economic system in which there is no private ownership and no government; the people control everything

evolutionary theory

the state evolved from the family and its power structure

force theory

the state exists bc of the threat of external enemies

divine right

certain people are chosen by god or gods to rule

social contract

an agreement between the ruler and the ruled

thucydides

power and its use is what drives people/gov

plato

utopian/dystopia where he thinks elite philophser should be the ones to rule (propel who can critically think are trhe elites), senses desceeve you

artistole

wrote about gov and separated gov types into monarchy, artistocracy, and polity (tyranny, oligarchy, democracy) ← these ones bad, gov is the soul of an organism, an organizing principle to produce a good life, we need senses

Thomas Hobbes

people are brutish, mean ad inherently evil; people entered into social contracts to protect themselves (agreements w/ the gov) once in that contract you are stuck forever

John Locke

people enter into the social contract but if the government is not fulfilling its end of the bargain people can and should tear down the gov and start again, people are inherently blank slates and experiences make them good/bad, believed in religious tolerance

Jean- Jacques Rousseau

all people are born and society corrupts them; govs are by nature negative, but the least corrupting is a direct democracy

Montesquieu

french who believed that a democracy w/ a series of check and balances and seperation of powers is the best form of gov, founding fathers stole heavily from him

Voltaire

french who liked to make fun of society; was an extremely strong advocate for the freedom of the press, speech, religion, and separation of church/state

John Stuart Mill

utilitarianism and the greatest good for the greatest # of people, stressed particapaton in the political process by all (sort of) and stressed that women should have equal space with men

American political culture

ideas of liberty (social, economic, and political freedom) and rights

constitutional republic

people elect representatives to be more efficient BUT to place limits of infringing of rights of people, the constitution is the SUPREME law of the land

institution

an ongoing organization that preforms certain functions for a society

political institutions

the structure of government including the executive, legisltaive, and judicial

socialization

the process by which people acquire beliefs and values