POLSCI104 UW-Madison Exam 1 Spring 2023

Created by @evalane8 on quizlet

civil liberties

protection from government (+ tyranny) ; protection from gov overstepping ; EX: freedom of speech (or most things in the bill of rights) "congress shall make no law"

civil rights

protection from unequal treatment ; gov not providing protection; think: right, just, equal

short answer quesiton

define, discuss, explain significance

what are just and unjust laws? (King)

DEFINE: \[Unjust law:\] if the majority imposes laws on minority but doesn't follow themselves

\-minority (denied right to vote) had no say in making laws

\-laws can be just on surface and unjust in application

\[just:\] law is just if the majority is also willing to obey it

DISCUSS: EEXAMPLES AND reasoning why we should define them; must be willing to accept consequences of breaking law

EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE: there is anxiety over our willingness to break laws calls for action CALLS FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIEnce -unjust laws = undemocratic -breaking a law, accepting punishment, is showing highest respect for the law and morality

government

institutions through which a land and its people are ruled; complex government + abstract source of pub. authority sometimes called "state"

democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant role in government, usually through select (voting) for public officials

autocracy

a form of government with one ruler EX: dictator or king

oligarchy

small group of land owners, military officers, or wealthy merchants control governing decisions

constitutional governments

establishes specific limits on the government's power; what and how they exercise control

authoritarian governments

gov's power is not limited by law but other institutions may restrain it

totalitarian governments

gov's power is not limited by law + gov seeks to eliminate social institutions that might challenge it

intentions vs outcomes of our complex constitutional design

HOPED: competing interests could have a voice in public affairs while preventing one group from monopolizing power OUTCOME: burdens citizens who don’t know where / who makes decisions

politics

conflict and cooperation over leadership, structure, and policies of government; who governs and has power -also aimed at gaining power, influencing those in power, bringing new ppl into power

many forms: voting, run for office, donate, lobby, talking politics

5 principles of politics:

1. Rationality: all political behavior has a purpose


2. Institution: institutions structure politics
3. Collective Action: all politics is collective action
4. Policy: Political outcomes are the products of individual preferences, institutional procedures, and collective action
5. History: how we got here matters; it shapes what we see today

\[ 1 \] The Rationality Principle

all political behavior has a purpose -political actions are instrumental: done with purpose sometimes forethought, even calculation

\[ 2 \] The Institution Principle

institutions structure politics

\[ 3 \] The Collective Action Principle

all politics is collective action

\[ 4 \] The Policy Principle

Political outcomes are the products of individual preferences, institutional procedures, and collective action

\[ 5 \] The History Principle

how we got here matters; it shapes what we see today

principle motivation of politicians

the "electoral connection" base behavior on the goal of maximizing votes at next election

retail politics

deals directly with constituents EX: when a politician helps an idiv. navigate a federal agency

wholesale politics

appealing to collections of constituents

institutions

set of formal rules + procedures often administered by a bureaucracy that shapes gov and politics

jurisdictions

the types of cases over which a court has authority

agenda power

control over what a group will consider for discussion

veto power

ability to defeat something even if it's on an institution's agenda

decisiveness rules

specification of when a vote can be taken, the sequence in which votes can occur, and HOW MANY indiv. supporting the motion is enough for it to pass

delegation

transmission of authority to some other official / body; EX: citizens handing power to representative

pricipal-agent relationship

relationship between citizen and elected official; agent is expected to act on the principals behalf

transaction costs

cost of clarifying principal-agent relations. + monitoring to make sure each party complies w/ all arrangements

collective action

pooling resources and coordination of effort + activity by a group of people (often large) to achieve common goals

free riding

enjoying the benefits of some good / action while letting others bear the costs

public good

a good that (1) may be enjoyed by anyone if it is provided (2) may not be denied to anyone once provided; also called collective good

the tragedy of the commons

the idea that a common resource, available to everyone will more likely than not be abused/overused

path dependency (history principle)

certain possibilities are made more / less likely bc of historical events + decisions (the historical path taken)

Why did we break away from England

political and economic dependence on colonial power who does not treat you as a full citizen

Articles of Confederation

US's first written constitution -established weak federal power -most authority in state gov. (basically each was a nation-state) -inadequate for collective action

populist

person (politician usually) strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel concerns are disregarded by established elite groups

Annapolis Convention

the desire to improve and reform the Articles of Conf.

Shay's Rebellion

the rebellion of farmers

goal: prevent county courts from sitting so judges could Not process foreclosures (taking of land) on the farmers' debt-ridden land

Showed: Congress(of the Confederacy) could Not act decisively in a time of crisis

The Constitutional Convention

1787: 29 of 73 total delegates selected by state govs convened in Philly (motives unknown but) bc political issues and national weakness were results of fundamental flaws in Articles

Scraped Articles (no revising) drafted a new Constitution w/a much stronger federal gov

the Great Compromise

agreement (@ Constitutional Convention) that gave each state 2 senators + linked House of Reps. to population size

bicameral legislature

division of Congress into two chambers; house of reps. and senate

3/5 Compromise

agreement (@ Constitutional Convention) for purpose term-45 of dist. House of Reps. seats -- only 3/5 of enslaved persons would be counted in the population

federalism

system of government where power is shared between federal and state level

Expressed powers \*

\*Only the powers expressed in Constitution are granted to the federal gov

reserved powers \*

anything not listed in Constitution is reserved to the states or people

Necessary and proper clause (elastic clause) powers listed in sec. 8

article 1, section 8 gives Congress the power to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to exercise the powers listed in sec. 8

executive branch

\-est. in article 2 -POWER TO IMPLEMENT + ENFORCE LAWS

-"energy in the executive" to overcome stalemates built into Congress + separation of powers between three main branches

\-has some independence from the people + other branches

-the power to recognize ambassadors from other countries

-the power to negotiate treaties (Senate approval)

* right to grant reprieves + pardons
* veto power

judicial branch

- INTERPRET LAWS, ADJUDICATE DISPUTES THAT ARISE UNDER LAWS

* a federal judge has a lifetime appointment

legislative power

\- POWER TO MAKE LAWS (BINDING RULES) -bicameral Congress: House + Senate

* use the money to emphasize that

supremacy clause

Article VI in the Constitution, makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Separation of powers

division of governmental power between several institutions who must cooperate in decision making

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the constitution (1791) ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

\-- mostly things that are prohibited by gov, not a positive guarantee of rights

--meaning of language is contested

Constitutional Convention ISSUES/ disputes

ratified by 9/13 states (even though it needed unanimous support)

1st Amendment

right to religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, warrants

2nd Amendment

right to bear arms

4th Amendment

Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures

5th - 8th Amendments

rights of criminal and civil defendants

9th - 10th amendments

rights retained by people / states

How do aggregate individual opinions/preferences?

majority rule

restraint

(defer) -will not get involved EX: plessy v furgeson "separate but equal"

activism

(strike down)

-any time they say a law is unconstitutional or when they strike down a state's law

EX: Obergefell v Hodges struck down the ban on gay marriage

EX: roe v wade; bans on abortion unconstitutional, struck down

EX: brown v board struck

\-often times loose constructivist

presidency

\-grown in power and prominence

-most powerful institution on domestic and military 4policy

political parties

- groups who attempt to control government by electing it's members to office form to solve problems:


1. facilitate collective action in the electoral process
2. challenge nature of collective policy making
3. political ambition+competition; politicians seek success for themself and the organization

\-agenda

\-run elections, campaigns

\-get legislation done

interest group

organized group of individuals/orgs that make policy related appeals to government ; aka lobbying

collective action

How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives, including how to get individuals and groups to participate and to cooperate. The term has many applications in the various social sciences such as political science, sociology, and economics.

\-free-riders when somebody does the work and others rely on that; benefit from others doing work

public

\-social reasons (providing public ed)

\-political environment (pushback on decisions made)

\-statutory limitations on power

\-no retention of benefits (if you save money --> budget cuts, do not get to keep)

private

-for profit (motivation)

\-unitary decisions (not many people checking decisions; Bezos)

\-Retain profits oligopoly

statutory limitations

when you don't have power to enact or do something/ need new laws to allow action

notice-and-comment

enables anyone to submit comments on proposed rules

fiscal policy

\-congress

\-gov spending

\-taxes

monetary policy

\-controlled by the federal reserve and central bank

\-interest rates

\-money supply

\-reserve req.?

deficit

spending more than you make

debt

owing money to someone/something else

income inequality

\-(suggested) caused by:

-tax rate

-political power

-economy changes from goods --> services

\-rent-seeking solutions:

-progressive tax

-corporate tax

means-tested programs

Government programs available only to individuals below a poverty line -not generous

expressed powers

powers that the constitution explicitly grants to federal gov military, judicial, diplomatic, executive, legislative

delegated powers

powers assigned to one branch but exercised by another branch with permission of first

inherent powers

- powers not expressed in the constitution but exercised by the president

\- said to stem from "the rights, duties, and obligations of the presidency."

formal powers

(Neustadt)

constitutional powers from Article 2 & statutory powers congress grants

informal powers

(not sure)

\-bargaining: presidential power to persuade and get others to comply with pres' wishes

\-Only goes so far — within own party that already has opinions on pres.

legislative initiative

the president's inherent power to bring a legislative agenda before Congress

Electoral college and INCOME inequality - \####

Insurance policy

Pay in to get money when you need

Welfare program

Meet reqs don't pay in

entitlement programs

Government benefits that certain qualified individuals are entitled to by law, regardless of need.

Ex: Social security and Medicare

No entitlement program

Any welfare not in law

Middle class programs

Deal with tax law

14th Amendment

everyone has equal rights to protection

5th Amendment

right to a jury, due process

4th Amendment

has to have a warrant

1st Amendment

speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion - Congress can’t make laws encroaching or prohibiting these

Article 1

Legislative branch

Article 2

Executive branch

Current Event: Nikki Haley

Republican candidate for 2024 presidency, previous South Carolina government