AP Gov Review Unit 2

Pluralism

No monopoly of power bc all groups have access to gon’t bc theres many entrance points

Most positive view

Elitism

The elite control the govn’t (generals, the rich, politicans, corporations)

Hyperpluralism

Groups get so big they cripple the govn’t and it leads to gridlock (nothing gets done)

Political Socialization

Process by which people form their political ideology

Sorces of Political Socialization

School

Media

Family

Peers

Religion

Policy Making Process

1. Raise Awareness: An issue gets the attention through linkage institutions

2. Create a Political Agenda: Set of issues that gets the attention of lawmakers

3. Prioritize the Agenda: List importance

4. Enact New Policy: Institutions of govn’t

5. Evaluate Policy: Start over

Linkage Institutions

Institutions that connect citizens to lawmakers

Examples of Linkage Institutions

Interest Groups

Media

Political Parties

Elections

Institutions of Government

Legislative

Judiciary

Executive

Bureaucracy

Alexis De Tocqueville

Wrote Democracy in America and called American “The Nation of Joiners”

Liberty

Foundation of the US

Few govn’t restrictions

Egalitarianism

Equality of opportunity, not status ($)

Individualism

Each person is responsible for themselves

“Pull yourself up by the bootstraps”

Populism

Rule by majority, protect minority rights

Laissez Faire

Little govn’t intervention in the economy

Civic Duty

Participation in politics is important

Culture War

Divide in America based on moral issues/differences on intense rights

Ex: gay marriage, abortion, guns

Political Agenda

Set of issues that policy makers are paying attention to and making policies on

Forms of Political Participation

Voting for POTUS election

Other voting

Letter writing

Joining an interest group

Donating $$

Scientific Poll

Large # of people polled statistically represent the population

A random sample

Sampling Error

+/- range of accuracy

A larger sample=smaller sampling error

Horse Race Journalism

The media strictly looks at the numbers/polls instead of policies/issues

Trust in the Government

Decreased since 1960’s because of the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal

Demographic in America

Slowing turning into the fact that there will be no majority groups

Participation Rates of Groups

Higher Education = more likely to participate

Higher Income = more likely to participate

Younger Age = less likely to participate

Minorities of the same social status participate at higher rates than caucasians

Political Efficancy

Belief that one can make a difference (internal)

Belief the govn’t can make a difference (external)

Political Ideology of Different Groups

Women

African Americans

Hispanics

Asians

Jewish

Non-Denominational (not religious)

Urban regions

Northwest

West Coast

Midwest

Southwest

Men

Caucasians

Cubans

Catholics (mirror the public)

Evangelical (born again Christians)

Rural regions

South