Foundations of American Political System and Governance

Limited Government

Belief that the government should have certain restrictions in order to protect the individual rights and civil liberties of citizens.

Natural Rights

Also known as unalienable rights, are what the Framers believed all people are born with and can never lose.

John Locke

Believed natural rights are right for everyone to pursue 'life, liberty, and property.'

Thomas Jefferson

Wrote in the Declaration of Independence that everyone is entitled to the inalienable rights of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'

The Social Contract

American citizens and their government would have to enter into a social contract with one another, meaning society gives up some freedoms in exchange for protection by the government.

Thomas Hobbes

An English political philosopher who believed the social contract was the foundation of government.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that a government's power comes from the will of the people, or the 'consent of the governed.'

Changing of Political Parties

Seen as a direct representation of the will of the people, where the people have the right to change the government if their unalienable rights are violated.

Republicanism

The belief that the best form of government has elected leaders who represent the people.

No Taxation Without Representation

A famous phrase that arose from the lack of representation in the court of King George III.

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.

Pluralist Democracy

A model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.

Elite Democracy

A model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making.

Town Hall Meetings

Meetings held by local governments where citizens can express their opinions and influence decisions.

Initiative

A process in which citizens can bypass state legislatures and place proposed laws directly on a ballot; only 24 of the 50 states have this process.

Popular Referendum

A process that allows voters to approve or repeal an act of legislature.

Interest Groups

Groups of people who seek to influence policymakers to support their position on a common interest.

Electoral College

A body that serves as a check on tyranny by the majority in the US presidential election, where a small group makes major political changes.

Collective Dilemmas

Situations where there is a conflict between group goals and individual goals or self-interest.

Collective-action Problem

A situation in which many people would be better off if they collaborated, but individuals have an incentive not to cooperate.

Prisoner's Dilemma

An interaction between two strategic actors where neither has an incentive to cooperate, even though both would benefit from cooperation.

Coordination Problem

A situation where a group wants to coordinate but disagrees on the best method to do so.

Unstable Coalition

An instance where a voting coalition in favor of an alternative can be divided by consideration of another alternative.

Public Policies

Programs and decisions by the government that are enforced by the rule of law.

Authoritarianism

A political system where there is no expectation that the government represents the people.

Dictatorship

An authoritarian political system where sovereign power is vested in one person.

Monarchy

A political system where a ruler is chosen by virtue of being the heir of a previous ruler.

Oligarchy

A system where power resides in a small segment of society.

One-party State

A system where one party controls the government and prevents other parties from contesting power.

Democracy

Rule by the people, typically involving the election of the government and basic protections of civil rights and liberties.

Republic

A system in which public officials are chosen to represent the people in an assembly that makes important policy decisions.

Republic vs democracy

A republic is a form of government in which the country is considered a 'public matter', and is not the private concern or property of the rulers, while democracy emphasizes the role of the populace in electing representatives.

Prisoner's dilemma

An interaction between two strategic actors in which neither actor has incentive to cooperate even though both would be better off if they do.

Declaration of Independence

A document long quoted as a defense of revolution and in defiance of authority, influencing the French Revolution in 1793.

Social contract

An implicit agreement among individuals to form a society and abide by its rules.

Key points of the Declaration of Independence

Comprises three parts: the reason for rebellion, a list of grievances against King George III, and the declaration of the colonies as free and independent states.

First part of the Declaration

Offers the reason for the rebellion, espousing the ideas of John Locke on natural rights.

Second part of the Declaration

Lays out the list of grievances to King George III, proving justification for rebellion.

Third part of the Declaration

States the colonies' declaration of independence from British rule.

Articles of Confederation

The precursor to the formal United States Constitution, in effect from 1780 to 1789.

Weak central government

A government structure established by the Articles of Confederation, consisting of a Congress with limited legislative power and virtually no power to execute laws.

Fear of executive power

The concern among newly founded states that a government with executive power would lead back to tyrannical rule.

Power distribution under Articles

Almost all power lay with the states, with the central government having very limited authority.

Influence of John Locke

His ideas on natural rights and self-governance influenced the Declaration of Independence.

Grievances against King George III

A list within the Declaration that justified the colonies' rebellion against British rule.

Fateful step in Declaration

The declaration that the colonies are free and independent states, absolved from allegiance to the British Crown.

Sovereign states

Independent states that considered themselves linked for limited purposes like national defense but made their own rules.

Confederation Congress

The single legislative body established by the Articles of Confederation, which had limited powers.

Voting requirement for legislation

New legislation required 9 of 13 votes to pass, making it difficult to enact laws.

Amendment requirement

Amendments to the Articles required unanimous consent from all states, leading to significant problems.

Economic problems under the Articles

The national government could not levy taxes, leading to underfunding and inability to repay debts.

Continental currency

The national currency that became largely worthless due to the government's inability to secure loans or repay debts.

Tariffs

The national government lacked the power to levy tariffs on foreign imports, while states imposed their own tariffs on goods from other states.

Shay's Rebellion

A rebellion led by Daniel Shay in 1786, highlighting the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the inability of the government to maintain order.

Daniel Shay

The leader of Shay's Rebellion, who was a heavily indebted farmer.

Veterans' payments

The national government could not pay its veterans, exposing its financial weaknesses.

Rebellion suppression

The government's inability to put down Shay's Rebellion demonstrated its lack of power to maintain order.

National defense

The inability of the national government to generate funds or raise an army left the country undefended.

Philadelphia Convention

The meeting in 1787 where 12 of the 13 states convened to compose a new Constitution.

Free-riders

States that benefited from collective action without contributing, leading to persistent collective action problems.

Foreign policy

An area where states agreed not to take individual action, as outlined in the Articles of Confederation.

Military operations

An area where states agreed not to take individual action, emphasizing the need for a unified national defense.

Post office

One of the few powers granted to the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

Negotiation with foreign nations

A power of the national government under the Articles, including dealings with Native American tribes.

State tariffs

Taxes imposed by states on goods produced by other states, complicating interstate commerce.

Underfunded government

The condition of the national government due to its inability to levy taxes and request funds from states.