American Government Vocabulary – Chapters 1-7

Vocabulary flashcards covering key political science terms from Chapters 1 through 7.

Authority

The acknowledged right to make decisions and compel obedience.

Bargaining

Negotiation in which two or more parties work toward a mutually acceptable outcome.

Bicameralism

A legislative structure composed of two separate chambers.

Cabinet

The heads of executive departments who advise the chief executive.

Coalition

An alliance of parties or groups that join together for a common purpose.

Collective action

Efforts undertaken by a group to achieve goals shared by its members.

Collective goods

Benefits that are non-excludable and shared by everyone once provided.

Compromise

An agreement in which each side concedes some demands.

Conformity cost

The difference between what any one party prefers and what the group collectively decides.

Constitution

A document that sets the fundamental principles and structures of a government.

Coordination

The process of organizing people or activities to achieve a common purpose.

Direct democracy

System in which citizens make policy decisions themselves rather than through representatives.

Focal point

A cue that helps individuals identify what others are likely to do in collective action.

Free-rider problem

Tendency of individuals to avoid contributing to a public good while enjoying its benefits.

Government

The institutions and officials that make and enforce public policy for a society.

Initiative

Procedure enabling citizens to propose and vote directly on laws.

Institutional design

The construction of political institutions to solve collective or governance problems.

Institutions

Enduring rules and organizations that shape political behavior and outcomes.

Offices

Positions of authority that confer specific powers and responsibilities.

Parliamentary government

System in which the executive is chosen by and accountable to the legislature.

Politicians

Individuals who hold or seek public office.

Politics

The process through which groups reach agreement on a course of collective action.

Power

The ability to influence or control the behavior of others.

Preferences

Individual wants or priorities that shape choices.

Prisoner’s dilemma

Situation where two actors would benefit from cooperation but have incentives to defect.

Private goods

Goods that are rival and excludable; consumed individually.

Privatize

To transfer ownership or control from government to the private sector.

Public goods

Goods that are non-rival and non-excludable; everyone can enjoy them.

Referendum

Direct popular vote on a proposed law or constitutional amendment.

Regulation

Government rules directing how individuals or firms may act.

Representative government

System in which citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.

Republic

Government in which power is held by the people and exercised through elected representatives.

Separation of powers

Distribution of governmental authority among independent branches.

Tragedy of the commons

Over-use of a shared resource because individual incentives undermine the collective good.

Transaction costs

The time, effort, and resources required to reach collective decisions.

Tyranny

Oppressive and unjust government rule.

Zero-sum game

A situation in which one participant’s gain equals another’s loss.

Agency loss

The difference between what a principal wants and what an agent actually does.

Agenda control

The power to decide which issues will be considered for a vote.

Agent

Individual or body authorized to act on behalf of a principal.

Antifederalists

Opponents of the 1787 Constitution who favored stronger state governments.

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. constitution, creating a weak national government (1781-1789).

Bicameral legislature

Law-making body composed of two separate chambers.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution protecting civil liberties.

Bipartisan

Supported by members of both major political parties.

Checks and balances

Constitutional mechanisms giving each branch some control over the others.

Command

Authority to impose decisions unilaterally.

Commerce clause

Constitutional provision giving Congress power to regulate interstate and foreign trade.

Confederation

Political system in which states retain ultimate authority except for powers expressly delegated to a central government.

Declaration of Independence

1776 document asserting American colonies’ separation from Britain.

Delegation

Act of transferring decision-making authority to an agent.

Electoral College

Body that formally elects the U.S. president, chosen by state voters.

Faction

Group united by a shared interest adverse to the rights of others or the common good.

Fast-track authority

Procedure giving the president power to negotiate trade deals that Congress can approve or reject but not amend.

Federalists

Supporters of the 1787 Constitution favoring a stronger national government.

Great Compromise

Constitutional Convention agreement creating a bicameral Congress with proportional House and equal Senate representation.

Gridlock

Inability to enact policy because different branches or parties block one another.

Home rule

Power of a local government to manage its own affairs.

Judicial review

Power of courts to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.

Logroll

Legislative practice of exchanging votes on different bills.

Majority rule

Decision-making principle that requires more than half the votes.

Nationalists

1780s advocates of replacing the Articles of Confederation with a stronger central government.

Necessary and proper clause

Grants Congress power to pass all laws needed to execute its enumerated powers.

New Jersey Plan

Constitutional proposal favoring equal state representation in Congress.

Nullification

Doctrine that a state can invalidate federal laws it deems unconstitutional.

Pluralism

Theory that political power is dispersed among competing interest groups.

Plurality

The largest share of votes when no candidate wins a majority.

Popular sovereignty

Principle that ultimate political authority rests with the people.

Principal

Person or body who delegates authority to an agent.

Shays’s Rebellion

1786-87 uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting taxes and debt.

Simple majority

More than half of votes cast.

States’ rights

View that states possess authority limiting federal power.

Supermajority

Threshold higher than a simple majority, such as two-thirds.

Supremacy clause

Constitutional statement that federal law prevails over state laws.

“Take Care” clause (Article II)

Requires the president to ensure that laws are faithfully executed.

Virginia Plan

Constitutional proposal for representation based on population.

Voting rule

Specification of how many votes are needed to reach a decision.

Whistleblower laws

Statutes protecting employees who report organizational misconduct.

Block grant

Federal aid given for broad purposes with few restrictions.

Common Core

Set of nationwide academic standards in math and language arts.

Cutthroat competition

Dynamic in which states lower standards or benefits to attract or retain business.

Dual federalism

Doctrine that national and state governments have separate, non-overlapping spheres.

Elastic clause

Alternate name for the necessary and proper clause.

Enumerated powers

Powers explicitly granted to the federal government by the Constitution.

Externality

Cost or benefit imposed on bystanders to an economic transaction.

Federalism

Division of power between national and state governments.

Grants-in-aid

General term for federal funds given to states or localities for specific purposes.

Matching grant

Federal grant requiring recipients to spend their own money in proportion to federal funds received.

Nationalization

Shift of policymaking authority from states to the federal government.

Preemption legislation

Federal law that supersedes or overrides state policy in a particular field.

Race to the bottom

Competition among states to cut taxes or regulations to attract businesses.

Shared federalism

Arrangement in which national and state governments jointly provide services.

Tenth Amendment

Reserves to the states or the people powers not delegated to the United States.

Unitary government

System in which ultimate authority rests with a single national government.

Affirmative action

Policies giving preferential treatment to historically disadvantaged groups.

Black codes

Post-Civil War Southern laws restricting African Americans’ rights.

Civil liberties

Constitutionally protected freedoms from government interference.

Civil rights

Government protections to ensure equal citizenship and prevent discrimination.

De facto segregation

Racial separation resulting from social or economic conditions, not law.

De jure segregation

Racial separation mandated by law.