Ap gov intro quiz

What is a faction

A group of citizens united by a common passion/interest

-aka political parties/special interest groups

Why are factions a problem

They cause divides in countries

Describe factions as they were described in fed 10

-Create mischeif

-Each faction is selfish, dangerous, and not good for the republic

Why can you not remove the causes of factions

Because then you destroy what creats them (liberty) and force everyone to have the same opinions

What is liberty

An unalienable, natural right that all are born with, kind of like freedom

What were the two ways that madison said you can cure the mischeifs of faction in fed 10

1. Removing the causes

2. controlling the effects

Why does Madison argue against a pure democracy (fed 10)

because a majority can easily sacrifice the weaker party

What is pure democracy

A system of government based on direct majority rule

Why do pure democracies have no cure for the mischiefs of factions

because a common passion or interest is almost always felt by the majority, so they wont shut it down even if its not logical

Does madison favor a republic or a pure democracy

A republic

True or false: in a pure democracy there are lesser internal checks

true

What is needed to stop a single faction from taking over and overstepping its power

A larger, more diverse population

Why does madison favor a large republic over a pure democracy

republics use representatives and a broader variety of parties

-makes sure no single majority faction can take over

Why is a large republic better than a small one

Because it offers a greater variety of parties and interests —→ less likely for a majority faction to oppress

What does madison identify as the most common source of factions

unequal distribution of property and economy

Why does men write in fed 51 If men were angels, no government would be necessary

Because men are not angels, and the government need to control the governed and itself

What does the phrase "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition" in fed 51 mean

It refers to the creation of checks and balances.

-the “ambition” of a branch causes them to block the block the "ambition" of another branch who is trying to overreach

Why do checks and balances exist

Founders believed you cant rely on written laws to stop a leader form becoming a tryant

-each branch needs to control the other two

What is federalism

Power being divided between the federal and state governments and then being futher divided among three branches

-gives multiple layers of protection to the people

What are the external controls?

The people checking the government through elections

External controls ___ internal controls

influence

Checks and balances work ____ when opposite parties control the house and president

better

-Different voices being represented

What is Brutus afraid of in Brutus 1

He believes that the “necesary and proper” and “supremacy” clauses will eventually give the federal government absolute power, making the state governments obsolete

What does Brutus think of the federal government and taxing

He believes that the federal governments unlimited power to tax will use all the money out of the states, making the states powerless

Why does brutus think that a small republic is better

He believes that in a large republic, the peoples interests are too diverse—→ constant clashing

-Representatives are too disconected from the people to actually understand their needs to be held accountable

What does brutus think about the standing army

He thinks it is a tool of tyrants and has no place in a free republic.

-Will lead to the destruction of a free republic

What does the phrase spirit of liberty' of its citizens” mean in brutus 1

Brutus thought that instead of having a standing army, citizens should obey the law out of respect, not because they are scared

where does brutus think legitimate governments get its power from

the confidence and respect of its people

What did brutus think about getting respect and confidence in a large republic

He thought in a large republic the people are too disconnected from their representatives to feel confidence or respect

-Forces federal gov to use an army to keep order

-Causes loss of freedom

What is civic virtue

Leaders prioritizing the common good of society over their own beliefs and interests

-thinking of something other than themselves to benefit the larger community

What is the framework of law and how the US is governed

The constitution

Congress _____ laws, president ___ laws, and supreme court ____ the law

creates; enforces; interprets

What can a president/congress/people/ect. do when they disagree with a supreme court decision?

-ignore the supreme court decision

Who is the american cinncinatus

George washington

-Set the precedent

Is brutus a federalist or an anti federalist

Anti federalist

-against the constitution

What was the founders vision for the american government

It would reflect MANY VOICES and only WELL REASONED policies

What keeps the balance between order and liberty

Reason

-acting with logic, not emotion

What are norms and precedents

Unwritten rules

-ex. rules started by george washington

Anti federalists believed in civic virture because they thought…

citizens must be virtuous to save the republic from tyranny

What is the power to purse?

-If congress doesn’t like something the president does, they can cut off funding, which will stop what the president does

ex. if the president orders war without congresses approval

is the power to purse when the same party rules the house and the executive?

No, because the majority agree with the presidents actions, so they wont tax the prez

What is participatory democratic theory

• A theory that widespread political participation is essential for a democracy

• Democratic government works better when more people participate

• Citizens can join groups outside of the government control

What type of democracy did brutus believe in

Participatory democratic

According to the participatory democracy theory, why is it better to let states make laws?

• Situations arent the same in each state (gun control in monatana vs nyc)

  • States know their participants better

Did participatory democracy theory believe in the states havign more power or the country

• Power of the country—> finine

• Power of the state—→ infinite

Did participatory democractic theory believe in factions?

Yes

• thought it demonstrated strong civil society

• works for a common good

According to participatory democratic theory, joining voluntary associations prepares citizens for the…

democratic process

What is pluralist theory

A system where power is spread across many factions and compete to influence policy

Why do factions compete to influence policy in pluralist democracy and fed 10

so that no one group dominates

According to pluralist theory, factions competing to influence policy results in what?

Bargaining and compromise

How can you control factions

By dilluting them all together in a large republic

Should factions be at the state level according to fed 10 and pluralist theory

No, they are more likely to to be tyrannical then

• in a large republic, a tyranny will never be able to dominate

Participatory democratic theory most closely aligns with which document

Brutus 1

Pluralist theory most closely aligns with which document

fed 10

Americams generally join factions to collectively…

influence policy outcomes

A faction is also known as

an interest group

What does Brutus 1 think about judicial dominance

He thinks that federal courts will basically overshadow state courts, taking away their dignity and power

What is elitest theory

A system of democracy where the elites (wealthy and well educated) have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policy making process

true or false: In elitest theory a small minority dominates politicals

True

• They do this by influencing elected officials

Why do some people believe in elitest theory

Because elite people have a greater stake in society (by owning stocks/businesses)

-when economy fails—> society fails—→ they fail

-they are acting for society economically because they have a stake in it so they will make the best decisions

Why do we allow some monopolies (like google)

Because they serve a major utility purpose to the people

The senate is an agent of the…

status quo

• 6 year terms

• they slow processes down

The house is good for the…

people

• 2 year terms

• Gerrymandering

• Try to speed processes up

Why is the house good for the poor

Because the house tries to move quickly to change things, and the poor want things to change so they can live a better life

Why are the rich a fan of the status quo

Because they like where they are now and they dont want things to change and lose their money

What is the cooling saucer analogy

• The senate is the cooling saucer

• House is the hot tea

• Senate slows down more rapidly changing legislation coming from the house

Why does the senate purposefully slow down the fast change coming from the house

To represent the minority (the rich)

According to elitest theory, the more money you have…

the more speech you get

• you can donate your money towards groups

The founders believed that politically equal society is based on…

economic equality

What is the harringtonian principle

The idea that power always follows economic power (property)

What was critical to the functioning of an american government

economic conditions

If not:

• the wealth would accumulate into only a few hands—> they would seize all politcal power—> becomes oligarchy

• Believed in a strong middle class

What did the founding fathers do to prevent wealth accumulaitng for only a few

• Stopping the transfer of property (primogeniture)

• Abolished the entail (legal device to pass property to decendants)

• Supported progressive taxation

What is progressive taxtation

The richer you are, the more you pay in taxes

-helps redistribute income

Why was a relatively healthy middle class so important

-it prevents class warfare and clashing in “class conflict”

When society becomes too unequal, people feel like they have no option for change but to resort to…

violence

ex. shays rebellion

Why were the poorest american colonists often better off than the poorest in Europe?

Because of the accesibility of land in america, which let them be independent and self sufficient

In the 1780 period, america was an agricultural society. how did this effect economic structure

• Accessible land helped people be independent and virtuous

How did america being a agricultural society effect factions

• Most people were economically similar, so political factions were based on regional interests (ex. manufacturing vs farming) instead of violent class warfare

Why was it important to establish economic order in the early republic

Because of all the financial turmoil the articles of confed caused

The author of the middle class constition believed that the constituion was more like an ____ than something that only served the wealthy

economic compromise

Why do some people say that Madisons theory of an agricultural society being good is outdated

Because there is no mroe accessible land

-rise of wealth inequality turned factions into permanent economic classes

What was the economic compromise in the constitution

• prohibited state governments from impairing the obligations of contracts

• congress passed the first tariff

Why was congress stopping state governments from “impairing the obligation of contracts” so important

• Ensured people had to pay back what they owed

  • This stopped states from passing laws to help debtors through debt cancellaiton/property redistribution

• stopped states from laying any duties on imports/exports

Why was congress passing a tariff so important

• shifted the burden from the middle class population to coastel merchants and wealthy who purchased imported goods

  • Silenced the anti federalists

Why did congress passing a tariff silence anti federalists

It proved that the constituion could relieve the domestic tax burden for citizens than increase it

What did thomas hobbes believe in

humans are naturally brutish and need an authorian government (levianthan) to control them and provide protection

• aka people give up their rights in exchange for protection

What did john locke believe in

The social contract

• Governments only legitimate power comes from the consent of the governed to protect their natural rights

How do citizens give “their consent of the governed”

by voting

what is pluralism

the idea of having many voices represented

According to the declaration of independence, if a government attacks your natural rights, what can you do

the people have a right to abolish this relationship (social contract)

John locke believes in liberty, but not too much. Why?

Because too much liberty leads to chaos

• You need balance between order and liberty

  • you balance it through reason

True or false: unalienable rights dont apply to people outside of the US

false. they are rights EVERYONE is born with and cant be taken away

Why can’t unalienable rights be taken away

• Because theyre god/nature given

• You cant take away something that god/nature gave, only god/nature can

How does “laws of nature” and “nature’s god” reflect pluralism

-because some believe in god and some don’t so it says the same thing about your unalienable rights just in different ways

-representing “many voices”

Does sitamaran argue that the constitution was designed for class warfar

No

-Senate was meant to be a democratic institution, not an aristocratic one

-Delegates could not agree on property rights for voting

What did hamilton believe about what will happen when riches increase

"as riches increase... power will accumulate in few hands," departing from the "republican standard"

What does “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” mean

It means that citizens must always watch the government to stop elites from slowly turning the republic into an oligarchy

Hamilton argued against american aristocracy, and believed that representatives needed to remain _______ through regular elections

dependent on the will of the people

Hamilton vs madisons theory of factions

Madisons:

• Economic inequality is most common source of factions

• You can control factions effects in a large republic

• Factions are mostly about regional issues instead of class ones because of agricultural society

Hamilton:

• Madison neglected the idea of wealthy demagogues and accumulation of power

• Econmic inequality will lead to concentration of political power

• Regular elections to prevent an american aristocracy

How did hamilton think we could prevent american arisotocracy

Through regular elections

“dependent on the will of the people”