Political Science 1101 UGA Bankert Midterm

Authoritarian government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limit buy may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions

Citizenship

informed and active membership in a political community

Constitutional government

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government

Democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

Direct democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies

Equality of opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

Government

institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled

Laissez-faire capitalism

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference

Liberty

freedom from government control

Limited government

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

Majority rule/minority rights

the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

Political equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

Politics

conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments

Popular sovereignty

a principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people

Power

influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies

Representative democracy

a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision making

Totalitarian government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

Political efficacy

the belief that ordinary citizens can affect what government does, that they can take action to make government listen to them

Amendment

a change added to a bill, law, or constitution

Anti Federalists

those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and were opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Articles of Confederation

America's first written constitution; served as the basis for America's national government until 1789

Bicameral

having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses; distinguished from unicameral

Bill of Rights

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties of the people

Checks and balances

mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches. Major examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the power of the senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review of congressional enactments

Confederation

a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government

Elastic clause

Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution (necessary and proper clause) which declares that Congress can write laws needed to carry out its expressed powers, providing congress with authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to do so

Electoral college

the electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice president

Expressed powers

specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article 1, Section 8) and to the president (Article 3)

Federalism

a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between the national government and state governments

Federalist Papers

a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the constitution

Federalists

those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the American Constitution Convention of 1787

The Great Compromise

the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population but linked representation in the House of Representative to population

Judicial review

the power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional. The supreme court asserted this power in Marbury v. Madison

New Jersey Plan

a framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population

Separation of powers

the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making

Supremacy clause

Article 6 of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties "shall be the supreme law of the land" and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision

Tyranny

oppressive and unjust government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority

Virginia Plan

a framework for the Constitution, introduced by Edmund Randolph, that called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state

Block grants

federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent

Categorical grants

congressional grants given to states and localities on the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law

Commerce clause

Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States and with the Indian Tribes"; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy

Concurrent powers

authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes

Cooperative federalism

a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals; also known as "intergovernmental cooperation"

Devolution

a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government, such as from the national government to the state and local governments

Dual federalism

the system of government that prevailed in the US from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments

Full faith and credit clause

provision from article 6, section 1, of the constitution requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

General revenue sharing

the process by which one unit of government yields a portion of its tax income to another unit of government, according to an established formula; revenue sharing typically involved the national government providing money to state governments

Grants-in-aid

programs which congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government

Home rule

power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

Implied powers

powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of article 1, section 8, of the constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed by are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers

New Federalism

attempts by presidents Nixon and Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

Police power

power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens

Preemption

the principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas; in foreign policy, the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack

Privileges and immunities clause

provision, from article 4, section 2, of the constitution, that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

Reserved powers

powers, derived from the 10th amendment, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states

States' rights

the principle that the states should oppose the increasing authority of the national government; this principle was most popular in the period before the Civil War

Unfunded mandates

regulations or conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the federal government

Unitary system

a centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government

Affirmative action

government policies or programs that seek to redress past injustices against specified groups by making special efforts to provide members of these groups with access to educational and employment opportunities

Bill of attainder

a law that declares a person guilty of a crime without a trial

Brown v. Board of Education

the 1954 Supreme Court decision that struck down the "separate but equal" doctrine as fundamentally unequal; this case eliminated state power to use race as a criterion for discrimination in law and provided the national government with the power to intervene by exercising strict regulatory policies against discriminatory actions

Civil liberties

areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected from government interference

Civil rights

obligation imposed on government to take positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action of government agencies and of other private citizens

"Clear and present danger" test

test to determine whether speech is protected or unprotected, based on its capacity to present a "clear and present" danger to society

Double jeopardy

the 5th amendment right providing that a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime

Due process of law

the right of every citizen against arbitrary action by national or state governments

Eminent domain

the right of government to take private property for public use

Equal protection clause

provision of the 14th amendment guaranteeing citizen 'the equal protection of the laws"; this clause has served as the basis for the civil rights of African Americans, women, and other groups

Establishment clause

the 1st amendment clause that says that "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"; this law means that a "wall of separation" exists between church and state

Exclusionary rule

the ability of courts to exclude evidence obtained in violation of the 4th amendment

Ex post facto laws

laws that declare an action to be illegal after it has been committed

Fighting words

speech that directly incited damaging conduct

Free exercise clause

the 1st amendment clause that protects a citizen's right to believe and practice whatever religion he or she chooses

Grand jury

jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial; grand juries do not rule on the accused's guilt or innocence

Habeas corpus

a court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention

Libel

a written statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to a victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

Miranda rule

the requirement, articulated by the supreme court in Miranda v. Arizona (1966), that persons under arrest must be informed prior to police interrogation of their rights to remain silent and to have the benefit of legal counsel

Prior restraint

an effort by a governmental agency to block the publication of material it deems libelous or harmful in some other way; censorship; in the US, the courts forbid prior restraint except under the most extraordinary circumstances

Selective incorporation

the process by which different protections in the Bill of Rights were incorporated in the 14th amendment, thus guaranteeing citizens protection from state as well as national governments

"Separate but equal" rule

doctrine that public accommodations could be segregated by race but still be considered equal

Slander

an oral statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to the victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

Strict scrutiny

a test used by the supreme court in racial discrimination cases and other cases involving civil liberties and civil rights that places the burden of proof on the government rather than on the challengers to show that the law in question is constitutional

Agents of socialization

social institutions, including families and schools, that help to shape individuals' basic political beliefs and values

Attitude/opinion

specific preference on a particular issue

Bandwagon effect

a shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public-opinion polls report as the front-runner

Conservative

today this term refers to those who generally support the social and economic status quo and are suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulae and economic arrangements; conservatives believe that a large and powerful government poses a threat to citizens' freedom

Gender gap

a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men

Liberal

today this term refers to those who generally support social and political reform, governmental intervention in the economy, more economic equality, the expansion of federal social services, and greater concern for consumers and the environment

Libertarian

someone who emphasizes freedom and believes in voluntary association with small government

Marketplace of ideas

the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and compete

Political ideology

a cohesive set of beliefs that forms a general philosophy about the role of government

Political socialization

the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Public opinion

citizens' attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events

Public-opinion polls

scientific instruments for measuring public opinion

Push polling

a polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent's opinion

Random digit dialing

a polling method in which respondents are selected at random from a list of 10-digit phone numbers, with every effort made to avoid bias in the construction of the sample

Sample

a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristic of an entire population

Sampling error/margin of error

polling error that arise based on the small size of the sample

Selection bias (surveys)

polling error that arises when the sample is not representative of the population being studied, which creates errors in overrepresenting or underrepresenting some opinions

Simple random sample/probability sample

a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent