Gov Chapter 1

Government definition

The institutions through which public policies are made for a society

What government institutions are in the US?

Congress, the president, the courts, and federal administrative agencies (legislative, executive, judicial branches)

What responsibilities do all governments have in common?

-maintain a national defense

-provide public goods and services

-preserve order and protect public safety

-socialize the young

-collect taxes

Collective goods definition

Goods and services, such as clean air and clean water, that by their nature cannot be denied to anyone

Politics definition

The process of determining the leaders we select and the policies they persue; produces authoritative decisions about public issues

What are political scientists interested in?

the politics related to governmental decision making

Media is the…

WHO in politics (voters, candidates, groups, parties, etc)

Substance is the…

WHAT in politics (benefits, burdens)

Participation is the…

HOW in politics (voting, supporting, compromising, etc)

More political participation leads to a…

healthier government

Overall, what is the trend involving age and voter turnout in the US

Young people overall vote less than older people, making for a distorted sample size

Single-issue groups definition

Groups so concerned with one issue that members often cast their votes on the basis of that issue only, ignoring a politician’s stance on everything else (ex: abortion)

What is the order of the policymaking system

People → linkage institutions →policy agenda→policymaking institutions →policy →people

Linkage institutions definition

The political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda

What are the 4 linkage institutions

Media, parties, elections, interest groups

policy agenda definition

The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials

does policy agenda respond to societal failures or successes?

failures

political issue definition

An issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it

policymaking institution definition

branches of government charged with taking action on political issues (congress, the presidency, and the courts)

public policy definition

a choice that the government makes in response to a political issue; a course of action taken with regard to a problem

policy impacts definition

the effects a policy has on people and problems; analyzed

democracy definition

a system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and respons to the public’s preferences

what is the first term that makes up traditional democratic theory

equality in voting (one person=one vote)

what is the second term that makes up traditional democratic theory

effective participation (equal opportunity to express opinions)

what is the third term that makes up traditional democratic theory

enlightened understanding (free press/speech)

what is the fourth term that makes up traditional democratic theory

citizen control of agenda (not just the elites; everybody)

what is the fifth term that makes up traditional democratic theory

inclusion (extend all rights to those subject to its laws)

majority rule definition

choosing among alternatives requires that the majority’s desire must be respected

minority rights definition

guarantees rights to those who don’t belong to majorities (restraints on the majority)

representation definition

describes the relationship between the few leaders and many followers

What are the three contemporary theories of American democracy

Pluralism, elitism, hyperpluralism

pluralism definition

emphasizes that the policymaking process is open to all groups with shared interests, no group dominating; public interest generally prevails

elitism definition

contends that the upper class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of formal government organization

hyperpluralism definition

a theory that contends that individual groups are so strong that the government (who gives in) is weakened. too many cooks in the kitchen

what is the first challenge to democracy

weakening of democratic norms (troubling signs, dissatisfaction with the government system)

what is the second challenge to democracy

incrased complexity of issues

what is the third challenge to democracy

misinformation

what is the fourth challenge to democracy

increasing political polarization (major differences between parties, hard to compromise)

what is the fifth challenge to democracy

limited participation (a big one is young people)

what is the sixth challenge to democracy

growing campaign costs

what is the seventh challenge to democracy

diverse political interests (so different policy can’t actually be established)

policy gridlock definition

condition that occurs when interests conflict and no correlation is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy (nothing gets done )

political culture definition

an overall set of values widely shared within a democracy

what are the five words that summarize American political culture

liberty, individualism, Lassiez-faire, populism, evangelism (equality of opportunity)

GDP definition

The sum of the value of all the goods and services produced in a year in a nation