AP Gov Terms - Chapter 1

Government

The organizations where public laws are made for society

Collective Goods

Goods and services that cannot be denied to anyone (clean air + water)

Politics

Process of choosing and deciding leaders to discuss public issues

Political Participation

activities that citizens go to to influence the choosing of political leaders (Ex. voting, protesting, contacting public officials)

Single-issue groups

Focusing on a narrow, defined goal (Ex. An organization only focusing on gun use)

Policy making system

Process of a policy being created. Interests, problems, and concerns impact policy which then creates more interests and concerns.

Linkage Institutions

Political channels where people's concerns become political issues (elections, media, political parties)

Policy agenda

issues that attract public officials and others at a certain time

Public Policy

Governments Response to a political issue

Policy

course of action taken in regard to a problem

Policy Impacts

affects that a policy has had on people (has it met its goal? At what cost?)

Democracy

system of selecting pollicymakers + organizing government to respond to the publics preferances.

Majority rule

Principle of democratic theory, the majority response must be desired

Minority rights

Principle; gauruntees rights to those that are not part of majorities

Representation

Principle; Relationship between leaders + followers

Elitism

Theory; upper class elite holds the power to make policy, without using formal gov organization

Hyperpluralism

Theory; Interest groups are so strong that the government groups are weakened.

Policy Gridlock

Condition where interests conflict, no majority is made and nothing is done.

Political culture

Overall set of values widely shared within a society

Gross domestic product (GDP)

Sum total of value of all goods and services created in a year