Chapter 1-8: Introduction to Political Science

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from an introductory political science lecture, including political theories, ideologies, and historical examples.

Adolf Weichmann

A historical figure who worked with the Nazi party, playing an essential part in the Holocaust, which raises questions about individual moral and legal responsibility within a political machine, even without inventing the atrocities.

Rational Choice

The concept that human behavior is guided by reason over emotion, often used to analyze voting patterns and political decisions by contrasting logical arguments with emotional ones.

Political Realism

A philosophy positing that power is the fundamental variable in all political relationships and should be utilized pragmatically and prudently to advance national interests, acknowledging the subjective nature of 'national interest'.

Political Culture

The shared morals, values, beliefs, and myths that define a people's way of life and for which they are prepared to defend or sacrifice.

Public Administration

The set of rules and systems governing how we live at various levels (city, state, local), often involving career professionals in positions that can be thankless or go unfilled.

Policy Studies and Analysis

The process of examining both the 'input' (constituents' demands, focus groups) and the 'output' (resultant policies, laws, legislation, regulations) of the policy-making process, recognizing potential discrepancies between the two.

Political Economy

The concept of accumulating 'political capital' or 'brownie points' that can be spent with fellow politicians to garner support for controversial issues or legislative initiatives.

Comparative Politics

The study emphasizing that all political systems operate within their unique political cultures, which comprise traditions, values, and common knowledge.

Traditions (Political)

Established customs or practices within politics that, while not always legally mandated (e.g., a president saluting soldiers), become integrated into political culture and convey meaning or respect.

Common Knowledge (Political)

Information or understanding generally accepted as known within a political context, though it can vary significantly across regions or countries (e.g., tax systems in the US vs. Sweden).

Operation Wetback

A US government operation in the 1950s designed to accelerate the removal of farm workers from the Southwest, which notably led to instances of US citizens being deported.

Public Good

The principle that public policy should aim to benefit the maximum number of people in society, rather than solely individual interests, forming the core of policy debates.

Constitutional Democracy

A form of government where the rights of citizens and the powers of the government are clearly defined and limited by a foundational document that serves as its guiding principle and bedrock.

Ideology (Political)

A structured set of ideas and ideals forming the basis of political or economic theory and policy, commonly categorized as 'left' or 'right,' but whose labels and meanings can evolve over time and across different contexts.

Anarchism

An anti-government ideology characterized by a belief in chaos or the absence of government, often envisioned as the ultimate state of freedom where no individual holds power over another.

Nihilism

An extreme anti-government ideology characterized by the 'belief in nothing,' advocating for the destruction of all societal structures beyond the individual, with destruction itself being the ultimate goal.

Monarchism

An ideology of the right asserting that a ruling family, often believed to be chosen by a divine or higher power, has the inherent right to govern, manifesting in absolute or constitutional monarchies.

Fascism

An ideology often adopted by nations as a solution to societal crises like economic instability or disorder, promising law, order, stability, and efficiency, despite typically having significant long-term drawbacks.

Religious Right

A political movement, particularly associated with evangelical Christian movements in the United States, that seeks to influence public policy based on religious values, often advocating for positions such as pro-life policies or censorship.

Capitalism

An economic and political system founded on the accumulation of capital, the right of individuals to acquire and pass down wealth, and the determination of prices and production through free market competition.

Libertarianism

A political philosophy advocating for minimal government involvement in both economic and social spheres, believing that private entities and businesses should largely address societal issues, with government functions limited primarily to international relations and defense.

Socialism/Communism/Marxism

Left-wing ideologies that, in their theoretical formulations, propose a society where there is an equitable distribution of wealth, with no individual possessing considerably more than another, and where individuals control the fruits of their labor without government interference.