Unit 4 APGov Vocab

Political Culture

The shared set of beliefs, values, and norms about how political and economic life should be carried out.

Individualism

The principle of valuing individual rights and independence, emphasizing personal freedom and self-reliance.

Free Enterprise (Laissez-Faire)

An economic system in which private businesses operate in competition largely free of state control.

Rule of Law

The principle that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs

Political Ideology

A consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue.

Political Spectrum

A system of classifying different political positions upon one or more geometric axes that symbolize independent political dimensions.

Limited Government

A political system in which legalized force is restricted through delegated and enumerated powers typically by a constitution.

Equality of Opportunity

The principle that all individuals should have the same opportunities to advance and succeed.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and beliefs of individuals on certain issues, leaders, institutions, and events.

Scientific Poll

method of measuring public opinion through surveys with random sampling aiming to achieve accuracy and representativeness.

Sampling Error

The margin of error in a poll's results due to the nature of sampling and the size of the sample.

Focus Group

A small diverse group of people whose reactions are studied to understand the broader public opinion.

Entrance Survey

: A poll taken before voters have cast their ballots to gauge public opinion and predict outcomes

Exit Poll

A survey conducted immediately after voters have cast their ballots used to predict election results and understand voter behavior.

Opinion Polls

Surveys that measure public opinion on various topics and issues.

Tracking Polls

Repeated polls to track changes in public opinion over time.

Veracity of Data

The accuracy, truthfulness, and reliability of data.

Conservatism

A political philosophy that emphasizes the value of traditional institutions and practices.

Liberalism

A political philosophy that advocates for social equality, individual rights, and governmental intervention in the economy.

Libertarianism

A political philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, free markets, and minimal government intervention.

Mixed Economy

An economic system that combines elements of both capitalism and socialism including both private enterprise and government regulation.

Globalization

The process by which businesses, cultures, and economies become interconnected and interdependent on a global scale.

Gross Domestic Product

The total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.

Consumer Price Index

A measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services used to assess inflation.

Keynesian Economic Policies

Economic theories advocating for government intervention to stabilize the economy and promote growth particularly through fiscal and monetary measures.

Supply-side Economics

Economic theories advocating for policies that stimulate production and supply such as tax cuts and deregulation.

Fiscal Policy

Government policies regarding taxation and spending to influence the economy.

Monetary Policy

Central bank actions to control the money supply and interest rates to influence the economy.

Federal Reserve Board

The governing body of the Federal Reserve System responsible for setting monetary policy in the United States.