Unit 1: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Political Socialization

the process by which individuals develop political beliefs, values, opinions, and behaviors

Political Apathy

Lack of interest in political participation.

Political Ideology

a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue

political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

Conservative

A person who believes in limited government intervention in the marketplace, but more regulations of social behavior.

Liberal

A person who generally believes the government should take an active role in the economy and in social welfare programs but that the government should not dictate social behavior

Political Spectrum

range of political views that encompass a society

Random Sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Medicaid

Government health insurance to lower income people

Social Security

federal program of disability and retirement benefits that covers most working people

Entitlements

Policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay X level of benefits to Y number of recipients. Social Security benefits are an example.

Supply-Side Economics

An economic philosophy that holds the sharply cutting taxes will increase the incentive people have to work, save, and invest. Greater investments will lead to more jobs, a more productive economy, and more tax revenues for the government.

Public Opinion

the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues. This can be skewed by outside influences, such as family, media, or religion.

agents of political socialization

Family, schools, peers, media, and social environments (including civic and religious organizations) contribute to the development of an individual's political attitudes and values

Liberal democracy

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights.

political culture

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

Libertarian

One who believes in limited government interference in personal and economic liberties

margin of error

the range of percentage points in which the sample accurately reflects the population

representative sample

a sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole

moderate

Person whose views are between conservative and liberal and may include some of both ideologies

radical

Favoring drastic political, economic, or social reforms.

reactionary

Ideological view that favors a return to a previous state of affairs

equality of opportunity

all people are given an equal chance to compete

media

various methods for communicating information including traditional forms like newspapers, television and radio, or social media

public opinion poll

measuring public opinion on various issues

tracking poll

following how views of a candidate change during a campaign

exit poll

collecting data on why people voted the way they did

sampling error

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be of the results.

demographics

statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

platform

a political party's formal statement of basic principles, stands on major issues, and objectives

Keynesian economics

Theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes, stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms; governments can manipulate macroeconomic demand through taxation and spending policies in order to foster stable growth.

monetary policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.

fiscal policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.

social policy

a national government's course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens

progressives

Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters. The Democratic Party is beginning to publicly identify themselves as progressives rather than as liberals.

Gender gap

A term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates. Women tend to be significantly less conservative than men and are more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending.

Melting pot

A term often used to characterize the United States, with its history of immigration and mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples.

Minority majority

The situation, likely beginning in the mid-twenty-first century, in which the non-Hispanic whites will represent a minority of the U.S. population and minority groups together will represent a majority.

Political participation

All the activities used by citizens to influence the election of political leaders or the policies they pursue. The most common means of political participation in a democracy is voting; other means include protest and civil disobedience.

Random-digit dialing

A technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey.

Sample

A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole.

Federal Reserve System (The Fed)

an independent agency which seeks to achieve maximum employment and price stability; The country's central banking system, which is responsible for the nation's monetary policy by regulating the supply of money and interest rates

Democratic Party

generally align more closely to liberal ideological positions

Republican Party

generally align more closely to conservative ideological positions

Individualism

each person has the ability to shape their life and destiny through the choices they make

Free enterprise

the market determines prices, products, and services

Rule of law

every person, even those in power, must follow and is accountable to the same laws that govern all

Generational effects

experiences shared by people of a common age

life cycle effects

experiences a person encounters during different life stages

benchmark polls

creating baseline views of a candidate

Liberal ideology economic policy

favor more governmental regulation of the marketplace

Conservative ideology economic policy

favor fewer governmental regulation of the marketplace

Libertarian ideology economic policy

favor little or no governmental regulation of the marketplace beyond the protection of property rights and voluntary trade

Liberal ideology social policy

favor more national government involvement to address some social issues such as education and public health, with less responsibility for these issues left to state governments

Conservative ideology social policy

favor less national government involvement to address some social issues such as education and public health, with more responsibility for these issues left to state governments

Libertarian ideology social policy

favor little national or state government involvement except when national or state government is protecting private property or individual liberty