gov

government

institutions + processes for making authoritative public policy

public goods

goods/services everyone can share (clean air/water, safety)

politics

who gets what, when, how; conflicts over policy decisions

political participation

citizen activities meant to influence government

single-issue groups

groups focused on ONE narrow issue

policymaking system

process that takes inputs (demands) → outputs (policy) → impacts

linkage institutions

channels connecting people to government (parties, elections, interest groups, media)

policy agenda

issues getting serious/active gov attention

political issue

an issue people disagree about (usually public + controversial)

policymaking institutions

branches/structures that actually make policy (Congress, President, Courts, Bureaucracy)

public policy

what government decides to do or not do

policy impacts

effects policy has on people/society

democracy

system where citizens select leaders and policies reflect citizen preferences

majority rule

decisions follow what most people want

minority rights

protections so majority can’t crush minority

representation

relationship between elected officials and the people

pluralist theory

groups compete; government responds to many groups

elite and class theory

elites/wealthy dominate influence

hyperpluralism

too many groups → too much conflict → gridlock

policy gridlock

stalemate; hard to pass major policy

political culture

shared political values/beliefs in a society

gross domestic product (GDP)

total value of goods/services produced in a country