Unit 1 Constitutional Underpinnings

Government

the political direction and control of public policy exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; direction of the affairs of a state, community, etc.; political administration

Autocracy

A type of government in which one person with unlimited power rules.

Democracy

Government by the people, both directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.

Direct democracy

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.

Representative democracy

a system of government in which all eligible citizens vote on representatives to operate the government.

Theocracy

Government by religious leaders, who claim divine guidance.

Unicameralism

A government with one legislative house or chamber.

Bicameralism

The principle of a two-house legislature.

Collective Good

Something of value (money, a tax write-off, prestige, clean air and so on) that cannot be withheld from a group member

Politics

the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power

Single-Issue Groups

Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics.

Policymaking institutions

the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues

Majority rule

Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

Minority rights

the normal individual rights as applied to members of racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or gender and sexual minorities; and also the collective rights accorded to minority groups

Pluralism

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

Elitism

A theory of government a politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Hyperpluralism

A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

Policy Gridlock

a deadlock or political stalemate refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people. A government is gridlocked when the ratio between bills passed and the agenda of the legislature decreases.

Political culture

the set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments which give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system. it encompasses both the political ideals and the operating norms of a polity.

Constitutionalism

The set of arrangements, including checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires our leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.

Statism

The idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation.

Majority

The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.

Plurality

Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half.