AP Government: Intro + Chapter One Vocabulary

Politics

The process of selecting governmental leaders and determining policies.

Government

The institution responsible for creating public policy in a society.

Policymaking Institutions

Branches of government (Congress, presidency, courts, bureaucracy) that address political issues.

Political Participation

Citizens' activities influencing political leaders or policies, including voting, protest, and civil disobedience.

Political Efficacy

Citizens' trust in government and belief in their ability to understand and influence political matters.

Representative Democracy

System where citizens vote for representatives to make public policy.

Participatory Democracy

Focuses on broad participation in politics and civil society.

Pluralist Democracy

Emphasizes group-based activism by non-governmental interests in political decision-making.

Elite Democracy

Stresses limited participation in politics and civil society.

Hyperpluralism Theory

Contends that strong groups weaken government, an extreme form of pluralism.

Class View or Theory

Suggests government is dominated by capitalists.

Democracy

System where power is with the people, exercised directly or through elected representatives.