AP Gov/Comp 1.1 Concepts and Vocab

politics

the process by which individuals and groups reach collective decisions, allocate scarce resources, and determine “who gets what, when, and how”

government

the formal institutions, individuals, and processes through which public policies are made, executed, and enforced for a society

democracy

a system in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives

direct democracy

a model of government in which citizens participate directly in policy decisions and voting, rather than relying on elected representatives

representative democracy

a system of government in which citizens elect delegates to make laws and govern on their behalf (aka indirect democracy)

participatory democracy

a theory emphasizing broad, direct civil participation in political life and civil society rather than relying solely on elected leaders

elitist theory

the perspective that a small, wealthy, and well-educated minority hold the real power in policy decisions, regardless of formal democratic structures

plurist theory

a theory that political power is dispersed among competing organized interest groups, ensuring that no single faction dominates policy outcomes

natural rights

fundamental rights inherent to all human beings by virtue of being human, famously defined by John Locke as life, liberty, and property

social contract

an implicit agreement between individuals and their government in which citizens consent to surrender some freedoms in exchange for the protection of their remaining rights

popular sovereignty

the principle that ultimate political power and authority reside in the consent and will of the people

republicanism

a philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the governed, opposing monarchy or tyrannical rule

inalienable rights

essential rights that cannot be taken away or surrendered to the government, highlighted in the Declaration of Independence as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

liberty

the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views

civil society groups

non-governmental organizations, interest groups, and associations formed by citizens to advance shared interests outside of formal state control

political institutions

the established structures and organizations within a political system that create, enforce, and apply laws (ex. Congress, the Presidency, the courts, etc…)

constitutional republic

a form of government where power is exercised by elected representatives who are strictly bound by a supreme foundational law that safeguards individual rights

unitary government

a centralized government where ultimate political power rests entirely with the national government and the subnational units only exercise power delegated to them

federal government

a system that divides power between a central national government and regional subnational governments, with both levels deriving authority from a constitution

confederate government

a weak alliance of independent sovereign states that create a central government with strictly limited powers