Studied by 24 people
Politics
who gets what, when, and how
Power
ability to get other people to do what you want
Media
the channels through which information is send and received
Social order
the way we organize and live our collective lives.
Government
system or organization for exercising authority over a body of people
Authority
power that is recognized as legitimate
Legitimate
accepted as "right" or proper
Rules
directives that specify how resources will be distributed
Norms
informal, unwritten expectations that guide behavior and support formal rule systems
Political narrative
persuasive story about the nature of power, who should have it, and how it should be used.
Gatekeepers
journalists and media elite who determine which news stories are covered and which are not
Economics
productions and distribution of a society's material resources and services
Socialist economy
economic system in which the state determines production, distribution, and price decisions, and property is government owned.
Substantive guarantees
government assurance of particular outcomes or results
Procedural Guarantees
government assurance of the process but no promises of particular outcomes
Capitalist economy
economic system in which the market determines production, distribution, and price decisions, and property is privately owned.
Laissez-faire capitalism
economic system in which the market makes all the decisions, and the government plays no role.
Mixed economies
economic systems based on modified forms of capitalism tempered by substantive values.
Democratic socialism
mixed economy that combines socialist ideals with a commitment to democracy and market capitalism, keeping socialism as its goal.
Social democracy
mixed economy that uses the democratic process to bend capitalism toward socialist goals.
Regulated capitalism
market system in which the government intervenes to protect rights.
Authoritarian governments
systems in which the state holds all power over social order.
Totalitarian
system in which absolute power is exercised over every aspect of life
Authoritarian capitalism
system in which the state allows people economic freedom but maintains stringent social regulations to limit noneconomic behavior.
Anarchy
the absence of government and law
Democracy
government that vests power in the people
Popular sovereignty
concept that citizens are the ultimate source of political power.
Advanced industrial democracy
system in which democratic government allows citizens a considerable amount of personal freedom and maintains a free market economy.
Communist democracy
utopian system in which property is communally owned and all decisions are made democratically.
Populism
social movements based on the idea that power has been concentrated illegitimately among elites at the people's expense
Subjects
individuals who are obliged to submit to a government authority against which they have no rights
Citizens
members of a political community with both rights and responsibilities
Divine right of kings
principle that rulers receive their authority from God.
Classical liberalism
political ideology dating from the 17th century emphasizing individual rights over the power of the state.
Social contract
notion that society is based on an agreement to give up some rights in exchange for the protection of others.
Republic
government in which decisions are made through representation of the people
Digital native
individual born after the advent of digital technology who is proficient in and dependent on its use.
Public-interested citizenship
view of citizenship focused on action to realize the common good.
Self-interested citizenship
view of citizenship focused on action to realize an individual citizen's interests
Identity politics
assertion of power, or discrimination, by a group based on their common perception of who they are.
Immigrants
citizens or subjects of one country who move to another country to live or work
Naturalization
legal process of acquiring citizenship
Asylum
protection or sanctuary from political persecution
Refugees
individuals who flee an area or country because of persecution
Nativism
belief that the need of citizens ought to be met before those of immigrants
Political culture
broad pattern of ideas, beliefs, and values that a population holds about its citizens and government.
Values
central ideas, principles, or standards that most people agree are important
Normative
term used to describe beliefs or values about how things should be or what people ought to do rather than what actually is
Individualism
belief that what is good for society is based on what is good for individuals
Ideologies
set of beliefs about politics and society that help people make sense of their world
Conservatives
people who generally favor limited government and are cautious about change
Liberals
people who generally favor government action and view change as progress
Economic conservatives
those who favor a strictly procedural government role in the economy and the social order.
Libertarians
those who favor a minimal government role in any sphere
Economic liberals
those who favor an expanded government role in the economy but a limited role in the social order.
Social conservatives
those who endorse limited government control of the economy but considerable government intervention to realize a traditional social order.
Political correctness
idea that language shapes behavior and therefore should be regulates to control its social effects.
Social liberals
those who favor greater control of the economy and the social order to bring about greater equality and to regulate the effects of progress.
Progressives
contested concept that social liberals use to refer to a philosophy demanding radical structural change to create mare equality
Communitarians
those who favor a strong substantive government role in the economy and the social order so that their vision of a community equals may be realized
Authoritarian populism
radical right-wing movement that appeals to popular discontent but whose underlying values are not democratic
Racism
belief that one race is superior to another
French and Indian war
war fought between France and England and allied native Americans. From 1754 to 1763, resulted in France's expulsion from the new world.
Common Sense
pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 that persuaded many Americans to supports the revolutionary cause.
Declaration of Independence
political document that dissolved the colonial ties between the United States and Britain
Constitution
the rules that establish a government
Articles of Confederation
first constitution of U.S. creating an association of states with weak central government
Confederation
government in which independent states unite for common purpose but retain their own sovereignty
Popular tyranny
unrestrained power of the people
Shay's rebellion
grassroots uprising 1787 by armed Massachusetts farmers protesting foreclosures.
Constitutional convention
assembly of 55 delegates in summer of 1787 to recast articles of confederation, result was U.S. constitution.
Federalism
political system in which power is divided between the central and regional units
Federalists
supporters of the constitution who favored a strong central government
Anti-federalists
advocates of states' rights who opposed the constitution.
Virginia plan
proposal at the constitutional convention that congressional representation be based on population, favoring large states.
New Jersey plan
proposal at the constitutional convention that congressional representation be equal, favoring small states.
Great Compromise
constitutional solution to congressional representation equal votes in the Senate, votes by population in House.
Three-fifths compromise
formula for counting 5 enslaved people as 3 people for purposes of representation.
Ratification
process thorough which a proposal is formally approved and adopted by vote
The federalist papers
a series of essays written to build support for ratification of the constitution.
Bill of Rights
summary of citizens' rights guaranteed and protected by a government added to the constitution as its first 10 amendments in order to achieve ratification
Legislature
body of government that makes laws
Bicameral legislature
legislature with 2 chambers
Unicameral legislature
legislature with 1 chamber
Executive
branch of government responsible for putting laws into effect
Electoral college
body that elects the president.
Presidential system
government in which the executive is chosen independently of the legislature and the 2 branches are separate.
Parliamentary system
government in which the executive is chosen by the legislature from among its members and the 2 branches are merged.
Judicial power
power to interrupt laws and judge whether a law has been broken.
Judicial review
power of the supreme court to rule on the constitutionality of laws.
Legislative supremacy
acceptance of legislative acts as the final law of the land
Separation of powers
institutional arrangement that assigns legislative, executive, and judicial powers to different persons or groups, limiting the powers of each.
Checks and balances
principle that allows each branch of government to exercise some form of control over the others.
Fusion of powers
alternative to separation of powers. Combining or blending branches of government
Enumerated powers of congress
congressional powers names in the constitution, article 1, section 8
Necessary and proper clause
constitutional authorization for congress to make any law required to carry out its powers.
Supremacy clause
constitutional declaration, article 6, that the constitution and laws made under its provisions are the supreme law of the land.
Concurrent powers
powers that are shared by the federal and state governments.
Dual federalism
federal system under which the national and state governments are responsible for separate policy areas.
Cooperative federalism
federal system under which the national and state governments share responsibilities for most domestic policy areas.
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