American Government - Chapter 1

Anarchy

The condition of human beings without government.

Aristocracy

Name given by ancient Greeks to a form of government based on rule by a few virtuous citizens. (Contrast with Oligarchy.)

Authoritarian Government

A label for nondemocratic governments—that is, governments that are uncontrolled by the people because the people are not empowered by institutions and legal rights to exercise such control. In this textbook, this term is used interchangeably with Autocratic Government and Nondemocratic Government.

Authority (Legitimate Authority)

To have legitimate authority means one has a right to issue commands and to punish those who do not comply with the commands.

Autocratic Government

A label for nondemocratic governments—that is, governments that are uncontrolled by the people because the people are not empowered by institutions and legal rights to exercise such control. In this textbook, this term is used interchangeably with Authoritarian Government and Nondemocratic Government.

Bureaucratic Agencies

Organizational units within the executive branch of government responsible for implementing specific public policies and/or providing public services.

Checks and Balances

Legal rights binding on the government and designed to protect individuals from abuse of power by government. (See also Civil Rights and Human Rights.)

Civil Rights

Legal rights that aim at eliminating and/or remedying various forms of unequal treatment in American society, particularly discrimination against persons based on such characteristics as race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. (See also Civil Liberties and Human Rights.)

Collective Action Problem

A situation where free riding threatens to prevent a group from providing a public good. (See also Free Riding and Public Goods.)

Constitutional Governments

Governments that are effectively bound by fundamental laws.

Courts of Law (or just Courts)

Tribunals with authority to resolve legal disputes between parties and that make authoritative judgments that guide and/or limit executive branch enforcement and implementation of laws.

Democracy (or Democratic Government)

A type of government in which the people, inclusively understood, exercise control over the government through institutions and legal rights designed to give them that control

Direct Democracy

 A form of democratic government in which all the citizens directly participate in making and enforcing laws. (Contrast with Representative Democracy.)

Executive Branch

A set of institutions in government with authority to put laws into effect, including, but not limited to, through the use of physical force by police or military.

Federalism

Principle of government that means authority is partly divided and partly shared between the federal (aka “central” or “national”) government and the state governments.(Contrast with Unitary National System.)

Freedom of Expression

General term for the ability to express one's beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and opinions (including in person, in print, on film, on the air, or digitally) free from government restriction or intimidation. 

Freedom of the Press

The freedom of journalists and news media organizations to report information without fear of censorship, financial penalty, imprisonment, physical abuse, or intimidation by government.

Free Ride

To enjoy the benefits of a public good without bearing part of the burden of providing it. (See also Public Good and Collective Action Problem.)Fundamental Law

Fundamental Law

Law that is supreme over ordinary laws and establishes processes of ordinary lawmaking and enforcement. In American government, the law of the constitution is understood to be fundamental law. (See also Law of the Constitution; contrast with Ordinary Law.)

Government

A set of enduring institutions that claim legitimate authority to use force and make laws binding upon the people of a particular territory.

Human Rights

Moral rights thought to be universally held by all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights are considered to be essential to human freedom and dignity, and include, among others, the right to life and liberty; to freedom from slavery and torture; and to the freedom of belief, opinion, and expression. Human rights are protected in the U.S. Constitution through civil liberties and civil rights. (See also Civil Liberties and Civil Rights.)

Interest Group

An association that seeks to influence government to benefit members of the association or advance a cause they share a belief in.

International System

The system of rules, norms and behaviors that shape, and are shaped by, relations between governments around the world.

Judiciary (or Judicial Branch)

The branch of government consisting of courts of law. (See also Courts of Law.)

Kingship (or Monarchy)

Name given by ancient Greeks to a form of government based on rule by one virtuous citizen. (Contrast with Tyranny.)

Law of the Constitution

The law written in a constitutional document that is considered Fundamental Law (i.e. that is supreme over “Ordinary Laws”). (See also Fundamental Law; contrast with Ordinary Laws.)

Laws

Written authoritative rules binding upon the people of a particular territory.

Legislative Branch (or Legislature)

An institution of government that makes laws (i.e. “legislates”).

Legitimate Authority

The right to issue commands and to punish those who do not comply with the commands.

Liberal Democracy

A system of government that combines democracy with rule of law, constitutional protections for human rights, the separation of powers, checks and balances, and other institutional devices aimed at promoting limited government. (See also Democracy, Rule of Law, Constitutional Government, Human Rights,  Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Limited Government.)

Limited Government

Principle that holds government must be empowered to serve its legitimate purposes, but it must also be limited and controlled in its powers so that it does not pose an unacceptable threat to the fundamental rights and interests of the governed.

Monarchy (or Kingship)

Name given by ancient Greeks to a form of government based on rule by one virtuous citizen. (Contrast with Tyranny.)

Negative Incentive

A threat to impose a burden if one does not behave in a desired way. Sometimes called a “Stick.” (Contrast with Positive Incentive.)

Nondemocratic Governments

Governments that are uncontrolled by the people because the people are not empowered by institutions and legal rights to exercise such control. In this textbook, this term is used interchangeably with Authoritarian Government and Autocratic Government.

Oligarchy

Name given by ancient Greeks to a form of government based on rule by a few self-serving citizens. (Contrast with Aristocracy.)

Ordinary Laws

Written rules, such as statutes, ordinances and regulatory rules, that are made and enforced by government and that are binding on individuals. These are distinguished from the Law of the Constitution, which is the Fundamental Law that is binding on government.

Political Party

An organization that seeks to influence government by getting members elected to office and by coordinating the actions of elected officials in government.

Positive Incentive

A promise to provide a benefit in exchange for behaving in a desired way. Sometimes called a “Carrot.” (Contrast with Negative Incentive.))

Power (Relational Power)

The ability to get a person or group to do what they otherwise would not do. For any possible two-way power relationship, if the individuals or groups who are part of the relationship are called “A” and “B,” then A has power over B to the extent that A can get B to do what B would not otherwise do.

Power of the Purse

The government’s ability to influence behavior by using money—through taxing and/or spending—as a positive incentive or negative incentive. In American government, the legislative branch controls the power of the purse. (Contrast with the Power of the Sword, which is wielded by the executive branch.)

Power of the Sword

The government’s ability to influence behavior by using, or threatening to use, physical force through the police or military. In American government, the executive branch wields the power of the sword. (Contrast with the Power of the Purse, which is controlled by the legislative branch.)

Propaganda

A form of persuasive communication that urges people to support, or take actions to advance, a political goal by manipulating their irrational biases and concealing from them things they reasonably should consider.

Private Good

Good that individuals within a group can be excluded from enjoying. (Contrast with Public Good.)

Public Good

A good that, once provided, no one in a group can be excluded from enjoying. Put another way, it is a non-excludable good. (Contrast with Private Good.)

Relational Power

The ability to get a person or group to do what they otherwise would not do. For any possible two-way power relationship, if the individuals or groups who are part of the relationship are called “A” and “B,” then A has power over B to the extent that A can get B to do what B would not otherwise do.

Representative Democracy

 A form of democratic government in which the citizens who make and enforce laws are accountable to (i.e., are controlled by), and do so on behalf of (i.e., represent), the majority of citizens who do not directly participate in making and enforcing laws. (Contrast with Direct Democracy.)

Rule of Law

The idea that all citizens, including government officials, are bound by laws. The idea further entails that all government actions must be authorized by pre-existing laws and that lawmakers may not exempt themselves from the laws they make.

Separation of Powers

Principle of government that means legislative, executive, and judicial powers are exercised by separate branches of government consisting of distinct institutions that are staffed by officials who serve in only one institution at a time.

Sham Constitution

Document with fundamental “laws” that allegedly bind a particular government, but that, in reality, are routinely violated by the government.

Sovereignty

The right of a government to govern its territory without interference from other governments and to use military force to defend itself and its territory from foreign aggression.

Tyranny

Name given by ancient Greeks to a form of government based on rule by one self-serving citizen. (Contrast with Monarchy and Kingship.)

Unitary National System

A system of government in which all local governments are subordinate to a central / national government. (Contrast with Federalism.)

Freedom of Association

The right to create and join associations such as political parties and interest groups, and the right of such associations to take actions to advance the interests and goals of its members. (See also Political Parties and Interest Groups.)