foundations of democracy test

unit 1 AP gov

divine right theory

God-given right to rule/stay royal

social contract theory

voluntary act of free people to be ruled by government; give up personal freedoms for gov’t protection

state of nature

lawless society (similar to anarchy) where man is free to do whatever w/o interference or authority

Hobbes

no function w/o gov’t, strong enough ruler to keep authority who is above the law

Locke

function through “rational self-interest" w/ a ruler not above the law

natural rights

ALL people must have right to life, liberty, property, pursuit of happiness

liberty

people have freedom to act, speak, make choices w/o government interference

rule of law

everybody in gov’t/in general is subject to the laws & the constitution

totalitarian

total control, small group/dictatorship, no rights nor needs, typically cut off from outside world

authoritarian

gov’t controlled by leader/party, but socioeconomic institutions are not

aristocracy

ruled by the BEST (wealthy/smart), dedicated to state

oligarchy

rule by the FEW, self-serving purposes

anarchy

NO political/gov’t authority (state of nature), typically seen in transtition

direct democracy + problems

ALL decisions made by the PEOPLE (voting like congress but with everybody)

*is time consuming and people weren’t educated enough

indirect/representative democracy

people have the ultimate authority, BUT elected officials make decisions & take turns being in power

participatory democracy

citizens decide on policy; politicians implement (town hall)

pluralist democracy

interest groups compete to influence policy

elite democracy

small amount of wealthy people influence political decision-making (electoral college)

types of representative democracy

participatory, pluralist, elite

types of democracy

direct, indirect

mayflower compact

signers agreeing to submit to gov’t authority; 1st existence of social contract

articles of confederation

1st instance of written law in US; loose, VOLUNTARY association of independent states

shays’ rebellion

tax protest turned attack on courthouses in MA; farmers weren’t getting support from debt (caused by AOC); private businesses put it down, NOT gov’t. 1784

declaration of independence

establishes rights, social contract, and universal truths; brings up grievances; establishes independence (duh). 1776

connecticut compromise

creates house of representatives, member count based on representation; senate, member count 2/state

3/5 plan

allowing 3/5th of a person for every slave owned (benefits southern states)

electoral college

elite democracy; select few elect leaders based on popular vote for each state

popular sovereignty

the people have political power and give it to those they elect/the government

limited government

government can only do what people want it to do

separation of powers

judicial, executive, legislative branch all have powers to ensure no abuse

checks and balances

each branch of gov’t oversees each

6 constitutional principles

1. popular sovereignty

2. limited gov’t

3. federalism

4. separation of powers

5. checks & balances

6. judicial review

necessary & proper clause

congress can make laws that are necessary & proper given current time period and climate, what is needed

commerce clause

gov’t can regulate all interstate commerce (Wickard v. Filburn, farm and wheat)

supremacy clause

national law is supreme and all states must listen to national law over state law

enumerated powers

powers specifically in the constitution given to the government

implied powers

part of necessary and proper clause

prohibited powers

self explanatory; i.e can’t suspend right to habeaus corpus

reserved powers

powers given to the states BECAUSE they were not listed for the fed

concurrent powers

state AND federal powers

1. taxes

2. crimes

3. establishing courts

4. welfare spending

article IV

interstate relations

full faith and credit: states respect others’ laws

extradition: committing crimes stays in one state

privileges and immunities: states should treat other citizens of other states equally

federalists

ratify as is; elites who feel more fit to govern because they’re educated, powerful central gov’t for nat’l solutions

anti-federalists

add more rights for the average joe; strong state government so nat’l power is removed

bill of rights

addition for anti-federalists for constitution to pass; 1st 10 amendments written by Madison to protect from nat’l gov’t only, thus limiting power

amendment process

proposal:

1. 2/3 vote by both house and senate

2. convention requested by 2/3 state legislature

ratification:

1. ¾ state legislatures

2. at conventions in states, ¾

informal amendments + methods

not written explicitly, but interpretation is changed

1. basic legislation

2. executive action/order

3. judicial review

4. party practices

5. customs/tradition

unitary system

central gov’t has most power; can make and cut state gov’t

confederal system

state government strong; limited fed authority (AoC)

new federalism

nat’l and state delegate powers/strength; constitution is law

dual federalism

“layer cake” non-interactive, operate individual of one another (1780s-1930s)

cooperative federalism

“marble cake”, state and fed work together (1930s and new deal)

new federalism

1970s, generated from mandates; states get more power over funding and have to use grants for specific purposes, but can use it in different ways (see block grants)

fiscal federalism

based on grant money to nationalize policies congress wants to see

devolution

move power from fed to the states

categorical grants

for specific purpose

block grants

general guidelines for what can be done with money

mandates can be…

funded and unfunded

funded mandate

comply or get no $

unfunded mandate

forced to carry out regardless

fed 10

factions (such as shays’): removing the causes is impossible (- liberty, opinions), so control the effects. large republic does this

• decision-making lies in representatives

• geographically diverse nation

• larger territory = more diverse factions, harder to form a majority

• reps more likely to act for good

fed 39

federalism: it’s dual, both states and congress can make rules on people

• stressing reserved, concurrent powers

fed 51

checks & balances: prevents one branch of government to get too powerful since political elites are too eager to get power

brutus 1

most warning: necessary and proper, supremacy clauses limit states’ rights too much (i.e limited taxing ability); large republics can’t be democratic (smaller work better)

gettysburg address

stresses founding ideals of the US & evolution of democracy; equality, popular sovereignty

tenth amendment (amendment X)

federal and individual states share power by mutual agreement; powers in constitution are given to the fed and others are reserved for the states

McCulloch v. Maryland

instance of using necessary and proper clause to limit state government

1. nat’l bank is constitutional

2. MD trying to tax that branch is unconstitutional (fed)

US v. Lopez

siding with states on g*n control under commerce clause overreaches