AP Gov: Chapter 12 - Party Ideology

Political Ideology

A person's beliefs about government, society, and the economy.

Liberalism

An ideology that generally supports government involvement in addressing social and economic inequalities.

Modern Liberalism

Supports social equality, civil rights, environmental protections, and government programs to address economic problems.

Conservatism

An ideology that generally supports traditional values, limited government involvement in the economy, and individual responsibility.

Modern Conservatism

Supports free-market economics, traditional values, lower taxes, and limited government regulation.

Libertarianism

An ideology that supports very limited government involvement in both personal lives and the economy.

Socialism

An economic and political ideology that supports greater public or government control of important resources and industries to reduce inequality.

Progressivism

A political ideology that supports reforms to address social and economic problems.

Moderate

Someone whose political beliefs fall between liberal and conservative positions.

Political Spectrum

A way of organizing political beliefs from left to right.

Left-Wing

Generally associated with liberal and progressive political beliefs.

Right-Wing

Generally associated with conservative political beliefs.

Fiscal Policy

Government decisions about taxes and spending.

Monetary Policy

Government actions that influence the money supply and interest rates, primarily through the Federal Reserve.

Government Regulation

Rules created by the government to control or oversee businesses and industries.

Welfare State

A system where the government provides programs to support citizens' basic needs.

Individual Responsibility

The belief that people should take responsibility for their own choices and success.