Gov. Chapter 7 Vocabulary

Free enterprise

Free enterprise

Americans support capitalism and a free-market economy in which private businesses compete with relatively limited regulation by government. They accept the fact that such a system creates winners and losers in terms of wealth and economic status.

Justice and the rule of law

Americans believe that society should be governed by a system of laws that are fairly and equally applied. They believe that the rights of ordinary citizens should not be arbitrarily restricted or infringed on by government.

Patriotism

Americans feel great pride and loyalty toward their country. Many believe that the United States is the greatest nation in the world. They also take pride in the values of American democracy.

Civic duty

Americans believe that for democracy to flourish, citizens should vote and participate in civic and political affairs. Many also see volunteering for military service or giving back to their communities through volunteer activities as an aspect of civic duty.

Optimism

In general, Americans are upbeat and optimistic. They see themselves as "can-do" people. They tend to believe that their lives and life in general will be better in the future.

Socialism

The oldest of these ideologies is ___________. The main goal of this is to limit economic inequality by ensuring a fair distribution of wealth. In a socialist system, the government owns or controls most of the economic resources needed for the production of goods and services. In theory, a socialist government manages the economy in a way that benefits the majority of citizens.

Democratic socialism

Most American socialists today support what is known as _____________. This is an ideology that advocates socialism as a basis for the economy and democracy as a governing principle. In countries that have adopted this ideology, elected leaders supervise a "mixed economy" of public and private industry.

Libertarianism

Modern __________ is an ideology based on a strong belief in personal freedom.

Environmentalism

This last ideology, ____________ unites Americans who are deeply concerned about conservation and protection of the environment. These people advocate policies designed to reduce pollution an preserve natural resources. In contrast to libertarians, they support government regulation of industry and the economy to achieve those ends.

Centrism

These strong divisions often push voters to be drawn to __________. Many surveys show that moderates, along with people who describe themselves as slightly conservative or slightly liberal, make up the largest group of U.S. voters.

Social capital

The organizations that make up civil society, they point out, are nourished by citizen involvement. This involvement helps to expand a society's ____________. Putnam defines __________ as "connections among individuals" that are forged through their participation in voluntary associations.

Individualism

Americans believe in personal freedom and personal responsibility. As a general rule, they believe that every citizen is responsible for his or her own actions and well-being. This contrasts with the more collective view in some countries, where greater emphasis is placed on the government's role in meeting people's needs.

Green card

Those who successfully complete the application process receive an identification card known as a ___________. This provides proof that its holder has a legal right to live and work in the United States.

Political culture

Citizens and residents of the United States operate within a ___________. This is a society's framework of shared values, beliefs, and attitudes concerning politics and government. It is the political environment in which Americans exercise their rights and responsibilities.

Resident alien

____________ enjoy most of the rights of citizens. These include the right to travel freely outside the country. However, if they plan to be away for more than a year, they must apply for a reentry permit. Without this permit, they be refused reentry to the US. they can also lose their permanent resident status and be deported if they are convicted of criminal activity.

Jim Crow Laws

In the late 1800s, southern states passed laws, known as ___________, that enforced segregation and denied legal equality to blacks. It would take many decades for the courts and Congress to overturn these laws and protect the civil rights of African Americans.

Citizenship

Keep these questions in mind as you read about the rights and responsibilities of ____________ and the ways that Americans today engage in the civic and political life of their communities.

The status of being a citizen, a person who by birth or naturalization enjoys certain rights and has certain duties in a nation-state.

Lawful permanent resident

Once in this country, most ____________ enjoy most of the same rights as native-born Americans. These include the rights listed in the Bill of Rights, from freedom of speech to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment.

An immigrant who is legally authorized to live and work in the United States permanently, but is not a U.S. citizen. Also known as resident alien.

Undocumented immigrant

All males who are 18, whether they are citizens, lawful permanent residents, or _____________, must register for military service.

A person who has come to the United States to live and work without the required legal papers.

Naturalization

The other way to become a citizen is through ________. This a multistep legal process that, when completed, gives the applicant virtually all the rights and responsibilities of a native-born citizen.

Ideology

Although Americans share a common political culture, they do not all hold to the same _________, or basic political beliefs. They often disagree on the role government should play with respect to economic policy and moral values.

A basic set of political beliefs about the roles of government in efforts to solve society's problems.

Liberalism

____________ is an ideology that favors an active role for the government in solving society's problems.

An ideology favoring an active role for the government in efforts to solve society's problems.

Conservatism

____________, on the other hand, is an ideology that calls for a limited role for government in economic affairs.

An ideology favoring a limited role for government and more private initiative by nongovernmental groups in efforts to solve society's problems.

Civil society

Putnam argues that social clubs and civic organizations are building blocks of what political scientists call __________. This term refers to a middle layer of voluntary associations and institutions that exists between government on the one hand and individuals and families on the other.

Associations and other voluntary groups that form a middle layer in society between government and individual families. This includes groups that people join because of family, faith, interests, or ideology.