We the People Ch. 1 Pt. 1

Government

Institutions and procedures by which a territory and its people are ruled.

Politics

A process to decide who gets what, when, and how.

Public goods

Goods that all citizens need but cannot provide for themselves, such as national defense and public order.

Power

The ability to influence who leads, how the government is organized, and what policies it pursues.

Authority

A type of power that gives legitimacy to those in power, which can be constitutional or legal.

Pluralism

The theory that different types of power exist where most groups share similar types of influence and no one group dominates.

Power elite theory

The idea that political and economic elites possess significant power and influence over policies and governance.

Pericles

An ancient Greek leader known for stating that ignoring politics does not mean politics will ignore you.

Public utilities

Essential services such as water, electricity, and transportation that citizens rely on for daily life.

Stable currency and economy

A necessary condition for a functioning monetary system to support trade and investment.