unit 4 ap government vocabulary

Latent Opinion

Unstated but potentially significant political opinions that can be activated.

Public Opinion

The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues.

Core Values

Basic beliefs such as liberty, democracy, and equality that shape Americans' behavior and views the role of government in their lives.

Equality of Opportunity

The equal chance for all people to realize their potential.

Free Enterprise

An economic system based on competition among businesses with limited government involvement.

Ideological Polarization

The growing division between political ideologies and ideas of the size and scopes of government.

Individualism

The autonomy of individuals to manage the course of their own lives without government interference.

Caucus (Congressional)

A meeting of party members in Congress to coordinate policies.

Caucus (Electoral)

A local meeting to choose party candidates or delegates.

Conference

A meeting of party members in Congress, like a caucus.

Divided Government

When one party controls the presidency and the other controls Congress.

Duverger’s Law

A principle saying that plurality voting favors a two-party system.

527 Organization

Tax-exempt groups that influence elections through voter mobilization or issue advocacy.

Issue Ownership

The feeling that a party is better suited to handle a specific issue.

Linkage Institutions

Entities that connect citizens to the government (e.g., parties, media).

Liberal/Conservative Ideology

A general worldview favoring progress/change or tradition/order, respectively.

Limited Government

A political system in which the powers of the government are restricted to prevent tyranny by protecting property and individual rights.

Mass Survey

A large-scale poll of public opinion.

Policy Mood

The level of public support for expanding the government’s role in society, whether the public wants government action on a specific issue.

Political Socialization

The process of acquiring political attitudes and values.

Population

The entire group whose opinions a survey seeks to measure.

National Committee

The top organization of a political party, managing national affairs.

Negative Partisanship

Voting against a party you dislike, rather than for one you support.

Nominating Convention

A meeting where a party formally selects its candidate.

Party Coalitions

Groups of voters who consistently support a party.

Party Identification (Party ID)

A person’s attachment to a political party.

Party in Government

Elected officials who belong to a party.

Party in the Electorate

Voters who identify with a party.

Party Organization

The structure that runs a political party.

Party Platform

A formal statement of a party’s principles and policy objectives.

Party Principle

The idea that a party exists independently of its candidates.

Random Sample

A sample in which every individual has an equal chance of being selected.

Rule of Law

The authority of law to restrict people’s behavior equally for the common good.

Sample

A subset of the population used in a survey.

Sampling Error

The margin of error in survey results due to sampling.

Party System

The organization and competition of political parties over time.

Plurality Voting

The candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Organizations that raise money to influence elections.

Primary Election

A vote to select a party’s candidate for the general election.

Realignment

A shift in party loyalty among the electorate.

Single-Member District

An electoral district with one representative.

Spoils System

Awarding public jobs based on political loyalty.

Unified Government

When one party controls the presidency and Congress.