Ch. 1 - The Logic of American Politics

Coalition

An alliance of different opinionated individuals/groups to achieve some common purpose.

Such as lobbying, legislation, or campaigning for the election of public officials.

Collective Action $

An action taken by group of like minded individuals to achieve a common goal.

Collective Goods $

Goods that are collectively produced and freely available for anyone’s consumption.

Such as public parks, clean air, etc.

Conformity Costs

It’s the cost of going along with others instead of doing what you personally want or believe.

Individuals pay conformity costs whenever collective decisions produce policy outcomes that do not best serve their interests

Transaction Costs

The costs of doing political business reflected in the time and effort required to compare preferences and negociate compromises in making collective decisions

Focal point

Focus identified by participants when coordinating their energies to achieve a common purpose.

Free-Rider Problem

A situtation in which individuals can get benefits from a collective activity whether or not they contributed. Leaving them with no incentive to contribute.

Initiative

An approach to direct democracy in which a proposal is placed on an election ballot when the requisite number of registered voters have signed petitions.

Power vs. Authority

Power is an officeholder’s actual influence with other officeholders, and as a consequence, over the government’s actions.

Authority: the right to make and implement a decision

Prisoner’s Dilemma

A situation in which two+ actors cannot agree to cooperate for fear that the other will find interest best served by reneging on an agreement.

Zero-Sum Game

As in elections, one side’s gain is the other side’s loss.

Tragedy of the Commons

A situation in which group members overexploit a common resource, causing its destruction.

Referendum

An approach in direct democracy:
a state legislature proposes a change to the state’s law/constitution that all the voters subsequently vote on.

Institutional Design

The construction of political institutions and processes for managing conflicts and reaching collective agreements between competing interests