midterm review 2

Politics

Power, things, and methods involving conflicts and compromises in cases and policies.

Collective Action

The challenge of coordinating efforts among individuals to achieve a common goal; includes the free-rider problem.

Government

Institutions and processes guiding policy decisions.

Authority

The right to make decisions and enforce laws.

Democracy

A system of government where citizens participate directly or through elected representatives.

Constitutionalism

A system based on fundamental principles that limit government power, exemplified by the U.S. Constitution.

Public Goods

Services provided by the government that individuals cannot easily provide themselves, such as roads and defense.

Federalists

Those who supported a strong central government during the ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Those who opposed the Constitution, fearing centralized power and advocating for stronger state governments.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional, established by Marbury v. Madison.

Three-Fifths Compromise

The agreement counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislative action.

Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)

A law regulating campaign finance in federal elections.

Super PACs

Political Action Committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts but cannot coordinate directly with candidates.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature consisting of two houses, as seen in the U.S. Congress.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Organizations that fundraise and donate to political candidates to influence elections and legislation.

Direct Democracy

A system where voters make policy decisions directly.

Media Campaigns

Strategies that use various media platforms to reach voters during elections.

Proposition 140

A California law that restricted state legislators' terms.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries, often managed by independent commissions to avoid gerrymandering.

Grassroots Lobbying

Mobilizing the public to influence legislators and public policy.

Checks and Balances

A system ensuring that no one branch of government becomes too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.