PLS Ch. 1-3 + Ideology EXAM

Freedom vs. Order

The fundamental political tension between individual liberty and government stability or security.

Equality vs. Freedom

The political trade-off between ensuring equal treatment or opportunity and preserving individual choice.

Direct Democracy

A system of government where citizens make policy and law decisions directly without elected representatives.

Representative Democracy

A system of government where citizens elect officials to make decisions and laws on their behalf.

Initiative

Allows citizens to propose new laws and vote on them.

Referendum

A direct vote in which citizens accept or reject a proposed law or public action.

Recall

A procedure that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term ends.

Totalitarianism

A form of government that attempts to assert total control over nearly all aspects of public and private life.

Authoritarianism

A political system where power is concentrated in a leader or small group, featuring limited political opposition.

Universal Suffrage

The broad right of almost all adult citizens to vote in political elections.

Majority Rule

A decision-making principle where the preference of more than half of the voters determines the outcome.

Political Equality

The principle that all citizens possess equal standing, weight, and influence in governance.

Majoritarian Model

A theory of democracy where government policy is primarily driven by the preferences of the majority of citizens.

Pluralist Model

A theory of democracy where policy is shaped by competition among multiple organized interest groups.

Oligarchy

A power structure in which a small group holds political control.

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document in which the American colonies announced their separation from Great Britain.

Thomas Jefferson

Main author of the 1776 document asserting American independence from Great Britain.

Social Contract

The theoretical agreement between citizens and government where state authority relies on the consent of the governed.

Republic

A system of government in which power is held by the people and exercised through elected representatives.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak central government.

Confederation

A union where sovereign states retain most power and central government remains limited.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 assembly in Philadelphia that drafted the fundamental governing document of the United States.

Supremacy Clause

The constitutional provision establishing that federal laws and treaties take precedence over state laws.

Virginia Plan

A proposal at the 1787 convention favoring a legislature with state representation based largely on population.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal at the 1787 convention advocating equal state representation in the national legislature.

Connecticut Compromise

An agreement establishing a dual legislative structure with one house based on population and one with equal state representation.

Electoral College

The constitutional body established for the selection of the president and vice president.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement counting enslaved persons as three-fifths of a free person for representation and direct taxation.

Republicanism

A political philosophy centered on citizenship and governance through elected representatives.

Federalism

A structural arrangement where political power is divided between national and state governments.

Separation of Powers

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

Checks and Balances

A system enabling each branch of government to limit the authority and actions of the other branches.

Federalists

Proponents of ratifying the 1787 Constitution who favored a strong central government.

Antifederalists

Opponents of ratifying the 1787 Constitution who feared excessive national power and demanded protections for individual rights.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing fundamental individual liberties.

Living Constitution

The concept that constitutional interpretation evolves over time to meet changing societal circumstances.

Amendment

A formal, written change or addition made to an official legal document or constitution.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to determine whether laws or executive actions conform to constitutional principles.

Ideology

A comprehensive set of political beliefs, values, and principles guiding policy views.

Ideological

Describing an approach or belief system based strictly on fixed political principles or doctrines.

Pragmatic

Describing an approach focused on practical outcomes and realistic solutions rather than fixed theory.

Capitalism

An economic system characterized by private ownership of assets and market-based distribution.

Communism

An economic and political system based on state or collective ownership of assets and central planning.

Liberalism

A political philosophy emphasizing equality, individual rights, and state action to promote social progress.

Democratic Party

A major contemporary American political organization generally associated with liberal positions.

Republican Party

A major contemporary American political organization generally associated with conservative positions.