Exam 1 Public affairs part 2

What are the three key elements in the definition of Government?

Made by people

Provides minimum level of security through policing, justice, military

Only exist in Artificial Societies or imagine communities

Imagined communities

socially constructed nature of communities, particularly in the context of nationalism. The term suggests that members of a nation, even the smallest, will never know most of their fellow-members, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion.

What do Governments do?

They deal with simple or complex problems

What are Tame Problems?

can be defined and while not easy, can be solved, simple problems

What are examples of Tame Problems?

issuing a driver's license, maintaining infrastructure, processing passport applications

What are Wicked Problems?

Very complex problems that aren't always as simple as they seem. Attempts to fix problems, often result in new ones 'rearing their heads' A reason they are difficult to remede is because they are often difficult to define. These problems come back to 'bite you'.

What are examples of wicked problems?

climate change, poverty, homelessness, healthcare, economic crise

Society

group of individuals that have social bonds, display cooperative behaviors, recognize each other as members, e.g., some bat species, troops of social carnivores, primates

Government of Citizens

the structure and responsibilities of a government that serves the interests and rights of its citizens.

Government

An institutional arrangement that people develop once they start living under sedentary conditions and with growing populations, so that they can be assured that internal and external order and safety are maintained as best as possible despite the fact that they live in imagined communities

System-1 thinking

activated in almost automatic way, especially when under threat; quick responses with little to no thought; Thaler's 'doers'

System-2 thinking

conscious thought, much harder, takes more time; Thaler's 'planners'

Aggregation

anonymous assembly of animals, e.g. swarm of fish, flock of birds

Fission-Fusion Society

a social organization in which individuals merge and separate with larger and smaller groups.

ex: dolphins, elephants & humans

Rank-Challenging Alliance

one male relies on supporters for dominance

leveling alliance

several lower level males form coalitions to assure that top male or males will not take too large a share of resources. Also known as reverse dominance hierarchy

Government as property

s the idea that political authority and the state itself are owned or controlled as personal property by a ruler, family, or class, rather than being held in trust for the public or governed by the consent of the people.

Government as Container

the idea that the government serves as a bounded structure that holds and organizes the people, laws, and institutions within a defined territory.

Formal regulation

Forms of social control that emerge from organizations or institutions; also known as formal social control. Beliefs about what other people think ought to be done

Moral suasion

ad campaigns against smoking, drinking, vaping; promoting recycling, physical exercise, etc.

shaming

public trial following a violation of social and injunctive norms

graduated sanctions

a series of punishments that become more severe with each subsequent act of wrongdoing

first offense --> second offense --> fine --> conditional sentence --> incarceration --> execution

Hallow State

minimal state intervention in society, only public order and safety

Welfare State

government empowers citizens via provision of resources to develop their own lives

Ensuring State

provision of public services when private actors fail

Golden Rule

is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity, meaning that one should reciprocate to others how one would like them to treat the person (not necessarily how they actually treat them).

Constitutional Rules

concern the foundation of the political-administrative system

Collective Rules

concern the rules in and of the decision-making bodies and arenas

Operational Rules

concern the day-to-day operations of government

Power

the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions

Authority

the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience, accepted or legitimate power

Personal Property

rules for rulers with citizens as subjects

Social contract

rules of and for engagement between citizens and government officials

Rechtstaat

state based on law and justice, rule of law, no individual is above the law

Administrative State

a government by administration based on the rule of law; presence of government in many aspects of our lives

Primary Law

rules passed by legislative body

Secondary Law

administrative rules passed by Congressional delegation to agencies, executive orders

Neutrality Doctrine

assuring that policies do not favor a particular interest and/or group of citizens

Compensatory State

refers to a government that intervenes in the economy and society to offset inequalities, provide welfare, and ensure stability by compensating for the shortcomings of the market or social systems.

Resource Management

the process of efficiently and effectively allocating, using, and overseeing an organization's resources, such as people, finances, materials, and time to achieve its goals.

Human resource management

is the strategic process of recruiting, developing, managing, and retaining employees to maximize their performance and contribute to an organization's success.

Human capital management

balances the needs of organizations with needs of employees

Position classification

A formal job description listing qualifications, duties, and a pay scale

Open career

lateral entry at all ranks possible

Closed career

start at bottom and work your way up

Civil service reform act 1978

creation of senior executive service

Retrospective accounting

is an accounting method where any changes in accounting policies affect all prior financial statements. It aims to correct discrepancies

Prospective Budgeting

a process used to estimate the amount of income a client will have in the payment month. It involves using the best estimate of income and circumstances to determine eligibility and the amount of assistance payment. This process is crucial for ensuring that the household remains within eligibility limits for all factors.

Indirect taxes

Taxes levied on spending to buy goods and services, called indirect because payments of some or all of the taxes by the consumer is paid to the government authorities by the firms.

direct taxes

Taxes paid directly to the government tax authorities by the taxpayer, including personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, and wealth taxes.

taxing farming

historical system of revenue collection where the government auctions the right to collect taxes to private individuals or companies, known as tax farmers.

balanced budget

Budget in which revenues are equal to spending

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