Gov. Unit 1-3 Keywords

Minority rights

protections for those who are not part of the majority.

Ideology

the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy.

Partisanship

strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party.

Oligarchy

a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power.

Direct democracy

a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them.

common goods

goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply

elite theory

claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people

majority rule

a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

pluralist theory

claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people

political power

influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies

politics

the process by which we decide how resources will be allocated and which policies government will pursue

public goods

goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge

representative democracy

a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws

social capital

connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

bicameral legislature

a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

enumerated powers

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

federal system

a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

republic

a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives

reserved powers

any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government

social contract

an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights

supremacy clause

the statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

block grant

a type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds

categorical grant

a federal transfer formulated to limit recipients’ discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria

concurrent powers

shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems

cooperative federalism

a style of federalism in which both levels of government coordinate their actions to solve national problems, leading to the blending of layers as in a marble cake

dual federalism

a style of federalism in which the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction, creating a layer-cake view of federalism

elastic clause

the last clause of Article I, Section 8, which enables the national government “to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying” out all its constitutional responsibilities

full faith and credit clause

found in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution, this clause requires states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of other states; also referred to as the comity provision

general revenue sharing

a type of federal grant that places minimal restrictions on how state and local governments spend the money

immigration federalism

the gradual movement of states into the immigration policy domain traditionally handled by the federal government

new federalism

a style of federalism premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves outcomes

nullification

a doctrine promoted by John Calhoun of South Carolina in the 1830s, asserting that if a state deems a federal law unconstitutional, it can nullify it within its borders

privileges and immunities clause

found in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution, this clause prohibits states from discriminating against out-of-staters by denying such guarantees as access to courts, legal protection, and property and travel rights

race-to-the-bottom

a dynamic in which states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations, often to workers’ detriment

venue shopping

a strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government they calculate will be most receptive to their policy goals