Government : Chapter 1: Socioeconomic and Political Context Key Terms

Federal Structure

• A system with multiple sovereign governments

• In the U.S., the national government and 50 state governments share authority.

  
  

Dual Sovereignty

• Federal and state governments each have independent powers and share others.

Local Governments

• Sub-state governments (counties, cities, towns) that provide most public services and are not sovereign

Dillon’s Rule

• State local governments only have powers granted by the state and can be overruled by the state

Laboratories of Democracy

• Idea that states experiment with policies and other states adopt successful ones

Urbanization

• Movement of people to cities

• About 80% of Americans now live in urban areas

Population Trends

• Changes in population size and distribution that affect state/local planning and services

Demographic change

• Shifts in race, ethnicity, and age that influence policy needs and priorities

Aging Population

• Growing share of Americans over 65, creating challenges for pensions and state services

Service economy

• Modern U.S. economy dominated by service jobs rather than manufacturing

Wealth Inequality

• Uneven distribution of income

• Poverty rates vary widely across states

Political Ideology

• A set of beliefs about how government should act and what policies it should support

Conservative ideology

• Supports traditional values, limited economic regulation, and strong law enforcement

Liberal ideology

• Supports equality, government intervention, abortion rights, and gun control

State Control

• When one political party controls both legislative chambers and the governorship

Criminal Justice (State Role)

• States handle most criminal law, courts, prisons, and sentencing policies

Death Penalty Variation

• States differ widely

• Some use it, some ban it, and Texas performs the most executions

Education policy (state/local)

• States and local governments fund and run public schools

• Funding often depends of property taxes

Robin Hood Plan (Recapture)

• Texas policy that redistributes money from wealthy school districts to poorer ones

Police Powers

• State authority to regulate health, safety, welfare, and morals

Texas Constitution

• A long, restrictive constitution with many amendments that limits government power and revenue