American Political Culture and Competing Theories of Democracy

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts from the lecture notes on American political culture and competing models of democracy.

American Political Culture

A set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share.

Democracy

A system of government in which power is held by the people; from demos (people) and kratos (power).

Natural Rights

Rights that are yours by virtue of being human; apply to all humans.

Social Contract

An agreement in which people allow their government to rule over them in exchange for an orderly and functioning society in which natural rights are protected.

Inalienable Rights

Rights the government cannot take away.

Popular Sovereignty

The government's right to rule comes from the people.

Republicanism

Government authority comes from the people; a system based on consent and representation.

Liberty

Freedom in social, political, and economic spheres; visions include freedom from government interference and freedom to pursue one’s dreams.

The American Dream

The belief that individuals should be able to achieve goals through hard work, sacrifice, and talent; luck can influence outcomes; also referred to as the Pursuit of Happiness.

Participatory Democracy

A theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government; emphasizes active citizen involvement.

Civil Society Groups

Independent associations outside the government’s control that mobilize participation.

Pluralist Theory

Theory that many groups compete to influence public policy; described as a "nation of joiners".

Interest Groups/Factions

Groups that seek to influence public policy based on common interests; Madison called them factions in Federalist 10.

Elitist Theory

Theory that elites have disproportionate influence in policymaking; associated with the idea of an influential minority or 'the 1%,' and is often criticized.

Majoritarian Democracy

A democratic model that relies on the majority of citizens through elections to exercise political power and achieve consent of the governed.

Limited Government

The idea that the powers of the government are restricted by a constitution or laws to protect individual rights.

Individualism

The belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and their own success, emphasizing self-reliance and independence from government intervention.

Equality of Opportunity

The belief that all individuals should have an equal chance to succeed, based on their effort.

What is equality of outcome?

The idea that society must ensure individuals have comparable material wealth, social conditions, or opportunities, which often requires government intervention to redistribute resources.

How do natural rights relate to the social contract in American political thought?

The social contract is an agreement where people give up some freedom to the government in exchange for protection of their natural rights (life, liberty, and property/pursuit of happiness), which are inherent and inalienable.

Why is republicanism considered a way to temper majority rule?

Republicanism tempers majority rule by establishing a system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions, creating a deliberative process that can protect minority rights and prevent hasty actions influenced by temporary popular passions.

Contrast the influence of groups in Pluralist Theory versus *Elitist Theory

Pluralist Theory suggests that policymaking results from competition and compromise among many diverse interest groups, while Elitist Theory contends that a small, powerful group of 'elites' disproportionately controls policy outcomes.