POL-1010 Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement

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

What are common goods?

This is a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people

What is a democracy?

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

What is a direct democracy?

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

What is the elite theory

This term means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals

What is government

This term means the beliefs and ideals that help shape political opinion and eventually policy

What is ideology?

These are beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time

What are intense preferences?

These are beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to an that change over time

What are latent preferences?

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

What is majority rule?

These are protections for those who are not part of the majority

What are minority rights?

This is a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power

What is a monarchy?

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

What is an oligarchy?

This is strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political power

What is partisanship?

This theory claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people

What is the pluralist theory?

This is when there is influence over a governments institutions, leadership, or policies

What is political power?

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

What is politics?

These are goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them

What are private goods?

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

What are public goods?

This is 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

What is a representative democracy?

These are connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

What is social capital?

These are a good that is available to many people but is used by only by those who can pay the price to do so

What are toll goods?

This is a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights

What is totalitarianism?