sdsu poli sci final vocab

power

influence over a governments leadership, organization, or policies

authority

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

public good

a shared good or service for which it would be impractical to make consumers pay individually and to exclude nonpayers

Legitimacy

Political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

Monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

polity

an organized society, such as a nation, state, church, or other organization, having a specific form of government

Tyranny

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Aristocracy

A government in which power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility

personal liberty

the freedom of the individual to do as he pleases limited only by the authority of politically organized society to regulate his action to secure the public health, safety, or morals or of other recognized social interests.

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society

Rule of Law

principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

Mercantilism

An economic policy under which nations sought to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by selling more goods than they bought

the triangle trade

a trade route that exchanged goods between the West Indies, the American colonies, and West Africa

Seven Years War

(1756-1763 CE) Known also as the French and Indian war. It was the war between the French and their Indian allies and the English that proved the English to be the more dominant force of what was to be the United States both commercially and in terms of controlled regions.

the sugar act

law passed by the British Parliament setting taxes on molasses and sugar imported by the colonies

the stamp act

an act passed by the British parliment in 1756 that raised revenue from the American colonies by a duty in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents

Mutiny Act

This Act meant that the colonists had to supply British troops with housing and other supplies. There was also major protest for this act and the New York Assembly was punished for failure to comply

Townshend Acts

A tax that the British Parliament passed in 1767 that was placed on leads, glass, paint and tea

Coercive Acts

This series of laws were very harsh laws that intended to make Massachusetts pay for its resistance. It also closed down the Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined tea. Also forced Bostonians to shelter soilders in their own homes.

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

Shay's Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Republican system of government

A system of government in which power is exercised indirectly through representatives that are voted into office by citizens of the state

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Seperation of Powers and Checks and Balances

This idea was that the government would consist of an executive, legislative and judicial branch. Each branch would "check on each other" in order to prevent one person or branch becoming too powerful. Within the legislative branch, the two houses would also "check on each other."

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Appropriations

Money granted by Congress or to a state legislature for a specific purpose

enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government

delegate

A person appointed or elected to represent others

Trustee

A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society.

politico

Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles

majority party

the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

President Pro Tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

standing committees

Separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

joint comittee

made up of members from both house and the senate

conference committee

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.

select (or special) committee

temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose

legislative oversight

Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

constituency service

Casework, assistance to constituents by congressional members

Rule of Law

principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

imperial

like an emperor or an empire

delegated powers

Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution, for example, the authority to print money.

implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

primary election

an election held to choose a party’s nominee for office

Legitimacy

Political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution

judicial restraint

A judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislatures

judicial activism

An interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)

Juduicial Review

The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to determine if a law passed by Congress or a presidential action is in accord with the Constitution.

dispute resolution

the role of courts to peacefully settle disputes and keep order in society

law interpretation

The role of the court to decide what the law means when there is a disagreement about meaning, conflicting provisions, or even conflicts between two laws.

precedent

an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action

jury of peers

a group of ordinary citizens who hear the case and decide whether the accused person is innocent or guilty

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

unitary system

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

delegated powers

Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution, for example, the authority to print money.

reserved powers

Powers given to the state government alone

the power problem

the need to grant government enough power to effectively address the problems that people expect government to address, while also limiting power enough so that government can be held accountable

Dual Federlism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

Cooley Doctrine

Local government is a matter of absolute right and the state may not take it away.

Cooperative Federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

states' rights

the rights and powers held by individual US states rather than by the federal government.

Interposition

if one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer

Educative Role

keeping people educated about different facets of government and politics

watchdog role

concept of the press as a skeptical and critical monitor of government

Commercial Media

any public communication, such as advertisements, billboards, films, or magazines, that are designed to increase sales or generate profits

Framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

Bias

prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Ideology

a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

Conservatism

A political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes.

Modern Conservatism

a political ideology that prioritizes individual liberties, preferring a smaller government that stays out of the economy

liberal

open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.

Classical Liberalism

A term given to the philosophy of John Locke and other 17th and 18th century advocates of the protection of individual rights and liberties by limiting government power.

Terrorism

Acts of violence designed to promote a specific ideology or agenda by creating panic among an enemy population

Libertarianism

An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social life.

Socialism

A system in which society, usually in the form of the government, owns and controls the means of production.

Communism

A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

Anarchism

A political theory favoring the abolition of governments

Enviormentalism

a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world

Fundamentalism

Literal interpretation and strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or sect).

voter fatigue

The condition in which voters grow tired of all candidates by the time Election Day arrives, and may thus be less likely to vote.

open primaries

allow anyone who is eligible to vote in the primary election to vote for a party’s selection.

closed primary

A primary election where voters are required to register with a specific party before the election and are only able to vote in the party’s election for which they are registered

presidential primary

an election by which voters choose convention delegates committed to voting for a certain candidate. presidential candidate for each party is selected through this.

Cacus

a meeting held by a political party to choose their party's candidate for president or decide policy

voter turnout

the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

rational choice model

a model of voter choice that suggests that an individual will vote if the benefits of doing so outweigh the costs and will cast his or her ballot for candidates who are closest to sharing the individual's views on the issues

civic duty model

a person votes out of a sense of responsibility to the political unit, or a commitment to democratic government and the obligations and duties as well as the rights of citizens to maintain self-government

political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

system explanations

focus on aspects of the political system that affect voter turnout. include voter registration laws, the fact that elections are usually held on one day during the week, the large number of elections in our federal system, and the two-party system.

voter registration

A system adopted by the states that requires voters to register well in advance of Election Day. A few states permit Election day registration.

"Air" Campaigns

campaigns that rely heavily on the mass media

interest group

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy