AP GOV UNIT 1

Government

Institutions that make decisions for a society

Government and its institutions

1) Congress (house of representatives and senate) 2) President 3) Courts 4) federal bureaucracy (administrative agencies)

Functions of national governments (5)

1) Maintain a national defense; 2) provide public services/goods; 3) preserve order; 4) socialize the young; 5) collect taxes

Politics

Process of determining whom we select as leaders and what policies are pursued (who gets what, when, and how)

Policy Agenda

Issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and those involved

Political participation

Ways people are involved in politics

Linkage institutions

Media linking people to public policy outcomes (parties, interest groups)

Public policy

Policies made by government institutions that affect the public

Laswell Model

Simplification of policy making process. WHO, WHAT (goals), HOW (tools used), WHEN (now or later)

Schattschneider Model

policy begins with a conflict

Democracy

System of selecting policymakers and organizing government so policy represents citizens’ preferences

Direct democracy

Government controlled directly by citizens

Participatory Democracy

Referendums, initiatives, recalls

Representative government

Government controlled by citizens through elected representatives

Majority rule

What the majority wants

Minority rights

Protecting minority groups

Pluralism

“Pie” analogy. Policymaking is open to the participants of all groups with shared interests and they may influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts

Elitism

Unequal group due to class line. Upper class controls the government

Hyperpluralism

Groups make policy, not really the government

Majoritarianism

Majority rules elections and policy

Four challenges to democracy

1) increased complexity of issues, no time or education to understand; 2) limited participation in government; 3) escalating campaign costs; 4) diverse political interests (policy gridlock, government ability to make policy is crippled)

Social Contract Theory

Act of people exercising sovereignty and creating government to which they consent

State of nature

Savage, no law, anarchy, absolute autonomy

Natural rights

Life, liberty, property. Give up property and governments gives order and protection

Hobbes ideals

Everyone is naturally savage and needs government to keep order

Locke ideals

Authority is within people, government should just protect natural rights

Rousseau ideals

Government should originate from an agreement among the free people to be ruled, or a social contract

Montesquieu ideals

Representative government, local governments, and separation of powers

3 components of the English constitution

1) Magna Carta - no more absolute monarchs, 2) Petition of Right - Limiting the executive. King is now accountable to law, 3) English Bill of Rights - limiting government and protecting the rights of the people

Catalyst of the American revolution

1763 and the French and Indian War

Salutary neglect

Allowed colonies to violate laws associated with trade because it was too difficult and expensive to enforce laws

Three parts of the Declaration of Independence

1.) Statement of purpose 2.) list grievances 3.) declaration of war and the establishment of the US

The Articles of Confederation

A focus on weaknesses, firm league of friendship. Unicameral congress

Successes of the Articles of Confederation

Northwest Ordinance and State constitutions

Fall of the Articles of Confederation

Shay’s Rebellion, mass inflation

Annapolis convention

Nobody comes to meet to deal with economics

Philadelphia convention

Constitutional convention, revise the Articles of Confederation

Delegates of the constitutional convention

55 delegates meet in Philly but were not very representative of the colonial population

Virginia Plan

Favored large state right. Bicameral legislature based off of population

New Jersey Plan

Favored small states rights. One representative per state

Connecticut/Great compromise

House or Rep. based on population and 2 members per state in the senate

8 principles of the Constitution

1.) popular sovereignty 2.) republicanism 3.) individual rights 4.) limited gov’t 5.) separation of power 6.) checks no balances 7.) judicial review 8.) federalism