Studied by 1 PersonPolitics
the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.
Limited Government
Governing or controlling body whose power exists only within pre-defined limits that are established by a constitution or other source of authority
How is the U.S. government limited?
○ People have the power
○ Protected civil liberties
○ Prohibited powers for states and national government
○ Federalism: Division of powers between states and national government
Natural Rights
Rights that people supposedly have under natural law
○ The Declaration of Independence of the United States identifies life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as inalienable rights.
Popular Sovereignty
Principle that the authority of a state and its government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives
○ Rule by the People, who are the source of all political power
Republicanism
Support for a republican system of government
Republic: a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.
The Constitution requires a republican form of government for all states
Social Contract
An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits for example by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection
○ Theorists Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau explored the idea as a means of explaining the origin of government and the obligations of subjects.
Declaration of Independence
Formal statement written by Thomas Jefferson declaring the freedom of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain.
○ The Declaration of Independence was the document adopted at the Second Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776.
U.S. Constitution
The Constitution of the United States established America's national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens.
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. The Constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government
The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government, the tasks these institutions perform, and the relationships among them. It replaced the Articles of Confederation before them.
participatory democracy
Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society
○ Model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions
Pluralist Democracy
Emphasizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making
○ Model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy
Elite Democracy
Emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society
○ Model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making
Federalists
Favored stronger central government
•Favored a large republic
•Supported the new Constitution
•The Federalists favored the ideas of a stronger federal (national) government.
•Opinions on how the government should be structured:
•Wanted to ratify the Constitution
Supported Strong National Government (take power away from States)
•Thought that Checks & Balances would protect peoples rights
•Don't need a BILL OF RIGHTS
•Wanted a strong Executive branch (President)
Anti-Federalists
Favored strong state governments
•Opposed ratification of the new
Constitution
•Feared a strong central government would render the states powerless
•Demanded a Bill of Rights
•The Anti-Federalists favored the ideas of a stronger state governments.
•Opinions on how the government should be structured:
•Most power should stay with States
•Wanted Legislative Branch more powerful than Executive Branch
•Refused to ratify without a BILL OF RIGHTS
•No National Bank
Federalist No. 10
Essay written by James Madison (Father of the Constitution)
•No. 10 addresses the question of how to guard against the "mischiefs factions" and advocates for a large republic
Faction
a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.
Brutus No. 1
-Opposite of Federalist Papers.
-Written by Anti-Federalists who had opposed the Constitution and a large central government.
-Purpose was to convince people that Constitution was bad
-Wanted a Confederacy and revealed problems of a large republic
Articles of Confederation
Basis of government for the 13 original states •Written in 1776, ratified by all states in 1781 •"League of friendship"
•Weak national government
• Congress with one vote for each state •Strong state governments
• Each state had sovereignty and complete control of their laws and affairs
WEAKNESSES OF ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
•Lack of a strong central government
•Congress had no power to tax or raise revenues
•No centralized or national military
• Each state had their own currency and it led to economic chaos • No means to regulate commerce
• No executive branch or President
• No plans for judiciary and authority of courts
• No national unity