POSC Quiz Notes EXAM 3

political ideology- set of beliefs or values about the role of government and society(liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism)

party platform- a formal set of goals and policies adopted by a political party

history of the two-party system- Federalists v Anti-Federalists, Democratic-Republican and Federalists, then Democrats and Republicans

electoral rules- a set of laws and procedures that govern elections

proportional representation- seats allocated based on percentage of votes each party receives

winner-take-all, single-member district- the candidate with the most votes wins

the effects of electoral rules on elections/democracy- Winner takes all, proportional representation, ranked choice voting

Two-party system vs. multiparty system- Two-party: offers stability but limits representation; multiparty: offers broad representation but causes instability

Duverger’s law- single-member district systems tend to favor 2 party system while proportional representation encourages multiple parties

main parties: Republican Party and Democratic Party

divided government- A situation where different political parties control different branches of government

Polarization- increasing division and ideological distance between political parties or groups

minor parties- political parties not widely supported

ideology and program

liberal

conservative

participation and voting

elections and democracy

electoral competition model- Parties and candidates compete for votes by offering policies that appeal to the median voter- assumes voters are motivated by self-interest.

Prospective voting model- Voters decide how they expect parties or candidates to act in the future, focusing on their proposed policies.

retrospective voting model- Voters base their decisions on past performance, evaluating how well parties or candidates have governed.

Franchise- The right to vote in elections

Suffrage- The right to vote in elections(voting rights)

1965 Voting Rights Act- Landmark law aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in voting

Electoral College- a system used to elect the US president, where each state has electors based on its congressional representation

political participation- actions taken by individuals to influence or engage with political processes

voting turnout: who participates? older, wealthier, and more educated individuals, does it matter? Yes, low turnout skews representation

electoral turnout

campaigning for office

money and elections

contrasting views on interest groups- Pluralist= interest groups represent diverse interests, and competition among groups leads to balanced policy making/ Elitist= Wealthy, powerful groups dominate, undermine democracy, policymaking favors elite interest marginalizing the public

Madison’s argument- Madison argued a large republic is the best way to control factions

The pluralist argument- Politics is shaped by competition among diverse interest groups

Lobby- attempt to influence government decisions and policies

Faction- people with shared interests or goals in conflict with other groups

flaws in pluralism- wealth groups dominate policymaking, too many groups(gridlock), majority neglect, resource disparities

political action committee (PAC)- raises money to support candidates, capped by law

soft money- unregulated donations to political parties

iron triangle- policy-making relationship between Congress, bureaucracy, and interest groups

examples of interest groups- US Chamber of Commerce, AMA, NEA, NRA, Planned Parenthood, Christian Coalition

effects of Interest groups on democracy- represent diverse interests, encourage civic engagement, provide expertise, check government power, promote debate

major social movements in the U.S.- Women’s suffrage, Civil rights movement, labor movement, Anti-Vietnam War movement

grassroots- a movement that mobilizes individuals to take action

mass mobilization- a centralized political organization attempts to implement widespread changes in a society

factors that encourage the creation of social movements- social inequality, economic instability, political opportunity, ability to mobilize people around a common cause

tactics of social movements: media/news outlets, celebrity endorsement, civil disobedience(obstructing daily life to gain attention)