Back to AI Flashcard MakerPolitical Science /Foundations of U.S. Government & Political Theory Part 1
Foundations of U.S. Government & Political Theory Part 1
This deck covers the fundamental concepts of U.S. government and political theory, including definitions, key historical documents, and influential political theories.
basic functions of government
national defense, preserve order, establish and maintain a legal system, provide services, socialize new generations
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Key Terms
Term
Definition
basic functions of government
national defense, preserve order, establish and maintain a legal system, provide services, socialize new generations
government
the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
politics
the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government
public policy
the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or problem
political system
the system of government in a nation
political issue
an issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
basic functions of government | national defense, preserve order, establish and maintain a legal system, provide services, socialize new generations |
government | the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies |
politics | the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government |
public policy | the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or problem |
political system | the system of government in a nation |
political issue | an issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it |
policy agenda | a set of issues thought by the public or those in power to merit action by the government |
Robert Dahl | author of 'Who Governs?' and created the idea of a 'criteria of democracy' |
the state | A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. |
sovereignty | supreme or ultimate political power; a sovereign government is one that is legally and politically independent of any other government |
divine right | belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from God |
democracy | a term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to rule, directly or indirectly |
republic | a form of democracy in which power is vested in representatives selected by means of popular competitive elections |
democratic centralism | a government is said to be democratic if it's decisions will serve the 'true interests' of the people whether or not the people affect the decision-making or select the decision-makers |
power | the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions |
authority | the right to use power |
legitimacy | political authority conferred by law, public opinion, or constitution |
majoritarian theory | the politics of policy-making in which almost everybody benefits from a policy and almost everybody pays for it |
elitist theory | an identifiable group of persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource such as money or political power |
pluralist theory | a theory that competition among affected interests shapes public policy |
hyperpluralist theory | A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened. Hyperpluralism is an extreme form of pluralism (results in gridlock) |
Greek government ideas | democracy and responsibilities of citizenship |
Roman government ideas | rule or law, republic, and representation |
British government ideas | limited government |
Causes of American Revolution | taxation without representation, violation of natural rights |
unicameral | one house |
bicameral | two houses |
Magna Carta | a legal document written by English lords in 1215 that stated certain rights and limited the power of the King |
English Bill of Rights | protected the rights of English citizens and became the basis for the American Bill of Rights. |
social contract theory | The belief that people are free and equal by natural right, and that this in turn requires that all people give their consent to be governed (John Locke) |
state of nature | hypothetical condition assumed to exist in the absence of government where human beings live in 'complete' freedom and general equality. |
natural (unalienable) rights | rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property |
limited government | a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution |
consent of the governed | the idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people |
Declaration of Independence | the document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence |
Articles of Confederation | the nation's first constitution; was limited because states held most of the power, and congress lacked the power to tax and regulate trade |
'critical period' | 1780s, time when the United States was in jeopardy of falling apart |
Shays' Rebellion | uprising led by Daniel Shays in an effort to prevent courts from foreclosing on the farms of those who could not pay the taxes; caused many to criticize the Articles of Confederation and admit the weak central government was not working |
John Locke | believed all people have a right to life, liberty, and property |
Thomas Hobbes | saw absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings |
Jean Jacques Rousseau | believed people in their natural state were basically good but that they were corrupted by the evils of society; the idea of a 'social contract' |
Constitutional Convention | meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US Constitution. |
Virginia Plan | called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state's population |
New Jersey Plan | proposed a single-chamber congress in which each state had one vote |
Connecticut (aka Great) Compromise | provided for a two-house congress. Each state would be given equal representation in the Senate and the House of Representatives would be based on population |
Three-fifths Compromise | agreement that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of other persons in determining representation in Congress |