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73 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Government
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the formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted
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Political Science
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The systematic study of governments and political processes, institutions and behaviors
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Politics
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two or more people make decisions, values for a society, who gets and gives what, the art of governing
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Power
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capacity to produce intended effects, authority, ability, capacity to cause people to do something
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Legitimacy
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power exercised with the constent of others
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State
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Sovereign political unit
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Sovereignty
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supreme authority in a political community
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Types of Government:
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autocracy, monarchy, oligarchy, aristocracy, democracy, anarchy
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Autocracy
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rule by a single individual (despotism)
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Monarchy
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rule by hereditary kings
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Oligarchy
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rule by a small group of individuals (military leaders, one party)
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Aristocracy
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rule by a class of people (merchants, nobility)
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Democracy
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rule by the "common people"
supreme political authority rests in the people |
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Anarchy
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absence of government
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Direct Democracy
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will of the people translated into public policy through mass meetings
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Indirect (representative) democracy
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popular will translated into public policy by a small, elected group of representatives
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Popular Sovereignty
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suggests that govts. are formed and directed by the will of the peopl
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Republic***
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a govt. in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and exercised by elected officers and representatives who govern according to law
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Citizen
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legal status that accords full membership in a political community with corresponding rights and obligations
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Constitutionalism
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Govt. in which power is distributed and limited by a system of laws that must be obeyed by the rulers
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Rule of Law
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Principle that all citizens are equally subject to law, which limits the power of public officials and protects the rights of citizens
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Constitution
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-Supreme law of a jurisdiction
-system of fundamental laws and principles that prescribes the nature, structure, functions, and limits of a govt. or other institution |
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Law
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Rules of conduct of any organized society, that are enforced by threat of punishment if they are violated
Set of standards applicable to society adopted by proper authority for which penalties are imposed when violated |
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Sources of American Law:
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-Constitutions
-Treaties -Statutes -Executive Orders -Bureaucratic Regs and Rulings -Judicial opinions |
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Unitary
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power in central govt.
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Confederate
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alliance of states w/central gov. w/delegated powers over matters of mutual concern
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Federal
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power is divided b/w central gov. and several sub-national govts.
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Tyranny
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absolute power- unjust and cruel
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How to avoid Tyranny:
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Limit power, balance, diffuse
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Political Ideology
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set of ideas that help to make sense out of politics and to present public arguments
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Conservatives
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limited govt., big gov. only infringes on individuals, personal and economic rights
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Liberals
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extensive gov. involvement in economy and social services, activist in protecting women's rights, elderly, minorities, and environment
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Libertarians
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free-market economy and no govt. interference in personal liberties
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Economics
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production and distribution of society's material resources and services
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Capitalism
Economic Style |
Private Property, Free enterprise
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Private Property
Ec. St. |
entitled to fruits of labor, resources owned by individual, role of gov is to protect basic rights
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Free Enterprise
Ec. St. |
markets control production, distribution and price-decisions (supply and demand)
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Laissez-faire
Ec. St. |
govt. has no role in economy
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Interventionism
Ec. St. |
gov. regulates some aspects of economy
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Socialism
Economic Systems |
state determines production, distribution, and prices and property/means of production are govt. owned
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Communism
Ec. Sys. |
eliminates the state in favor of collective ownership and control
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Mayflower Compact:
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document written by the pilgrims while at sea enumerating the scope of their government and its expectations of citizens
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Social Contract Theory
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ppl are free and equal by nature and all people give their consent to be governed
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Totalitarianism
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a form of government in which power resides in a leader who rules according to self-interest and without regard for individual rights and liberties
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Political Culture
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commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate.
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Political equality
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the principle that all citizens are the same in the eyes of the law
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Majority Rule
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the central premise of direct dem in which on policies that get support of majority will be made law
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Popular consent
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the principle that governments must draw their powers from the consent of the governed
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Natural Law
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a doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and can be understood by reason
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Social Conservative
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one who believes that traditional moral teachings should be supported and furthered by the government
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Moderate
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a person who takes a relatively centrist or middle of the road view on most political issues
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American Dream
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American ideal of a happy, successful life, which often includes wealth, a house, a better life for one’s children, and for some the ability to grow up to be president.
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Ancient Greece
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-Democracy practiced especially in Athens
-Natural Law -Aristotle |
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Aristotle
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Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Wrote "Politics"
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Ancient Rome
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-Roman Republic
-unwritten constitution had separation of powers with checks and balances -Tripartite -Cicero |
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Tripartite
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two counsels elected for one year=executed laws
Senate=passed resolutions Assemblies=approved resolutions |
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Cicero
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Roman lawyer, statesman, and political theorist- virtue in a republic
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Middle Ages
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Catholic Church- Divine Rights of Kings
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Divine Rights of Kings
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Authority of monarchs comes from God (to obey God, one must also obey the King)
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Magna Carta
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"the Great Charter"
signed in 1215 by King John of Eng Constitutionalism |
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Thomas Aquinas
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Italian priest and philosopher
gave "natural law" a Christian frame |
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Eternal Law
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govern the nature of the eternal- scientific laws
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Divine Law
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standards that must be satisfied by a human being to achieve salvation (revelation)
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Natural Law
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govern the behavior of beings possessing reason and free will
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Human Law
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govern behavior in state, but if any point deflects from the law of nature, it becomes a perversion of the law
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Reformation
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Martin Luther
-everyone should be able to understand the Bible -carries over to civil government |
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Sir Edward Coke
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English Jurist
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Thomas Hobbes***
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English political philosopher
- wrote "Leviathan: Matter, Form and Power of a Commonwealth" -Calvinistic view of nature of man -sets forth his own theory of natural rights |
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Hobbes' Approach
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Governments are formed to control society and protect property, absolutely necessary and must be obeyed
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John Locke***
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English political philosopher
-Natural Law theorist -religious tolerance -concern w/legitimate govts. -"social contract" approach -influenced Jefferson's work on the DoI |
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Locke's Approach
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govt. should preserve the wellbeing of the citizens and rebellion is justified against and illegitimate govt.
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Montesquieu***
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French nobleman and jurist
-"Spirit of the Laws" -3 types of gov. powers (estates) --Legislate (make) laws --Execute (enforce/carry out) laws --Adjudicate (interpret/apply) laws |
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Three Systems for Classifying Governments
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-Distribution of Powers in Society (participation)
-Geographic Distribution of Powers -Relationship between Executive and Legislative Power |
