Chapter 1 Terms

Goverment

The institutions that make authoratative decisions on any given society.

Public Goods

Something in which any member of society can share without diminishing the supply to any other member of society.

Politics

Determines who we select as our goverment leaders and what policies these leaders pursure

Political Participation

The way in which people get involved in politics

Single-Issue Groups

Members of these groups are so concerned with one issue that they cast their vote on the base of that issue only.

Policymaking System

The way our goverment reponds to the priorites of the people.

Linkage Institutions

Transmit the preferences of Americans to the policy makers in goverment.

Policy Agenda

Consists of issues that attract the serious attencion of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at any given time.

Political Issue

People disagreeing about a problem or the public policy to fix it.

Policymaking Institutions

The congress, the presidency, and the courts.

Public Policy

Every decision the goverment makes.

Democracy

Means of selecting policy makers and of organizing goverment so policy reflects people's preference.

Majority Rule

Majority rule is where the decision made by the majority of people has greater influence over the decision of less people.

Minority Rights

Principles which the majority can not infringe on.

Representation

Relationship between leaders and their followers.

Plualist Theory

Groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts.

Hyperpluralism

Groups are so strong that goverment is weakened. As the influence of many groups cripples the goverment's abilites to create policy.

Elite and Class Theory

The society is divided along class lines and the upper elite class rules the goverment.

Policy Gridlock

Each policy coalition finds its way blocked by others.

Political Culture

The overall set of values widely shared with American Society.

Gross Domestic Product

The sum total of the value of all of the goods and services produced in a country.