POLITICAL THINKING

Is reflective thinking focused on deciding what can reasonably be believed and then using this infor to make political judgements.

AUTHORITARIAN

Government characterized by oe-party rule and

supresses individuality.

DEMOCRACY

Is a form of government in which the people govern, either directly or through elected representatives.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

The systematic study of government and politics.

POLITICAL CULTURE

The widely shared and deep-seated beliefs of its people about politics.

LIBERTY

Is the principle that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the freedom and well-being of others.

CHECKS AND BALANCES

The constitution contained this to make sure no branch of the federal government dominated the others.

INDIVIDUALISM

Is a commitment to personal initiative and

self-sufficiency.

EQUALITY

The notion that all individuals are equal in their moral worth and thereby entitled to equal treatment under the law.

SELF-GOVERNMENT

The principle that the people are the ultimate source of governning authority and should have a voice in their governing.

POLITICS

Is the means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costs.

POWER

A term that refers to the ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developments.

FEDERALISTS 

Constitution's supporters who responded with a persuasive case that argued that the government of the Constitution would correct the defects of the Articles; it would have the power necessary to forge a secure and prosperous union.

GRANTS OF POWER

Powers granted to the national government; accordingly, powers not granted it are denied it unless they are necessary and proper to the carrying out of the granted powers.

TOTALITARIANISM

The most extreme form of authoritarian government that admits to no limits on its power; the state controls the media, directs the economy dictates what can and cannot be taught in schools, defines family relations, and decides which religions can be practiced openly.

MAJORITARIANISM

When political leaders respond to the policy desires

of the majority.

PLURALISM

The preference of the special interest largely determines what government does.

AUTHORITY

Is the recognized right of officials to exercise power.

CONSITUTIONALISM

The idea that there are lawful restrictions on

government's power.

LEGAL ACTION

The use of the courts as a menas of asserting rights and interests - a channel through which ordinary citizens exercise power.

CORPORATE POWER

Operates in part through the influence that firms have

with policymakers.

ELITISM

Refers to the power exercised by well-positioned and highly influential individuals.

PUBLIC POLICIES

Which are the decisions of government to pursue particular courses of action.

PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS

Policies are the result of political interactions that political scientists call this process.

OBLIGARCHY

Control rests with small groups, such as military or a wealthy family.

AUTOCRACY

Control rests with single individual, such a s a king or dictator.

PARTY (PARTISAN) POLARIZATION

Used to characterize today's party politics.

LIMITED GOVERNMENT

One that is subject to strict legal limits on the uses of power, so that it would not threaten the people's liberty.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

One in which the people would govern through the selection of their representatives.

SOCIAL CONTRACT

Building on the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke claimed that government is founded on this.

INALIEANABLE RIGHTS (OR NATURAL RIGHTS)

People living in a state of nature, including those of life, liberty and property, which are threatened by individuals who steal, kill, and otherwise act without regard for others.

CONSTITUTION

Is the fundamental law that defines how a government will legitimately operate.

THE VIRGINIA PLAN

(ALSO CALLED THE LARGE-STATE PLAN)

Included separate judicial and executive branches as well as a two-chamber Congress that would have supreme authority in all areas, particuarly defense and interstate trade.

THE NEW JERSEY PLAN

(ALSO CALLED THE SMALL-STATE PLAN)

Called for a stronger national government than that provided for by the Articles of Confederation. Also called for unicameral legislature and designated that all states have an equal vote.

GREAT COMPROMISE

The debate over the two plans dragged on for weeks before the delegates reached what is known as this.  A bicameral legislature with a lower house based on population ad an upper house based on equal represenatives.

THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE

The most controversial trade-off for purposes of apportionment of taxes and seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, each slave was to count as less than a full person.

THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Opponents of the Constitution were labeled this and raised arguments that the national government would be too powerful and would threaten self-government in the separate states and the liberty of the people.

SEPARATOIN OF POWERS

The power of government could be controlled by dividing it among separate branches rather than investing it entirely in a single individual or institution.

DENIALS OF POWER

Powers expressly denied to the national and state governments by the Constitution.

SEPARATED INSTITUTIONS

The division of the national governement's power among three power-sharing branches, each of which is to act as a check on the powers of the other two.

FEDERALISM

The division of political authority between the national government and the states, enabling the people to appeal to one authority if their rights and interests are not respected by the other authority.

BILL OF RIGHTS

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which specify rights of citizens that the national government must respect.

JUDICIAL REVIEW

The power of the courts to declare governmental action null and void when it is found to violate the Constitution.

ELECTIONS

The power of the voters to remove officials from office.

TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY

The people acting as an irrational mob that tramples on the rights of the minority.

DEMOCRACY

(ACCORDING TO THE FRAMERS)

Meant a government in which the power of the majority is unlimited.

REPUBLIC

A government that consists of carefully designed institutions that are responsive to the majority but not captive to it.

TRUSTEES

Representatives obliged to serve the interest of those who elect them.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The framers chose to have the president selected by the votes of electors.

ELECTORAL VOTES

Each state would have the same of number of these as it had members in Congress and could select its electors by a method of its choosing.

DELEGATES

Officeholders who are obligated to carry out the expressed opinions of the people they represent.

PRIMARY ELECTION

Gives rank-and-file voters the power to select party nominees.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

It is constitutional in its requirement that power gained through elections be exercised in accordance with law and with due respect for individual rights.

SOVEREIGNTY

Supreme and final governing authority.

CONFEDERACY

Type of government that the states alone are sovereign and they decide the authority.

ENUMERATED (EXPRESSED) POWERS

Seventeen powers that the framers expected to establish a government strong enough to forge a union that was secure in its defense and stable in its economy.

SUPREMACY CLAUSE

Which provides that "the laws of the U.S. . . shall be supreme law of the land."

"NECESSARY AND PROPER" CLAUSE

(ELASTIC CLAUSE)

It gives Congress the power "to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing [enumerated] powers."

IMPLIED POWERS

Powers that are not listed in the Constitution but are related to the exercise of the powers that are listed.

RESERVED POWERS

In the Tenth Amendment, it reads: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States." The states' powers under the U.S. Consitution are thus called reserved powers.

NATIONALIZATION

An increase in national authority.

DUAL FEDERALISM 

Doctrine based on the idea that a precise separation of national and state authority was both possible and desirable.

COMMERCE CLAUSE

Says that Congress shall have the power "to regulate commerce" among the states.

COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM

Interdependencey has also encouraged national, state, and local policymakers to work together to solve problems.

FISCAL FEDERALISM

Refers to the expenditure of federal funds on programs run in part through state and local governments.

GRANTS-IN-AID

The federal government provides some or all of the money through these grants (cash payments) to states and localities, which then administer the programs.

CATEGORICAL GRANTS

More restrictive type of assistance that can be used only for a designated activity.

BLOCK GRANTS

Less restrictive assistance that the federal government specifies the general area in which the funds must be used, but state and local officials select the specific projects.

DEVOLUTION

Embodies the idea that American federalism can be strengthened by a partial shift in power from the federal government to the state and local governments.