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Chapter 1

govt exam 1 chapter 1

Terms

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government
the system for implementing decisions made through the political process
factions
groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government. American government is set up to avoid domination by any one of these groups.
separation of powers
the division of government power across the judicial, executive and legislative branches
checks and balances
a system in which each branch of government has some power over the others
federalism
the division of power across the local state and national levels of government
public goods
services or actions (such as protecting the environment) that, once provided to one person, become available to everyone. Government is typically needed to provide public goods because they will be under-produced by the free market
collective action problem
a situation in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to produce some outcome, but each individual is better off reusing to cooperate and reaping benefits from those who do the work
positive externalities
benefits created by a public good that are shared by the primary consumer of the good and by society more generally
free rider problem
the incentive to benefit from others' work without making a contribution, which leads to individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together
politics
the process that determines what government does
free market
an economic system based on competition among businesses without government interferences
economic individualism
the autonomy of individuals to manage their own financial decisions without government interference.
redistributive tax policies
policies, generally favored by Democratic politicians, that use taxation to attempt to create greater social equality (i.e., higher taxation of the rich to provide programs for the poor).
culture wars
political conflict in the US between "red-state" Americans, who tend to have strong religious beliefs, and "blue-state" Americans, who tend to be more secular.
melting pot
the idea that as different racial and ethnic groups come to America, they should assimilate into American culture, leaving their native languages, customs, and traditions behind.
ideology
a cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world
conservative
one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for lower taxes, a free market, and more limited government; generally associated with Republicans
liberal
one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulation; generally associated with Democrats
libertarians
those who prefer very limited government and therefore tend to be conservative on issues such as welfare policy, environmental policy and public support for education, but liberal on issues of personal issues of personal liberty such as free speech, abortion, and the legalization of drugs
Why do we have a government?
Government is necessary to establish justice, promote general welfare, and secure liberty. The separation of powers and the system of checks and balances prevent the tyranny of the majority. Government is necessary to provide public goods and overcome collective action problems.
What is politics?
Politics is conflictual. Making government policy typically involves issues on which people disagree, sometimes strongly, about what should be done. Although this may mean that compromises are hard to find, conflict is a normal and healthy part of politics. The political process matters. Politics is the process that determines what governments do. Governmental actions are the result of conscious choices made by elected officials and bureaucrats. Politics is everywhere. The key idea has two components: politics is a fundamental part of everyone's life, and the ways people think and act politically are driven by the same types of calculations and decision-making rules that govern beliefs and actions in other parts of their lives.
What are the sources of conflict in American politics?
Some disagreements in politics are intractable because of strong differences between people and their attitudes toward government and politics. American political conflicts are rooted in citizens' different economic interests; cultural values; racial, ethnic, and gender identities; and ideologies. Despite these differences, Americans tend toward moderate views on most issues, producing a "purple America" rather than clear divisions between so-called red states and blue states.

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