| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Political culture | widely shared beliefs, values, and norms concerning the relationships of citizens to government and to other citizens; beliefs, attitudes, and behavior towards government and politics |
| social capital | deomcratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations; strengthens communities and relationships |
| natural rights | rights of all people to dignity and worth |
| Shared values | liberty, equality, individualism, respect for the common person, democratic consensus, justice and the rule of law, patriotism, optimism, individualism |
| democratic consensus | widespread agreement on the fundamental principles of democratic government and the values that support them |
| majority rule | governance according to the opinions of the majority; determined by regularly held elections |
| popular sovereignty | ultimate power resides in the people; government serves the people |
| criteria for laws | general, undiscriminatory; prospectivity for present and future; publicly made known; from legitimate authority; due process |
| American dream | set of ideas that the US is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success |
| capitalism | economic system characterized by private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government regulation; free market |
| competitive economy | individuals reap large rewards for their initiative and hard work |
| egalitarian society | everyone should be able to earn a decent living |
| suffrage | right to vote; has changed throughout history from Andrew Jackson (poor voters) to Civil War to Women's Rights |
| monopolies | domination of an industry by a single company that then discourages competition |
| anti-trust legislation | federal laws that try to prevent monopolies; during the industrial revolution this showed the public's changed views that government should regulate the economy |
| Second Bill of Rights | FDR's ideas on what every person is entitled and what the government should strive for; includes a job, education, home, ability to buy food, etc. |
| political ideology | a consistent (sort of) pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government |
| liberalism | belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity; regulated economy, help society |
| conservatism | a belief that limited government ensures order, competitive governments, and personal opportunity |
| socialism | an economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means and production of exchange |
| libertarianism | an ideology that cherishes individual liberties, insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, noniterventionist in foreign policy and an absence in moral, economic, and social life |
| types of equality | social- no titles, no discrimination; political- protection under the law, equal voting power; opportunity- to improve economic status |
| social conservatives | an ultra-conservatism that focuses on morality and lifestyle; dislike abortion, same-sex marriages, and affirmative action; ex: Christian Right |
Combine with other sets
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