Introduction to AP Comp & US Gov
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Created by:
lindseywood on September 13, 2011
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Aristotle and Natural Law | -society should be governed by certain ethical principles -all things you shouldor shouldn't do in society -govts should respect individual citizens |
| Popular Consent | asserts that people should be able to participate directly in the governing of their own societies |
| John Locke and Thomas Hobbes | SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY -compares relationship btwn a society and its citizens to parties entering into a contract -"all individuals are naturally free" -"if govt breaks contract by acting improperly, the people have the right/duty to revolt" |
| Democratic Centralism | is when the "true interests" of the people are served, whether or NOT those people directly affect the decisions making. EX. Peoples Republic of China |
| Direct or participatory democracy | originated with Aristotle and is the rule of many. New England towns still use a town meeting to make decisions |
| Representative Democracy or Elitist Theory | the acquisition of power by leaders via competitive elections |
| Karl Marx | those who own the means of production, control the economic system and will control the govt |
| C. Wright Mills | POWER ELITE THEORY military, political, and corporate leaders are in control |
| Max Weber | expertise, specialized competence (bureaucrats) will dominate |
| Pluralist View | NO single elite; competition among affected interest shipe public policy decision making |
| Marxist Theory | Those who control the means of production control the economy, and will control the govt |
| Elitist Theory | Govt is controlled by a few who have a disproportionate amt of power |
| Majoritarian Politics | Costs and benefits widely distributed. EX Social Security Act |
| Interest Group Politics | Costs and benefits concentrated EX Military Services and Defense Budget |
| Client Politics | Benefits concentrated and costs distributed EX we all pay taxes, small group benefits |
| Entrepeneurial Politics | Costs Concentrated and benefits diffused EX media |
| 6 Characteristics of American Democracy | Popular Consent Popular Sovereignty Majority Rule Individualism Equality Personal Liberty |
| Power | the ability to persuade someone to do something that is in his or her interest to follow you |
| Political Power | used to affect who will hold govt office and how govt will behave |
| Authority | the right to use power |
| Legitimacy | represents the authority to carry out the wishes of govt (the right to exercise the use of power) |
| Comparative Politics | studies how countries shape and are shaped by the world order created by watershed events |
| 3 Crucial Dates | 1989- FALL OF BERLIN WALL (BEGINS ERA OF GLOBALIZATION) 2001- 9/11 (QUESTIONS GLOBALIZATION) 2008- PRICE OF CRUDE OIL TOPS $100 PER BARREL (IMPACT OF GLOBAL ECONOMY) |
| 6 Countries we study | Great Britain China Mexico Russia Nigeria Iran |
| Causal Theories | Causal Theories -If X happens, then Y happens -Even without hypotheses try to identify similarities and differences to discover patterns Rational Choice Theory (borrowed from economics) -individuals act strategically to acheive goals and maximize interests |
| Challenges to Comparative Politics | -Complexity of subject matter -pace of change -impossibility of manipulating variables or replicating conditions |
| Restraints of Growth of Us Gov | -interpretation of Constitution -popular opinion -framers meant to prevent govt from doing too much 1. sep of powers 2. checks and balances |
| Consequences of an Activist Gov | 1. Members spend more time managing the consquences of existing programs and less time debating new ideas 2. More it will appear to be acting in inconistent, uncoordinated and cumbersome ways 3. Less susceptible to control by electoral activity 4. More things held responsible for and the greater the risk of failure |
| Freedom | Costs: immediate & obvious Benefits: remote and uncertain |
| Equality | Costs: obscure and deferred Benefits: reading apparent |
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