Gov't Midterm 1
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Created by:
Taylor_Fortner on January 16, 2012
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53 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Elitism | The power in a society is concentrated in the hands of a small group of powerful people, ruling class |
| Pluralism | power is dispersed among many different centers of power, the leaders of various groups that make up society; Sometimes they are in agreement and sometimes they are not. |
| Majoritarian | ... |
| Rousseau | "Natural Savage Theory": born good, environment corrupts man. Social Contract: give up freedoms for the good of the people as a whole, government follows the will of the people |
| Hobbes | Social Contract; giving up all your rights, government should command absolute obedience, people born evil and corrupt |
| Locke | Free by nature; born good; "Life, Liberty, Property"; Natural Rights; the right to revolt |
| Montesquieu | The separation of powers; rules do not change: what is good for one place and time is good for another place and time |
| Government | An institution that makes and enforces public policies |
| 4 characteristics of a state | Population, territory, sovereignty, government |
| Force Theory | forced their way into an area and take control |
| Evolutionary Theory | starts small (like family), grows into clans, then a state |
| Divine Right Theory | Divine Being states they have right to be in control |
| Social Contract Theory | unwritten compromise with government, "the people" give up some of their rights for the good of everyone |
| Purposes of Government | 1) Form a more perfect union; 2) Establish justice; 3) Ensure domestic tranquility; 4) Provide for the common defense; 5) Promote the general welfare; 6) Secure the blessings of liberty |
| Democracy | Supreme political authority rests with the people. Can be either direct or indirect |
| Dictatorship | Those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. Autocracy or Oligarchy |
| Unitary | The government is at one central location, typically a national or federal spot |
| Federal | The government is in two locations: Federal and State level |
| Confederate | the government is an alliance or independent state |
| Parliamentary | the legislative and executive branches are together. The branches choose leaders for the other branches. Voters elect the Legislature, the chief executive is drawn from the legislature |
| Presidental | the legislative and executive systems are separate. Voters elect both the legislature and the chief executive, who is part of the executive branch. The legislative and executive branches are independent and coequal. |
| Concepts of Democracy | worth of the individual; equality of all; majority rule, minority rights; need of compromise; individual freedom; government free enterprises (capitalism) |
| Magna Carta | "The Great Charter" limits power of the ruler; due process; government should be based on an agreement or contract |
| Popular sovereignty | the government's right to rule comes from the people |
| Limited Government | the government has only the powers that the constitution gives to it |
| Civil Rights and Liberties | ... |
| Separation of Powers | constitution divides the government into three branches: congress, presidential, and courts |
| Checks and Balances | each branch of government has the power to check or limit the action of the other two |
| Declaration of Independence | popular sovereignty; renounces monarchy and advocates natural rights |
| Relationships between States under the Articles of Federation | Trade between states was not regulated, lack of power to makes states obey Articles, lack of mechanism between them |
| Weaknesses of the Articles | No money and no power to get it (congress had no power to tax), no power over the state governments and their citizens, unenforceable trade agreements, unfair competition among the states, threats to citizen's right to property |
| Virginia Plan | favored a strong national government, 3 branches: legislative most powerful, chooses who serves the other 2 branches; 2 house legislature, all powers under Articles, including ability to make states obey laws, and admit new states |
| New Jersey Plan | Keep framework of Articles, Legislative branch: 1 house, increased powers like taxes, trade, each state has 1 vote; Executive: several people appointed by Congress; Judicial: supreme court appointed by executive branch |
| Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) | A delegate from Connecticut suggested compromises regarding the congress, said that congress should be divided into two houses, Senate and House of Representatives. In Senate, each state represented equally. House: represented based on population. Proposed at the first Constitutional Convention in 1787. Made a strong Central government possible, and satisfied issues with states, Senate allowed equal representation, and the House of Reps. allowed bigger states to have more of a say. |
| Federalists | Fear unlimited democracy/factions; government removed from people; stable economy; elites best to rule; strong national government; ratification of constitution as is, no Bill of Rights needed; weakness of Articles |
| Anti-Federalists | Feared elites; feared unlimited government; government close to people; guaranteed national rights; small farmers, debtors, frontiersman, shop keepers; favored retention of power by states; no mention of God; denial of states to print money; central government has too much power, need Bill of Rights to protect individual rights; against ratification process |
| 6 Principles of the Constitution | popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review, federalism |
| Articles in the Constitution | 1: The Legislative Branch 2: The Executive Branch 3: The Judicial Branch 4: Relations Among the States 5: Amending the Constitution 6: National Supremacy 7: Ratification Process for the Constitution |
| Formal Amendment Process | Proposed by 2/3: Congress or National Convention Ratified by 3/4: State Conventions or State Legislatures |
| Ways to Informally Amend the Constitution | Basic legislation, executive action, court decisions, party practices, custom |
| Federalism | a system of government in which a written constitution divides the powers of government on a territorial basis between a central or nation, government and several regional governments, usually called states or provinces |
| Delegated Powers | Powers granted to National Government in Constitution |
| Expressed Powers | found directly in constitution |
| Implied Powers | not expressly stated, but reasonably suggested or implied by expressed powers |
| Inherent Powers | belong to national government because it is in the government of a sovereign state with the world community |
| Reserved Powers | Powers that the Constitution does not grant to the National Government, and does not, at the same time, deny to states |
| Exclusive Powers | Powers that can be exercised by the National Government alone |
| Concurrent Powers | Powers that both the National government and the states posses and exercise |
| Federalism and Local Governments | each state creates local governments through its constitution and laws. Exercises state law through their own means |
| Supremacy Clause | Establishes the constitution and United States laws as "supreme law of the land". |
| Grants | either categorical (specific reason, conditions) or project (variety of reasons it can be distributed, private agencies, local or state level) |
| Revenue Sharing | Used from 1972 to 1987, annual share of federal tax revenue to state and local levels |
| Nation's Obligations to the States | Republican form of government, Invasion and internal disorder, respect for territorial integrity |
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