question

What are the six basic principles of the constitution

answer

Popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of power, checks and balances, Judicial review, federalism

question

Popular sovereignty

answer

The preamble to the Constitution begins with: "We the people..." These words announce that in the United States, the people establish government and give it its power. The people are sovereign. since the government receives its power from the people, it can govern only with their consent

question

Limited Government

answer

Because the people are the source of government power, the government has only as much authority as the people give it. Much of the Constitution, in fact, consists of specific limitations on government power. Limited government means that neither the government itself nor any government official is "above the law" and can overstep these constitutional bounds.

question

Separation of powers

answer

Government power is not only limited; it is also divided. The Constitution assigns specific powers to each of the three branches: the legislative (congress), the executive (president), and the judicial (federal courts). This separation of powers is intended to prevent misuse of power by one brach of government

question

Checks and balances

answer

Extends the restrictions established by the separation of powers. Each branch of government has the built in authority and responsibility to restrain the power of the other two branches. This system is time-consuming, but also prevents tyranny by one brach of government.

question

Judicial Review

answer

The principle Federal courts have the power to review government acts and to nullify, or cancel, any that are unconstitutional, or violate a provision of the constitution

question

Federalism

answer

Divides power between a central government and smaller, local governments. This sharing of power is intended to ensure that the central government is powerful enough to by effective, yet not so powerful as to overwhelm States or citizens. It also allows individual States to deal with local problems at the local level- so long as their actions are constitutional.

question

Government

answer

institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies

question

Public policy? What does it cover?

answer

all of those things a government decides to do. Public policies cover matters ranging from taxation, defense, education, crime, and health care to transportation, the environment, civil rights, and working conditions. The list is endless

question

legislative power

answer

the power to make law and to frame public policies

question

executive power

answer

the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

question

judicial power

answer

the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society

question

constitution

answer

body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and process of a government

question

dictatorship

answer

A single person or small group that exercise these powers and have supreme authority. In this form of government, those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people.

question

Democracy

answer

The responsibility for the exercise of these powers rests with a majority of the people. Supreme authority rests with the people

question

State

answer

a body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically (with a government), and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. Often called a "nation" or "country"

question

Within the aspect of state, what is Population

answer

A state must have people-a population. Size of the population has nothing directly to do with the state. (Ex, San Marino only 25,000 people and Republic of China 1.5 billion people) Can be homogeneous in regards to culture (common language, ethnic background, customs)

question

Within the aspect of state, what is Territory

answer

State must have land with known and recognized boundaries. Example: San marino is 24 square miles, Russia is the worlds largest state some 6.6 million square miles

question

Within the aspect of state, what is sovereignty

answer

It is neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority. This is what distinguishes a state from lesser political unites (ex, the states within the united states are not a state in the sense of the international, legal definition because each state is subordinate to the constitution)

question

Within the aspect of state, what is Government

answer

Every state is politically organized. Includes machinery and the personnel by which the state is ruled. Natural law is the law that would govern humans living in a state of nature, if government or laws imposed by humans did not exist (transcends laws made by humans)

question

Sovereign

answer

Supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies.

question

Origin of government was what year and by who? (earliest known evidence)

answer

Ancient Egypt

question

Aristotle observed that ....

answer

"man is by nature a political animal"

question

Politics v.s government

answer

Politics is the process by which a society decides how power and resources will be distributed within that society. Decides who will reap the benefits, and who will pay the costs, of its public policies. IS A PROCESS, the means by which government is conducted. Neither good nor bad, but necessary

question

How many states are there

answer

Over 190 states in the world today. They vary in size, military power, natural resources, and economic important

question

What four characteristics do states possess

answer

population, sovereignty, territory, and government

question

What are the four theories that emerged as the most widely accepted explanations for the origin of the state?

answer

The force theory, The evolutionary theory, The divine right theory, and the social contract theory

question

The force theory

answer

The state was born of force. Scholars hold that one person or a small group claimed control over an area and forced all within it to submit to that person's or group's rule. When the rule was established, all the basic elements of the state (four) were present

question

The evolutionary theory

answer

State developed naturally out of the early family. They hold that the primitive family, of which one was the head and thus the "government," was the first stage in political development. Over countless years the original family became a network of related families, a clan. In time the clan became a tribe. When the tribe gave up its nomadic ways and first tied itself to the land, the state was born.

question

The divine right theory

answer

God created the state and had given those of royal birth a "divine right" to rule. The people were bound to obey their ruler as they would God; opposition to "the divine right of kings" was both treason and mortal sin. Democracies began as a challenge to this theory. (examples: early Chinese, Eguptian, Aztec, and Mayan civilizations)

question

The social contract theory

answer

.Social contract theory: agreeing with one another to create a state. By contract, people within a given area agreed to give up to the state as much power as was needed to promote the safety and well being of all. Members of the state created a government to exercise the powers they had voluntarily given to the state. State arose out of voluntary act of free people. State exists only to serve the will of the people, that they are the sole source of political power, and that they are free to give or to withhold that power as they choose. (promoted Popular sovereignty, limited government, and individual rights. Jefferson called the document "put Locke"

question

Who came up with the social contract theory

answer

Developers include: Thomas Hobbes, Harrington (1611-1677), John Locke (1632-1704) in England, Jean Rousseau (1712-1778) in France.

question

What did Hobbes say about how humans lived in law and nature In relation to how the contract theory helped.

answer

Hobbes: humans lived in a state of unbridled freedom, in which no government existed and no person was subject to superior power. That which people could take by force belonged to them. (also free in the state of nature) Thus, only as safe as their own intelligence and physical strength

question

What is the purpose of Government

answer

Found in the preamble to the constitution: "We the people of the US.... Establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution...."

question

"Form a more perfect Union"

answer

The Constitution was built in the belief that in union there is strength (contrast to the articles of confederation in 1781 that fell through because it became powerless to overcome rivalries... etc among the states)

question

"Establish Justice"

answer

To provide justice, said Thomas Jefferson, is "the most sacred of the duties of government." Justice difficult to define. Maybe: The law, in both its content and administration, must be reasonable, fair, and impartial.

question

"Insure domestic tranquility" and James Madison

answer

Order is essential to any society, and keeping peace at home is a prime function of government. Anarchy would be terrifying. James madison is perhaps the most thoughtful of the framers of the Constitution, knew that most human beings fall short of the standard he set in The Federalist No. 51. "If men were angels, no government would be necessary"

question

"Provide for the common defense"

answer

Security of the united states.

question

"Promote the general welfare"

answer

Public schools are an example of government welfare. Protect the quality of the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat. In general, the services that government provides in the US are those that benefit all or most people. Not likely to be provided by the voluntary acts of private individuals or groups.

question

"secure the blessings of liberty"

answer

Realize liberty cannot be absolute. No one can be free to do whatever he or she pleases, for that behavior would interfere with the freedom of others. Clarence Darrow " you can only be free if I am free." Patriotism plays a large role in liberty: the passion that which aims to serve one's country either in defending it from invasion, or by protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity.

question

Autocracy

answer

single person (Despot) holds unlimited political power

question

Oligarchy

answer

power to rule is held by a small, usually self appointed elite

question

Unitary government

answer

Often described as a centralized government. All powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency. It thus creates local units of government for its own convenience. Those local governments have only those powers that the central government chooses to give them.

question

Federal government

answer

The powers of government are divided between central government and several local governments. An authority superior to both the central and local governments makes this devision of powers on a geographic basis; cannot be changed by either local or national level acting alone

question

Division of powers

answer

Both levels of government act directly on the people through their own sets of laws, officials, and agencies (division between local gov and national gov)

question

confederation

answer

An alliance of independent states. A central organization, the confederate government, only handles those matters that member states assign to it. Hold limited powers in such fields as defense and foreign commerce. A confederation does not have the power to make laws that apply directly to individuals. Makes it possible for several states to cooperate in matters of common concern and also retain their separate identities

question

Presidential government

answer

Executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent of one another, and coequal.

question

Parliamentary government

answer

Executive is made up of the prime minister or premier, and that official's cabinet. The prime minister and cabinet themselves are members of the legislative branch, the parliament. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party or of a likeminded group of parties in parliament and is chosen by that body. With parliaments approval, the prime minister selects the members of the cabinet from among the members of parliament. The executive is thus chosen b the legislature, is a part of it, and is subject to direct control. The prime minister and the cabinet remain in office only as long as they have the confidence of a majority in parliament.

question

Feudalism

answer

Dominant political system in medieval Europe, based on the rule of local lords bound to a king by ties of loyalty

question

Classical republic

answer

Representative democracy in which a small group of elected leaders represent the concerns of the electorate. Classical era, Greek and then Rome later

question

Absolute monarchy

answer

Queen or king holds total control of the military and the government

question

Authoritarianism (what else can be categorized as authoritarianism?)

answer

Individual or group has unlimited authority. No effective restraint on the power of government exists. All dictatorships are authoritarianism.

question

Despotism

answer

rule by a despot, a ruler with absolute power who uses his rule tyrannically

question

Liberal democracy

answer

Protection of individual rights and freedoms and on the consent of the governed. Focuses on protecting individual rights from the tyranny of the majority

question

Totalitarianism (what else can be categorized as authoritarianism?)

answer

Attempts to control all facets of citizens' lives. Modern dictatorships can also be totalitarianism

question

How can governments be classified

answer

1. Who can participate in the governing process 2. the geographic distribution of governmental power within the state 3. relationship between the legislative and executive branches Important examples: Democracies and dictatorships

question

Quote from lincoln demonstrating America's ultimate tie to democracy

answer

Gettysburg Address in 1863: "government of the people, by the people, for the people"

question

Direct democracy

answer

Pure democracy, exists where the will of the people is translated into public policy (law) directly by the people themselves in mass meetings. Only works in very small communities, where it is possible for the citizenry to meet and problems are relatively simple. Does not exist at the national level anywhere in the world today (Landsgemeinde in a few of the smaller swiss cantons are examples)

question

Indirect democracy

answer

Representative democracy, a small group of persons, chosen by the people to act as their representatives, express the popular will. These agents of the people are responsible for carrying out day to day conduct of government. Held accountable to the people for that conduct, elections.

question

Dictatorships are sometimes defined as either ... or ...

answer

autocracy or oligarchy

question

Examples of dictatorships in the world

answer

Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, soviet union, and one that still exists in the People's Republic of China

question

Define the leaders of dictatorships-generally

answer

Militaristic in character. Usually gain power by force. Military holds many of the major posts in the government. Crushing all effective opposition at home, these regimes may turn to foreign aggression to enhance the country's military power and prestige.

question

What are the three basic forms of government

answer

Unitary, federal, and confederate

question

Examples of Unitary governments

answer

Great Britain is a classic illustration. A single central organization, the Parliament, holds all of the government's power. Local governments exist solely to relieve parliament of burdens it could perform only with difficulty and inconvenience. Parliament could do away with these other agencies of local government at any time.

question

How is Unitary government different from a dictatorship

answer

In unitary government all of the powers held by the government are concentrated in the central government. That government might not have all power, like in Great Britain where the powers held by the government are limited (also democratic)

question

Example of a Federal Government

answer

The United States: National Government has certain powers and the 50 states have others. This division of powers is set out in the Constitution of the United States. However, the headquarters in Washington D.C say that each of the state governments in this country is unitary, not federal, in form

question

Example of a confederate Government

answer

The European Union (EU): free trade among its 15 members, launched a common currency, and is moving toward the close coordination of its members' foreign and defense policies

question

When is a new government formed in a Parliamentary government

answer

If the parliament defeats the prime minister and cabinet on an important matter, the government may receive a "vote of no confidence" and the prime minister and his cabinet must resign from office. Then a new government must be formed. No checks and balances

question

Compromise

answer

compromise in order to find the position most acceptable to the largest number

question

Free enterprise system

answer

America's economic system. It is an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control; and determined in a free market. based on four fundamental factors

question

law of supply and demand

answer

When supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise

question

mixed economy

answer

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion is called a mixed economy.

question

How did Winston churchill argue for democracy

answer

"No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"

question

Democracy and the worth of the individual

answer

Each individual is separate and distinct. The welfare of one or a few individuals is subordinated to the interests of the man in a democracy. People can be forced to do certain things whether they want to or not. Examples include paying taxes and registering for the draft... etc

question

Democracy and the Equality of all persons

answer

It holds, with Jefferson, that "all men are created equal." Insists that all are entitled to equality of opportunity and equality before the law. No person should be held back for any such arbitrary reasons as those based on race, color, religion, or gender.

question

Democracy and majority rule, minority rights

answer

Majority of the people will be right more often than they will be wrong, and that the majority role will also be right more often than will any one person or small group. The democratic process pushes for satisfactory solutions to public problems. There is a never ending process of experimentation because there is probably no correct answer to a public issue. The majority must also be fair and listen to minority's arguments.

question

Democracy and necessity of compromise

answer

Public decision making must be largely a matter of give and take among the various competing interests. COMPROMISE. Because democracy is made up of many individuals with differing opinions and interests there must be compromise because everyone is equal. Few public questions have only two sides

question

Democracy and individual freedom

answer

There is no complete freedom. Absolute freedom can only exist in a state of anarchy. John F Kennedy "The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." Seeking the balance between freedom for the individual and the rights of society as a whole is difficult. Need a balance between liberty and authority.

question

The free enterprise system is based on what four fundamental factors?

answer

Private ownership, individual initiative, profit, and competition

question

How the free enterprise system works

answer

Often called capitalism. Does not rely on government to decide what items are to be produced, how much of any particular item should be produced, or how much any item is to sell for. It is rather through the law of supply and demand

question

Democracy vs free enterprise system

answer

Democracy is a political system, and the other is an economic system. However, both are based on the concept of individual freedom. America's experience with both suggests that the two reinforce one another in practice.

question

Government and the free enterprise system (purpose, examples, explain)

answer

Government's participation in the economy serves a two fold purpose: to protect the public and to preserve private enterprise. Examples: anti-trust laws, pure food and drug laws, anti-pollution standards... etc. The government grants money for transportation systems, scientific research, and the growing of particular food crops; builds roads and operates public schools. Thus some activities that might be carried out privately are in fact conducted by government.

question

Democracy and the internet

answer

Example of how the US government fosters technological innovations. born 1969. Democracy demands that the people be widely informed about their government; thus, its seems that the internet was made for democracy. Theoretically, this makes kowledgeable participation in the democratic process easier than ever before. However there are problems such as reliability. A leap to online elections could entail moving from representative to direct democracy.

Chapter One Test Questions – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards