Chapter 1 Review

Government The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society. Functions of government: Maintain a national defense Provide public services, public goods Preserve order Socialize the young Collect taxes

Politics The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies they produce Who gets what, when and how Political participation All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or policies they pursue

The Policymaking System Linkage Institutions Transmit Americans’ preferences to the policymakers in government Policy agenda The issues that attract serious attention Policymaking institutions the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues Public Policy A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. Policy Impacts: effects of the policy The six items are hyperlinked to their own slide. A return button is also on the slide.

Democracy A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences. Components of Traditional Democratic Theory: Equality in voting Effective participation Enlightened understanding Citizens control of the agenda Inclusion Majority rule v minority rights Representation

Theories of U.S. Democracy Pluralist Theory A theory of government and policies emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups. Elite and Class Theory A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization Hyperpluralism A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

Challenges to Democracy Limited Participation in Government Escalating Campaign Costs Diverse Political Interests (policy gridlock)

American Political Culture and Democracy Political Culture: An overall set of values widely shared within a society. American culture is diverse and comprised of: Liberty Egalitarianism Individualism Laissez-faire Populism

The United States is not a direct democracy because The population has increased too rapidly in the last 100 years The authors of the Constitution did not trust the public to make informed decisions The Constitution prohibits direct representation The separation of powers would not work in a direct democracy A direct democracy would not fairly represent all Americans

Which of the following concepts best demonstrates the theory of democracy? The rights of the accused Separation of powers Majority rule Bicameralism Big business

A citizen who disapproves of proposed legislation can do all of the following EXCEPT Call or write a letter to his or her senator Vote for a different candidate in the next election Join a political interest group Vote against the legislation Participate in a protest

Which of the following is the best indication of pluralism in American politics? The AARP has the largest membership of any interest group Third parties often endorse candidates for office, but rarely do they win elections The federal bureaucracy is expanding as more and more citizens are hired for federal jobs More than 20,000 interest groups lobby Congress each year Citizens are able to vote in local, state, and national elections

Hyperpluralists differ from pluralists in their belief that The representation of too many interests is detrimental to policymakers Only the wealthiest lobbyists are heard in Congress Power should be centralized in one branch of government Competition among groups leads to compromise and, hence, stronger policy Political groups get their funds exclusively from big business

All of the following are characteristics of a traditional democracy EXCEPT An informed electorate A national defense Public participation Equal access to government institutions National elections