Term 1: Government and Political Science Terms, Quizzes of Local Government Studies

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TERM 1 Government DEFINITION 1 system for implementing decisions made through the political process TERM 2 factions DEFINITION 2 group of like-minded people who try to infuence the governement TERM 3 separation of powers DEFINITION 3 division of government power across the judicial, executive and legislative branches TERM 4 checks and balances DEFINITION 4 system in which each branch of govt has some power over others TERM 5 federalism DEFINITION 5 division of power across the local, state, and national levels of govt TERM 6 public goods DEFINITION 6 service or actions that once provided to one person becomes available to everyone TERM 7 collective action problems DEFINITION 7 situation in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to produce some outcome TERM 8 positive externalities DEFINITION 8 benefits created by a public good that are shared by the primary consumer of the good and by society more generally TERM 9 free rider problem DEFINITION 9 incentive to benefit from other's work without making a contribution which leads individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together TERM 10 politics DEFINITION 10 process that determines what govt does TERM 21 Articles of Confederation DEFINITION 21 first attempt at a new American govt later decided the articles restricted natural govt too much and it was replaced by the consitution TERM 22 limited govt DEFINITION 22 systen in which the powers of the govt are restricted to protect against tyranny TERM 23 republicanism DEFINITION 23 as understood by James Madison and the framers, belief that a form of govt in which the interests of the ppl are represented through elected leaders is the best form of govt TERM 24 consent of the governed DEFINITION 24 idea that govt gains its legitimacy through regular elections in which the people living under that govt participate to elect their leaders TERM 25 natural rights DEFINITION 25 also known as "unalienable rights" founders believed that upholding these rights should be the govts central purpse TERM 26 Federalist Papers DEFINITION 26 series of eighty-five articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay that sought to sway public opinion toward the federalist's positoin TERM 27 federalists DEFINITION 27 favored a storng national govt and a system of separated powers TERM 28 anti-federalists DEFINITION 28 favored a strong state govt and feared that a strong national govt would be a threat to individ rights TERM 29 pluralism DEFINITION 29 idea that having a variety of parties and interest within a govt will strengthen the system ensuring that no group possess total control TERM 30 Virginia Plan DEFINITION 30 larger states during the constitutional convention proposed that based representation in the national legislature on population TERM 31 New Jersey Plan DEFINITION 31 response to VA Plan, smaller states proposed that each state should receive equal representation in the national legislature regardless of size TERM 32 Great Compromise DEFINITION 32 compromise between large and small states proposed by Conneticut in which Congress would have two house (Senate with two legislators per state and House of Rep which each state's representative would be based on pop) TERM 33 parliamentary system DEFINITION 33 system of govt in which legislative and executive power are closely joined TERM 34 reserved powers DEFINITION 34 defined in the 10th amendment powers that are not given to the national govt by the constitution or not prohibited to the states are reserved by the states or the people TERM 35 national supremacy clause DEFINITION 35 part of Artlcle IV national laws trump state laws if the two conflict TERM 46 constitutional revolution DEFINITION 46 significant change in the Constitution that may be accomplished either throught amendments or shifts in the supreme courts' interpretation TERM 47 concurrent powers DEFINITION 47 responsibilities for particular policry areas such as transportation, that are shared by federal, state, and local govts TERM 48 unitary govt DEFINITION 48 system in which the national centralized govt holds ultimate authority- most common form of govt TERM 49 confederal govt DEFINITION 49 form of govt in which states hold power over a limited national govt TERM 50 full faith and credit clause DEFINITION 50 requires that each state's laws be honored by the other states TERM 51 privileges and immunities clause DEFINITION 51 requires that states must treat nonstate residents within their borders as they would treat their own residents TERM 52 doctrine of interposition DEFINITION 52 idea that if the national govt passes an unconsitutional law TERM 53 states' rights DEFINITION 53 idea that states are entitled to a certain amount of self gotvt, free of federal govt intervention TERM 54 dual federalism DEFINITION 54 form of federalism favored by Chieif Justice Roger Taney in which national and state govts are seen as distinct entities providing separate services TERM 55 commerce clause powers DEFINITION 55 powers of Congress to regulate the economy TERM 56 cooperative federalism DEFINITION 56 form of federalism in which national and state govts work together to provide service efficiently TERM 57 picket fence federalism DEFINITION 57 more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy are work together across all levels of govt TERM 58 fiscal federalism DEFINITION 58 form of federalism in which federal funds are allocated to the lower levels of govt through transfer payments or grants TERM 59 categorical grants DEFINITION 59 federal and state or local govts that is provided for a specific purpose TERM 60 block grants DEFINITION 60 federal aid provided to a state govt to be spent within a certain policy are but the state can decided how to spend it