Week II
The institutions and procedures through which people are ruled.
Term Explanation: federalism
A system of government in which power is divided between a central government and several regional governments. In the United States the division is between the national government and the states.
Term Explanation: nationalization
Shifting to the national government responsibilities traditionally exercised by the states.
Term Explanation: civil rights
The powers or privileges conferred on citizens by the Constitution and the courts that entitle them to make claims upon the government. Civil rights protect individuals from arbitrary or discriminatory treatment at the hands of the government.
Term Explanation: Miranda rule
Requirement that police inform suspects that they have a right to remain silent and a right to have counsel while being interrogated. Failure to inform suspects of their rights will result in any confession or evidence thus obtained being inadmissible against them at trial.
Term Explanation: Power
An officeholder’s actual influence with other officeholders and, as a consequence, over the government’s actions.
Term Explanation: checks and balances
A constitutional mechanism giving each branch some oversight and control of the other branches. Examples are the presidential veto, Senate approval of presidential appointments, and judicial review of presidential and congressional actions.
Term Explanation: enumerated powers:
The explicit powers given to Congress by the Constitution in Article I, Section 8. These include the powers of taxation, coinage of money, regulation of commerce, and provision for the national defense.
Term Explanation: affirmative action
Policies or programs designed to expand opportunities for minorities and women and usually requiring that an organization take measures to increase the number or proportion of minorities and women in its membership or employment.
Term Explanation: due process clause
A clause found in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution protecting citizens from arbitrary action by the national and state governments.
Term Explanation: free-rider problem
A situation in which individuals can receive the benefits from a collective activity whether or not they helped to pay for it, leaving them with no incentive to contribute.
Term Explanation: fast-track authority
Impermanent power granted by Congress to the president to negotiate international trade agreements.
Term Explanation: unitary government
A system of government in which a single government unit holds the power to govern the nation (in contrast to a federal system, in which power is shared among many governing units).
Term Explanation: civil liberties:
Constitutional and legal protections from government interference with personal rights and freedoms such as freedom of assembly, speech, and religion.
Term Explanation: incorporation
The Supreme Court’s extension of the guarantees of the Bill of Rights to state and local governments through its various interpretations of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Short Question: What sorts of institutions are commonly used to manage conflicts in societies?
Governments, corporations, professional associations, etc.
Short Question: Why is the Electoral College so complicated?
As a device, the Electoral College tries to mix state, congressional, and popular participation in the election process
Short Question: What are the main differences between unitary governments, confederations, and federal governments?
The level of government powers are held and the direction of the flow of power. Unitary governments are the most common.
Short Question: Which were the Civil War (aka the Reconstruction) Amendments and what did they do?
In the five-year period from 1865 to 1870, enslaved people were formally emancipated (Thirteenth Amendment), granted citizenship (Fourteenth Amendment), and guaranteed the right to vote (Fifteenth Amendment).
Short Question: How has the role of national government differed in the development of civil rights policy versus that of civil liberties?
civil rights: what the government should protect. (invite Uncle Sam in)
civil liberties: what the government should not do.(Keep Uncle Sam out)
Short Question: In what ways is the parliamentary system of representative government designed to work with fewer transaction costs than the U.S. presidential system?
In parliamentary systems the executive function of government is not separated from the legislative branch the way it is in the US style presidential system.
Short Question: How did the Framers balance the powers and independence of the executive and legislative branches?
Congress makes laws, President choose whether or not to enforce them.
Short Question: What are the three main types of collective action problems faced by state governments?
Coordination Problems: they may have difficulty figuring out precisely how to work together.
Reneging and Shirking: states agreed to a course of common action but then failed to honor their commitments.
Cutthroat Competition: Competition among states that involves adopting policies that each state would prefer to avoid. For example, states engage in cutthroat competition when they underbid one another on tax breaks to attract businesses relocating their facilities.
Short Question: Explain the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.
equality of opportunity does not equal to the equality of outcome (especially for historically underprivileged communities.)
Affirmative action: Policies or programs designed to expand opportunities for minorities and women and usually requiring that an organization take measures to increase the number or proportion of minorities and women in its membership or employment.
Short Question: What are the 5 liberties guaranteed by the 1st Amendment?
Freedom of speech and press; Freedom of assembly; Freedom of petition; Free exercise of religion; Establishment of religion