2305+-+Defining+Key+Terms

=Text File:=

=Power Points:=

This is a condensed version of the slides I normally use:



If you want this as a text file, click here:



This is the full version of the slides - it's quite a bit longer than the condensed version above.



= Description: =

The purpose of this section is to get you familiar with certain key terms that will useful as we proceed. Obviously there are many that apply, and we will add to the list as we go forward, but I think these four are especially useful. The first two are "government" and "politics." As we will see soon enough, the first refers to the institutions that have the authority to pass and implement laws - to make them binding on you and me. The second refers to the institutions that struggle over what the nature of those laws will be. Most of what we will cover in this class is related to those two broad terms. The third term is sovereignty - which refers to the the source of authority within a governing system. Sovereignty, in the American system, is said to rest with the "people." We will touch on what this means repeatedly in class. The final term is "public policy." This refers to the set of actions that a government chooses to make - or not make - in a given area. Examples include education, health, and defense. The list is quite long. Studying public policy helps us come to terms with why governments do what they do - or not.

As with each section, the power points above contain information related to this subject and you are expected to take an assessment on them. The information for the assessment is contained in them. to make the power points more manageable, you may want to open them up in outline form and copy and paste the material in a word document. Consider this to be comparable to a chapter in a book.

=Goals:=

After reading this material, you should be able to address the following:

- How can you define "government?" What are the principle components of these definitions? - What are three basic things that governments do and what are the principle governing institutions that do them? - How can you define "politics?" What are the principle components of those definitions? - What is a political institution and how is it different than a governing institution? - What is "sovereignty?" What controversies exist concerning the nature of sovereignty in the United States. - What is "public policy?" What types exist? - What do governments do? - What does the term "consent of the governed" mean? How is it distinct from government by coercion? - What role does "the state of nature" have in justifying government based on consent? - Be familar with legislative, executive and judicial powers. Why these three and why are they separated? - What powers are necessary for a government to in fact govern? - What is "federalism?" - Be familar with the various issues associated with democracy, oligarchy and autocracy. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? - What problems are associated with majority rule? How are these addressed in our governing system? - What did the founders think of democracy? Why? - What is tyranny of the majority? - What is tyranny - how is it best defined? How does the American governing system attempt to prevent tyranny? - What is a Constitution and what does it do? - What advantages does a free society offer over an unfree society? How does freedom guarantee the existence of a political sector? - What type of political conflict exists? - What values are believed to be distinctly American? Why? - What institutions have evolved in order to conduct political conflict? What are the goals of the different political institutions? - What role does public opinion play in a democracy? - How does ideology help people make sense of the political world? What are the key distinctions between conservatism and liberalism? - What is an iron triangle? What does it tell us about the relationship between governing and political institutions?

=Key Terms:=

- Government - Politics - Sovereignty - Public Policy - Coercion - Consent - Separated Powers - Legislative Power - Executive Power - Judicial Power - Autocracy - Oligarchy - Democracy - Indirect Democracy - totalitarianism - authoritarianism - constitutionalism - limited government - freedom - Values - Interests - political parties - interest groups - the press - public opinion - ideology - liberalism - conservatism