Vocabulary Builder: The Theory of Modern Government

Conservative - A person who believes in less government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and more responsibility

Direct democracy - type of government characterized by citizens attending a town meeting and voting on issues raised, with the majority prevailing

Elite and class theory - a group theory that revolves around an economic stratum of society controlling the policy agenda

Government - those institutions that create public policy

Hyperpluralism - a group theory characterized by many interest groups vying for control resulting in a government that is tied up in gridlock

Liberal - a person who believes in greater government intervention, higher taxes, and a smaller military

Linkage institution - the means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy

Loose construction - a liberal interpretation of the Constitution

Pluralism - a group theory that involves different groups all vying for control of the policy agenda. No single group emerges, forcing the groups to compromise.

Policy agenda - agenda that results from the interaction of linkage institutions

Political party - a group of people joined together by common philosophies and common approaches with the aim of getting candidates elected in order to develop and implement public policy. It is characterized by an organization that is responsible to the electorate and has a role in government.

Politics - who gets what, when, how, and why

Public policy - the final action(s) taken by government in promotional, regulatory, or distributive form

Representative democracy - form of government that relies on the consent of the people and is often called a republican government

Strict constructionists - individuals who believe in a conservative interpretation of the Constitution