Government
The institutions that make, implement, and enforce public policy for a society
Politics
The process by which government leaders are selected and policy decisions are made
linkage institutions
organizations that connect citizens to their government officials (Media, Interest groups)
Policy Agenda
The issues that attract the serious attention of the public and policy makers
policymaking institutions
Officials select the issues that are most pressing and work to address them
Public Policy
Laws, rules and regulations made by the government to respond to an issue
Democracy
A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences.
Direct (Participatory) Democracy
All political decisions are made by the people directly
Representative Democracy (Republic Government)
People elect representatives to make political decisions for them
Majority Rule
Larger number has greater power
Pluralism
The policymaking process is open to the participation of all groups with various interests with no single group usually dominating
Elitism
American society is divided along class lines and power is held by the upper-class elite
Hyperpluralism
The existence of to many competing groups weakens the government's ability to make policy; creates policy gridlock
Policy Gridlock
Politicians with different policy interests/goals become unwilling to compromise and unable to pass laws
Political Culture
American democracy endures because citizens generally share a common set of political values