Question 1

What is a government?

Accepted Answer

The system that controls an organized community, and administers public policy

Question 2

What is politics?

Accepted Answer

Activities associated with governing a country/area

Government is the game, and politics is how you play it

("Who gets what, when, and how")

Question 3

What is public policy?

Accepted Answer

Whatever the government does to maintain control and authority over society

Question 4

What is the difference between autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy?

Accepted Answer

Autocracy: rule by one (a single person has all the power; autos=self/alone)

Oligarchy: rule by a few (a small group of elites have all the power; oligos=few)

Democracy: rule by the people (people have the power; demos=people)

Question 5

What is democracy?

Accepted Answer

A type of government consisting of the people, or representatives elected by the people

The people have the power

(demos=people, kratos=power)

Question 6

What is direct democracy?

Accepted Answer

A type of democracy where citizens discuss and directly make decisions about public policies

No representatives as proxies

Question 7

What is representative democracy?

Accepted Answer

A type of democracy where citizens elect representatives to make decisions about public policy

(used in the US and most democratic nations)

Question 8

What is participatory democratic theory?

Accepted Answer

A model of democracy where citizens can influence policy decisions

Different from direct democracy, as citizens can only influence decisions rather than make them

(e.g., town hall meetings, initiatives, popular referendums)

Question 9

What is a pluralist democracy?

Accepted Answer

A model of democracy where organized groups compete to influence policy

People can influence government (like in participatory democracy), and they can also form groups around common causes

(e.g., interest groups like the National Rifle Association)

Question 10

What is elite democracy?

Accepted Answer

A model of democracy where only a small number of wealthy/educated elites influence public policy

(supported by Framers such as Hamilton; the Electoral College is an example)

Question 11

What is bureaucratic theory?

Accepted Answer

The idea that an organization (like a government) should be structured in a rigid hierarchy with strict rules

(can lead to great efficiency, but gives lots of power to bureaucrats and can leave people feeling detached)

Question 12

What is hyperpluralism?

Accepted Answer

The idea that too many strong and competing factions causes a democracy to be ineffective

Each faction "pulls" the democracy in a different direction, resulting in no progress

Ideals & Types of Democracy, AP U.S. Government and Politics Flashcards