Political Science Review Exam 1
POLS 206
American National Government
Review Sheet-Test 1
This is a list of general topics you will need to know in order to do well on the first test.
1) What is government?
a. Things we have to abide by. Maintains national defense, provides public goods and services, preserves order, socializes the young, and collects taxes
2) What is politics?
a. Who gets what, when, and how.
b. Process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue.
3) What is a policymaking system?
a. The process by which policy comes into being and evolves. People’s interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns
4) What is a policy agenda?
a. Issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time.
5) What is public policy?
a. A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.
6) Know Dahl’s principles of traditional democratic theory
a. Equality in voting
b. Effective participation
c. Enlightened understanding
d. Citizen control of the agenda
e. Inclusion
7) Know the philosophy of John Locke
a. Believes to make a social contract that states what the gov cant do and what the gov cant touch. You don’t give all your rights away in liberalism
b. People governed by natural law and not formal law. The government must be built on the consent of the governed
8) Know the theories of contemporary American democracy
a. Pluralism: groups of minorities working together
b. Elitism: power is held by the wealthy
c. Hyper pluralism: too many groups try to control policy, makes government ineffective
9) What is representation?
a. A basic principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to
American National Government
Review Sheet-Test 1
This is a list of general topics you will need to know in order to do well on the first test.
1) What is government?
a. Things we have to abide by. Maintains national defense, provides public goods and services, preserves order, socializes the young, and collects taxes
2) What is politics?
a. Who gets what, when, and how.
b. Process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue.
3) What is a policymaking system?
a. The process by which policy comes into being and evolves. People’s interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns
4) What is a policy agenda?
a. Issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time.
5) What is public policy?
a. A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.
6) Know Dahl’s principles of traditional democratic theory
a. Equality in voting
b. Effective participation
c. Enlightened understanding
d. Citizen control of the agenda
e. Inclusion
7) Know the philosophy of John Locke
a. Believes to make a social contract that states what the gov cant do and what the gov cant touch. You don’t give all your rights away in liberalism
b. People governed by natural law and not formal law. The government must be built on the consent of the governed
8) Know the theories of contemporary American democracy
a. Pluralism: groups of minorities working together
b. Elitism: power is held by the wealthy
c. Hyper pluralism: too many groups try to control policy, makes government ineffective
9) What is representation?
a. A basic principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to