POLS 1101 Final Exam UGA Nicholson |146
Questions and Answers
Political Party - -An organization that sponsors candidates for political office under the
organization's name.
-nomination - -Designation as an official candidate of a political party.
-Political system - -a set of interrelated institutions that links people with government
-Caucus - -A closed meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of
policy and the selection of candidates for office.
-National Convention - -A gathering of delegates of a single political party from across the
country to choose candidates for president and vice president and to adopt a party
platform
-Party Platform - -The statement of policies of a national political party.
-Critical Election - -An election that produces a sharp change in the existing pattern of
party loyalties among groups of voters.
-Electoral Realignment - -The change in voting patterns that occurs after a critical election.
-two-party system - -A political system in which two major political parties compete for
control of the government. Candidates from a third party have little chance of winning
office.
-Electoral Dealignment - -A lessening of the importance of party loyalties in voting
decisions.
-majority representation - -The system by which one office, contested by two or more
candidates, is won by the single candidate who collects the most votes.
-proportional representation - -The system by which legislative seats are awarded to a
party in proportion to the vote that party wins in an election.
-Party Identification - -A voter's sense of psychological attachment to a party.
-National Committee - -A committee of a political party composed of party chairpersons
and party officials from every state.
, -Party Conferences - -A meeting to select party leaders and decide committee assignments
held at the beginning of a session of Congress by Republicans or Democrats in each
chamber
-Congressional Campaign Committees - -An organization maintained by a political party to
raise funds to support its own candidates in congressional elections.
-Party Machine - -A centralized party organization that dominates local politics by
controlling elections.
-responsible party government - -A set of principles formalizing the ideal role of parties in
a majoritarian democracy.
-Political parties provide 4 important functions - -1. Nominate candidates
2. Structure voting (simplify)
3. Propose alternative government programs—the menu of policy options
4. Coordinate the action of government officials
-lobbyists - -An organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy; also
called a lobby.
-Agenda Building - -The process by which new issues are brought into the political
limelight.
-Program Monitoring - -Keeping track of government programs, usually done by interest
groups.
-Trade associations - -An organization that represents firms within a particular industry.
-Interest group entrepreneuar - -An interest group organizer or leader.
-free-rider problem - -The situation in which people benefit from the activities of an
organization (such as an interest group) but do not contribute to those activities.
-direct lobbying - -Attempts to influence a policymaker through personal contact with that
individual.
-grassroots lobbying - -Lobbying activities performed by rank-and-file interest group
members and other supporters.
-information campaign - -An organized effort to gain public backing by bringing a group's
views to public attention.
-coalition building - -The banding together of several interest groups for the purpose of
lobbying.
Questions and Answers
Political Party - -An organization that sponsors candidates for political office under the
organization's name.
-nomination - -Designation as an official candidate of a political party.
-Political system - -a set of interrelated institutions that links people with government
-Caucus - -A closed meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of
policy and the selection of candidates for office.
-National Convention - -A gathering of delegates of a single political party from across the
country to choose candidates for president and vice president and to adopt a party
platform
-Party Platform - -The statement of policies of a national political party.
-Critical Election - -An election that produces a sharp change in the existing pattern of
party loyalties among groups of voters.
-Electoral Realignment - -The change in voting patterns that occurs after a critical election.
-two-party system - -A political system in which two major political parties compete for
control of the government. Candidates from a third party have little chance of winning
office.
-Electoral Dealignment - -A lessening of the importance of party loyalties in voting
decisions.
-majority representation - -The system by which one office, contested by two or more
candidates, is won by the single candidate who collects the most votes.
-proportional representation - -The system by which legislative seats are awarded to a
party in proportion to the vote that party wins in an election.
-Party Identification - -A voter's sense of psychological attachment to a party.
-National Committee - -A committee of a political party composed of party chairpersons
and party officials from every state.
, -Party Conferences - -A meeting to select party leaders and decide committee assignments
held at the beginning of a session of Congress by Republicans or Democrats in each
chamber
-Congressional Campaign Committees - -An organization maintained by a political party to
raise funds to support its own candidates in congressional elections.
-Party Machine - -A centralized party organization that dominates local politics by
controlling elections.
-responsible party government - -A set of principles formalizing the ideal role of parties in
a majoritarian democracy.
-Political parties provide 4 important functions - -1. Nominate candidates
2. Structure voting (simplify)
3. Propose alternative government programs—the menu of policy options
4. Coordinate the action of government officials
-lobbyists - -An organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy; also
called a lobby.
-Agenda Building - -The process by which new issues are brought into the political
limelight.
-Program Monitoring - -Keeping track of government programs, usually done by interest
groups.
-Trade associations - -An organization that represents firms within a particular industry.
-Interest group entrepreneuar - -An interest group organizer or leader.
-free-rider problem - -The situation in which people benefit from the activities of an
organization (such as an interest group) but do not contribute to those activities.
-direct lobbying - -Attempts to influence a policymaker through personal contact with that
individual.
-grassroots lobbying - -Lobbying activities performed by rank-and-file interest group
members and other supporters.
-information campaign - -An organized effort to gain public backing by bringing a group's
views to public attention.
-coalition building - -The banding together of several interest groups for the purpose of
lobbying.
