| authority | the recognized right of an individual, organization or institution to make binding decisions.
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| bureaucratic rule | policy is controlled by well-placed administrators within the government bureaucracy.
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| capitalism | an economic system based on the idea that government should interfere with economic transactions as little as possible. Free enterprise and self-reliance are the principles of capitalism.
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| constitutionalism | the idea that there are limits to the rightful power of a government over its citizens.
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| democracy | a form of government in which the people govern, either directly or through elected representatives.
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| diversity | the principle that individual and group differences should be respected and that these differences are themselves a source of strength.
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| elitism | policy is controlled by a small number of well-positioned, highly influential individuals.
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| equality | the principle that all individuals have moral worth and are entitled to fair treatment under the law.
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| government | the institutions, processes, and rules that are designed to facilitate control of a particular geographic area and its inhabitants.
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| individualism | a commitment to personal initiative and self-sufficiency; it asserts that people, if free to pursue their own path and if not unfairly burdened, can attain their full potential.
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| liberty | the principle that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the freedom and well-being of others.
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| majoritarianism | the idea that numerical majorities determine issues of policy.
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| pluralism | policies are effectively decided through power wielded by special interests (groups) that dominate particular policy areas.
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| political culture | the characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people about government and politics.
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| political system | the various components of American government constitute a political system. The parts are separate but they connect with each other, affecting how each performs.
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| politics | the process through which society makes its governing decisions.
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| power | the ability of persons or institutions to control policy decisions.
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| public policy | a decision of government to pursue a course of action designed to produce an intended outcome.
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| self-government | the principle that the people are the ultimate source of governing authority and must have a voice in how they are governed..
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| unity | the principle that Americans are one people and form an indivisible union.
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