How Government Works — Glossary
Key terms and definitions from the How Government Works course. Each term links to a full explanation.
16 terms across 3 categories
Showing 16 terms
A
2 termsAppropriations Committee
A legislative committee responsible for determining the specific allocation of funds to government agencies and programs.
Authoritarian Regime
An authoritarian regime concentrates power in a single leader or party with limited political freedoms.
B
2 termsBureaucracy
A system of government officials and agencies responsible for implementing laws and policies through organized procedures.
Bureaucratic Inertia
The resistance within government agencies to change policies or procedures, often slowing foreign policy adaptation.
C
1 termF
1 termG
1 termI
1 termJ
1 termL
1 termP
3 termsPolicy Agenda Setting
The process through which problems and issues gain the attention of policymakers and become priorities for government action. It shapes which topics receive legislative or executive focus.
Policy Cycle
The stages through which public policy progresses: agenda-setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation, and termination.
Presidential System
A form of government where the executive branch is separate from the legislature, and the president is both head of state and government.
R
1 termT
2 termsThe Social Contract
The theory that individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to surrender some freedoms in exchange for social order and protection.
The Social Contract
A theory in political philosophy positing that individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to surrender some freedoms to authority in exchange for protection of rights.