when the federal government requires state and local action but does not provide the funds to pay for the action a way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government; most governments today, including those of Great Britain and Japan, are unitary governments (compare federalism) families, schools, peer groups, television, and other influences that contribute to political socialization by shaping formal and especially informal learning about politics a valuable tool for understanding demographic changes; the Constitution requires that the government conduct an "actual enumeration" of the population every ten years (see also demography) a form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences (see also protest) a philosophical movement of the late 20th century which opposes certain aspects of liberalism and capitalism while advocating a civil society; not necessarily hostile to liberalism, this ideology rather has a different emphasis, shifting the focus of interest toward communities and societies and away from the individual; issues of specific interest are the responsibilities that complement rights and the active creation of norms in everyday life; places a high value on the good of the collective, which is seen as the best way to achieve the good of the individual (compare libertarianism) a political ideology whose advocates fear the growth of government, deplore government's drag on private-sector initiatives, dislike permissiveness in society, and place a priority on military needs over social needs (compare liberalism) the science of population studies (see also census) public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision, by asking questions of voters when they leave their polling place a term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates; women tend to be significantly less conservative than men and are more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending

1. unfunded mandates

when the federal government requires state and local action but does not provide the funds to pay for the action

2. unitary government

a way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government; most governments today, including those of Great Britain and Japan, are unitary governments (compare federalism)

3. agents of socialization

families, schools, peer groups, television, and other influences that contribute to political socialization by shaping formal and especially informal learning about politics

4. census

a valuable tool for understanding demographic changes; the Constitution requires that the government conduct an "actual enumeration" of the population every ten years (see also demography)

5. civil disobedience

a form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences (see also protest)

6. communitarianism

a philosophical movement of the late 20th century which opposes certain aspects of liberalism and capitalism while advocating a civil society; not necessarily hostile to liberalism, this ideology rather has a different emphasis, shifting the focus of interest toward communities and societies and away from the individual; issues of specific interest are the responsibilities that complement rights and the active creation of norms in everyday life; places a high value on the good of the collective, which is seen as the best way to achieve the good of the individual (compare libertarianism)

7. conservatism

a political ideology whose advocates fear the growth of government, deplore government's drag on private-sector initiatives, dislike permissiveness in society, and place a priority on military needs over social needs (compare liberalism)

8. demography

the science of population studies (see also census)

9. exit polls

public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision, by asking questions of voters when they leave their polling place

10. gender gap

a term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates; women tend to be significantly less conservative than men and are more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending