Key Terms

carbon tax

a fee imposed on the use of fossil fuels based on the amount of carbon dioxide that use emits into the atmosphere

collective action

the activities of a group as it makes and implements a decision regarding a group goal

collective action problems

the broad category of activities in which participating individuals have incentives to maximize their own self-interest in ways that harm the group interest

collective dilemma

any situation in which a group must make difficult choices

conformity costs

the difference between what an individual wants from a policy decision and what the individual actually receives

coordination problems

the challenges groups face when there is general agreement on goals but disagreement on the specific ways in which to achieve them

elite culture

those in a country who, by virtue of their wealth, education, and position, have the dominant influence over politics and policy

free rider problem

when individuals in groups have incentives not to contribute to the group’s goals because they will receive the same outcome whether they contribute or not

majority rule

a form of decision-making by voting, in which the proposition that receives more than 50 percent of the votes wins

mass culture

the most popular views, attitudes, preferences, and behaviors within a society

minority cultures

the views, attitudes, preferences, and behaviors of subsets of a society that produce group identity

political culture

the set of shared political attitudes, values, goals, and practices within a country

political elites

those within a society who, by virtue of their wealth, status, positions, and power, have the greatest influence over the country’s political agenda, its policy decisions, and its decision-making cadre

political socialization

the gradual development, from youth through adulthood, of a political personality

prisoner’s dilemma

a scenario in which two individuals would benefit from cooperating, but each has strong incentives to defect, leaving both individuals worse off than if they had cooperated

quorum

the minimum number of the group that must be present for a vote to be held

socialization

the gradual process through which a person develops the values and beliefs that determine who they will be as an adult

status quo

the current situation

supermajority

a voting rule in which more than a majority is needed for a measure to pass

tragedy of the commons

a situation in which individuals have incentives to take as much as they can from a public resource, thereby depleting the resource

transaction costs

the time, money, and effort required to make a group decision