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INTRODUCING INTRODUCING GOVERNMENT IN GOVERNMENT IN
AMERICAAMERICA
CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1
GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT
Institutions that make authoritative Institutions that make authoritative public policies for society as a wholepublic policies for society as a whole
Four key institutions at the national Four key institutions at the national level (US): level (US): CongressCongress PresidentPresident CourtsCourts Federal Agencies (bureaucracy)Federal Agencies (bureaucracy)
WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT DO?WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT DO?
Maintain national defenseMaintain national defense Provides public goodsProvides public goods Police powers to provide orderPolice powers to provide order Provides public servicesProvides public services Collects taxesCollects taxes Socialize the youngSocialize the young
POLITICSPOLITICS
Whom we select as governmental Whom we select as governmental leaders and what policies they leaders and what policies they pursuepursue
Political participationPolitical participation Ways in which people get involved Ways in which people get involved
Single-issue groupsSingle-issue groups Interest groups whose members vote on Interest groups whose members vote on
a single issue and ignore all other a single issue and ignore all other aspects of a politicians agendaaspects of a politicians agenda
THE POLICYMAKING SYSTEMTHE POLICYMAKING SYSTEM
Set of institutions and activities that link Set of institutions and activities that link government, politics, & public policygovernment, politics, & public policy
Public PolicyPublic Policy Choice made by the government in response to Choice made by the government in response to
it’s agendait’s agenda Policy AgendaPolicy Agenda
List of serious problems the people want solvedList of serious problems the people want solved Policy ImpactsPolicy Impacts
The effect a policy has on the people and The effect a policy has on the people and societysociety
THE POLICYMAKING SYSTEMTHE POLICYMAKING SYSTEM
Linking InstitutionsLinking Institutions Political partiesPolitical parties ElectionsElections Interest groupsInterest groups MediaMedia
Policymaking InstitutionsPolicymaking Institutions Established by ConstitutionEstablished by Constitution CongressCongress PresidentPresident CourtsCourts
WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT
PlatoPlato Wrote Wrote The RepublicThe Republic Final purpose of the state is justiceFinal purpose of the state is justice First purpose is powerFirst purpose is power All govts must maintain orderAll govts must maintain order
AristotleAristotle ““Greatest happiness for the greatest number”Greatest happiness for the greatest number” Believed all citizens should participate in govtBelieved all citizens should participate in govt
Karl MarxKarl Marx Wrote Wrote Communist ManifestoCommunist Manifesto Believed govt is reflection of economic forcesBelieved govt is reflection of economic forces
WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT
C. Wright MillsC. Wright Mills Wrote Wrote The Power EliteThe Power Elite Believed the elite of the country should include generals Believed the elite of the country should include generals
and politiciansand politicians Max WeberMax Weber
Created idea of bureaucracies/large govtCreated idea of bureaucracies/large govt MontesquieuMontesquieu
Believed in separation of powers and checks and Believed in separation of powers and checks and balancesbalances
Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes Wrote Wrote The LeviathonThe Leviathon Believed humans are self-centered and society will be in Believed humans are self-centered and society will be in
chaos unless a master imposes his will by forcechaos unless a master imposes his will by force
WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT
John LockeJohn Locke Wrote Wrote Second Treatises of GovernmentSecond Treatises of Government Human state of nature is freedom and equalityHuman state of nature is freedom and equality No need for absolute power or rulerNo need for absolute power or ruler Believed people were naturally goodBelieved people were naturally good
Niccolo MachiavelliNiccolo Machiavelli Wrote Wrote The PrinceThe Prince Father of modern political scienceFather of modern political science Believed that men are ungratefulBelieved that men are ungrateful Morality should never be a factor in leadershipMorality should never be a factor in leadership It is better for leaders to be feared than lovedIt is better for leaders to be feared than loved Fear is maintained by punishmentFear is maintained by punishment ““The Ends justify the Means”The Ends justify the Means”
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTTYPES OF GOVERNMENT
MonarchyMonarchy Hereditary Ruler having absolute powerHereditary Ruler having absolute power
AutocracyAutocracy Government controlled by single Government controlled by single
individualindividual OligarchyOligarchy
Govt controlled by small group of peopleGovt controlled by small group of people ConstitutionalConstitutional
Govt limited by written documentGovt limited by written document
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTTYPES OF GOVERNMENT AuthoritarianAuthoritarian
Govt kept in check by other institutionsGovt kept in check by other institutions UnitaryUnitary
All power belongs to a single central agencyAll power belongs to a single central agency TotalitarianTotalitarian
Government controls every aspect of societyGovernment controls every aspect of society LibertarianLibertarian
Opposed to all govt action except when it is Opposed to all govt action except when it is necessary to protect life and propertynecessary to protect life and property
AnarchyAnarchy Opposed to all govt action in any formOpposed to all govt action in any form
COW THEORY OF COW THEORY OF GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT
SocialismSocialism You have 2 cows. Give one to your neighborYou have 2 cows. Give one to your neighbor
CommunismCommunism You have 2 cows. The government take both & promises You have 2 cows. The government take both & promises
you the milkyou the milk FascismFascism
You have 2 cows. The government takes both and sells You have 2 cows. The government takes both and sells you the milkyou the milk
NaziismNaziism You have two cows. The government takes both and You have two cows. The government takes both and
shoots youshoots you CapitalismCapitalism
You have two cows. Sell one and buy a bullYou have two cows. Sell one and buy a bull BureaucraticBureaucratic
You have two cows. The government takes both, shoots You have two cows. The government takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and pours the milk down the drainone, milks the other, and pours the milk down the drain
DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY
Writers of the Constitution feared DemocracyWriters of the Constitution feared Democracy Mob RuleMob Rule
Republic-Representative DemocracyRepublic-Representative Democracy Govt gets its power indirectly from people, who elect Govt gets its power indirectly from people, who elect
those who will governthose who will govern Constitutional DemocracyConstitutional Democracy
recognized limits on those who govern and allows the recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be hears through free, fair & voice of the people to be hears through free, fair & frequent electionsfrequent elections
Lincoln defined DemocracyLincoln defined Democracy ““Government of the people, by the people, and for the Government of the people, by the people, and for the
people”people” Current DefinitionCurrent Definition
Means of selecting policymakers and of organizing Means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferencesto the public’s preferences
TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY
Criteria essential for an ideal Criteria essential for an ideal democratic process-Robert Dahldemocratic process-Robert Dahl Equality in votingEquality in voting Effective participationEffective participation Enlightened understandingEnlightened understanding Citizen control of the agendaCitizen control of the agenda InclusionInclusion Majority Rule v. Minority rightsMajority Rule v. Minority rights
CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY
Pluralist TheoryPluralist Theory Groups compete for control over public Groups compete for control over public
policy with no one group dominatingpolicy with no one group dominating Multiple access points dispersed among Multiple access points dispersed among
the various branches and levels of the various branches and levels of governmentgovernment
Bargaining and CompromiseBargaining and Compromise Majorities rarely rule-all groups can be Majorities rarely rule-all groups can be
heardheard Evidence=increase interest group Evidence=increase interest group
activityactivity
CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY
Elite TheoryElite Theory Upper class elite rulesUpper class elite rules Wealth is basis of class powerWealth is basis of class power Big Business has huge governmental Big Business has huge governmental
powerpower
CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY
HyperpluralismHyperpluralism Groups so strong that government is Groups so strong that government is
unable to actunable to act Too many groupsToo many groups Multiple ways to prevent policies and Multiple ways to prevent policies and
promote policiespromote policies When politicians try to make every When politicians try to make every
group happy the result is confusing, group happy the result is confusing, contradictory policy or no policy at allcontradictory policy or no policy at all
CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACYCHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY
Increased Complexity of IssuesIncreased Complexity of Issues Limited ParticipationLimited Participation Escalating Campaign CostsEscalating Campaign Costs Diverse political interestsDiverse political interests Increased technologyIncreased technology
SCOPE OF AMERICAN SCOPE OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT
Our national government Our national government spends more than $3.8 trillion annuallyspends more than $3.8 trillion annually employs nearly three million people (not employs nearly three million people (not
including military=1.5 million)including military=1.5 million) owns one-third of the land in the USowns one-third of the land in the US Compared to other governments in Compared to other governments in
similar countries, it does less and is similar countries, it does less and is smallersmaller
Taxes it’s citizens less than other Taxes it’s citizens less than other democratic nationsdemocratic nations
AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISMAMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM
Dominant theme in American political Dominant theme in American political cultureculture
Developed from immigrants desire to Developed from immigrants desire to escape government oppressionescape government oppression
Helped limit the scope of American Helped limit the scope of American governmentgovernment
Remains highly valued in the US Remains highly valued in the US which results in a strong preference which results in a strong preference for free markets and limited for free markets and limited governmentgovernment
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