Reading/Lecture 1 Studying Texas Politics and Government

• Topical Scenario – On Campus• Political Vocabulary

– Politics and Government

• Political Values– Individualism– Liberty– Equality– Democracy– Constitutionalism

Topical Scenario

• Why do I have to take Texas Government?

• 41st Texas Legislature made courses in the Texas and US Constitutions a law in 1929.

• Applies only to state schools.

• Differing interpretations.

The Political Society• No rules or laws are needed in the state of nature.

(As society developed so did politics and government.)– Family Egalitarian

– Clan

– Tribe Chief or Elders

– Nation King or Aristocracy

– State

– Nation-State Republican Democracy

• The political systems created to impose rules have varied throughout history.

Politics

• Politics is the authoritative allocation of values for a society.

• Values are both material and non material in nature.

• Values are limited which creates a competitive distribution system.

• Sociology definition - the social institution that distributes power, sets a society’s agenda, and makes decisions.

Government

• Government is the institutions and processes that make public policy for a society.

• Institutions are the structures making the decisions and rules.

• Process is how the decisions are made.• Policy is a decision made by a

government.• Sociology definition - a formal

organization that directs the political life of a society.

Forms of Government

• Autocracy

• Oligarchy/Aristocracy

• Democracy

• Theocracy

Democracy – Classic to Republican

• The concept of self-government was discussed by the ancient Greeks but fell out of favor.

• The Roman Republic• Democratic theory was revived in the United States

in the 1780s.—Representative democracy was believed to be the only

viable form of democracy for the United States.—The presidential campaign is democracy in action.

Democracy• Democracy is how a government makes

decision.

• Who participates and with how much weight is also critical.

• Conditions for Democracy Political Equality Fundamental Rights (Nontyranny) Participation - Available and used

Deliberation - Open discussion

Models of Democracy

• Classical - individual citizens participates in process.

• Republican – a representative selected to speak for selected constituency within government.– Majoritarian - Majority rules. There is political

equality, centralize power in a single executive.

– Pluralistic - emphasis on minority rights. Power is dispersed in groups with decentralized authority and processes.

– Elitism – a small group of wealthy individuals or organizations control politics and government.

How Do Governments Govern?

• Constitutional

• Authoritarian

• Totalitarian

Core Ideals: American Creed and Texas Creed

• Individualism

• Liberty

• Equality

• Constitutionalism

• Democracy

Liberty

• Freedom to pursue personal goals without undo government restrictions.

• The regulation of individual activity and taxation are often cited as violations of individual liberty.

• These were rights that the defenders of the Alamo gave their lives to protect.

Equality

• Political, economic and social equality.• Slavery, segregation, racial and ethnic

discrimination, and poverty demonstrate our lack of success in achieving equality.

• Equal opportunity or regulated equality?

Democracy

• Rule by the citizens of a state.• American political knowledge and activity is

surprisingly low, despite the fact that more Americans are permitted to vote and political activity is encouraged.

Constitutionalism

• The fundamental law of the land.

• Cannot be easily changed.

• Has consent of governed.

• Provides structure for power distribution and policy discussion.

Interaction:Core Ideals - Institutions

• Individualism Politics • Liberty • Equality

• Constitutionalism Government • Democracy

Other Family Religion

Types of Institutions Education