Chapter One
The Foundations of
American Government
What is Politics?
 Process of resolving conflicts and deciding, as
Harold Laswell put it, “who gets what, when, and
how”
 Struggle over power or influence within
organizations or informal groups that can grant or
withhold benefits or privileges
 Process that regulates conflict within society
(conflict is universal, endemic, pervasive) over the
distribution of benefits
 David Easton = politics is about the authoritative
allocation of values for a society
What is Government?
 An institution in which decisions are made that
resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges
 Preeminent institution within society; ultimate
authority for making decisions and allocating
values
 Power to enforce rules that impose order and
stability; authority to make and enforce laws
considered legitimate (proper, appropriate)
 Max Weber = the state (i.e., government) has a
monopoly on the legitimate use of violence
Why Do We Need Government?







Security
Order
Liberty, Equality, Property
Men/women are not angels
Resources are limited, scarce
Conflict is endemic, universal
All states seek stability, security, prosperity
Types of Government
 Totalitarian regime – rule by a small group or an individual
dictator; with control over all aspects of life
 Authoritarianism – only the government (not social and
economic institutions) are fully controlled by the ruler
 Oligarchy – rule by a few elites, who make decisions to
benefit their own group
 Aristocracy – initially rule by the best suited, which meant
the wealthy, later it meant titled nobility
 Democracy – political power is vested in the people
 Direct democracy – when citizens vote directly on laws
(e.g., initiatives, referendums, recall)
Aristotle’s Classification
Tyranny
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Aristocracy
Democracy Polity
Discussion Question
 What are the advantages and
disadvantages of direct democracy?
Formal Characteristics of
American Democracy
 Consent of the governed
 Republican (sovereignty rests in the
people)
 Representative (people elect decisionmakers)
 Limited government (constitutionalism)
 Universal suffrage
 Majority rule/minority protections
What Kind of Democracy Do We
Have?
 Majoritarianism – the political theory that, in a
democracy, the government should do what the
majority of the people want
 Elite theory – the idea that society is ruled by a
small group who exercise power in their selfinterest (class theory = dominant class)
 Pluralism – a theory that views politics as
conflict among interest groups, where decisions
are made through bargaining and compromise
Discussion Question
 What kind of democracy do you think we
we have?
 majoritarian?
 elite?
 pluralistic?
 What are the strengths/weaknesses of
each theory?
 What kind of democracy should we have?
 How “democratic” is the U.S.?
What is Political Culture?
 Collection of beliefs and attitudes toward
government and the political process held by a
community or nation
 Learned through political socialization
 Occurs in many settings, family, schools, etc.
 Dominant culture = values, customs, and
language established by group or groups that
have controlled politics and government
 Subcultures = competing sets of values
Fundamental Values of
American Political Culture
 Liberty, equality, and property
 Liberty = greatest freedom of individuals
consistent with freedom of others
 Equality = all people are of equal worth
(formal/legal equality and equal opportunity vs.
equality of conditions)
 Property = anything that is or may be subject to
ownership
 Inherent trade-offs, tension between these values
 Liberty in tension with equality; equality with
property (also liberty with order)
Discussion Questions
 How is liberty in tension with equality?
 How is liberty in tension with order?
What is Ideology?
 Ideology = comprehensive set of beliefs
about the nature of people (human nature)
and the role of government
 Liberalism = advocates government action to
improve the welfare of individuals, support for
civil rights and tolerance for social change
 Conservatism = advocates a limited role for
the government in helping individuals and
support for traditional values and lifestyles
 Most Americans tend to be moderate
Table 1-1: The Traditional
Political Spectrum
Socialism
Liberalism
Conservatism
Libertarianism
How much
power
should
government
have over
the
economy?
Active
government
control of
major
economic
sectors.
Positive
government
action in the
economy.
Positive government
action to support
capitalism.
Almost no
regulation of the
economy.
What should
government
promote?
Economic
equality,
community.
Economic
security, equal
opportunity,
social liberty.
Economic liberty,
morality, social
order.
Total economic
and social liberty.
What this spectrum leaves out
 From left to right
 Communism
 Democratic Socialism
 Fascism
 On a line, or in a circle
Figure 1-1: A Four-Cornered
Ideological Grid
Discussion Question
 How would you identify yourself?
 What is your ideological orientation?
Hot Links to Selected Internet
Resources:
 Book’s Companion Site:
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com/schmidtbrie
f2004
 Wadsworth’s Political Science Site:
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com
 Government Resources on the Web:
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/govweb.html
 Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy:
http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP