Chapter One:
The Democratic Republic
Politics and Government
• Politics is the struggle over power and influence
within organizations or informal groups that can
grant benefits and privileges.
• Process of deciding who gets what, when, and how
• Politics occurs in many areas of life: church, schools,
social groups even families.
• Government is an institution that performs
certain functions for society.
• Institution is an ongoing organization that performs
certain functions of society
• Resolves conflicts or allocates benefits/privileges
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Why Is Government Necessary?
 Rousseau – said that people are born
good and society corrupts the
individual; you correct societal ills,
you “fix” the person!
 Do you agree or disagree with
Rousseau’s quote? (write YES or
NO on white boards then explain you
answer underneath your response)
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Lord of the Flies – William Golding
 View the following clips. As you watch the clips from
the 1963 adaptation of the novel, compare and
contrast the “security” on the island. Remember, all
boys were brought up in an “up to do”/ “wellmannered” English home.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F4wCNLYLOM&fe
ature=bf_next&list=PL31A36794F324CBE5
Lord of the Flies
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3zzsPxSmBM&featur
e=BFa&list=PL31A36794F324CBE5
 Piggy’s quote: "Which is better--to have laws and
agree, or to hunt and kill?“
 “But what is government itself but the greatest
of all reflections on human nature? If men were
angels, no government would be necessary.” –
James Madison After viewing clips, what was different between the
first and second clips? Write on white boards.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
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JACK AND POWER
 “Shut up,” said Ralph absently. He
lifted the conch. “Seems to me we
ought to have a chief to decide
things.”
“A chief! A chief!”
“I ought to be chief,” said Jack with
simple arrogance, “because I’m
chapter chorister and head boy. I
can sing C sharp.” (1.229-231).
 Analysis: Jack’s desire for power is
no product of the island; this is a
trait that he’s had from the start.
 Jack’s face swam near him.
“And you shut up! Who are you,
anyway? Sitting there telling
people what to do. You can’t hunt,
you can’t sing –”
“I’m chief. I was chosen.”
“Why should choosing make any
difference? Just giving orders that
don’t make any sense –” (5.238241)
 Analysis: Democracy has no value
for Jack. His ambition blinds him to
the point where he sees no “sense”
in Ralph’s grounded and
reasonable orders.
Power and Authority
 What is the difference?
 POWER: involves the use of coercive force to make
others yield to one’s wishes even against their own
will
 AUTHORITY: achieved by virtue of character that
others are motivated to follow willingly
In order for governments to exist, they must have
authority or power, which is the ability to produce effects
on others or the potential to influence others [e.g. power
over nations, states, cities, schools, classrooms,
athletic teams, gangs, individuals].
Somalia
• To understand the need for government, it
is best to evaluate circumstances in which
it does not…
• no central government since 1991..civil
wars, famine…would you feel secure if you
lived here?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADdLC
QuDWrY
So…why is government
necessary?
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• The Need for Security
• Societies need order, a state of peace and
security…maintaining order by protecting
members of society from the violence of
foreign entities and criminal activities is the
oldest purpose of government
•
•
Afghanistan: the ruling Taliban had supported al
Qaeda, which organized the terrorist attacks of
Sept. 11, 2011…the US and other nations
intervened to overthrow the Taliban regime
The loss of security in Afghanistan – the new
government has never fully gained control over the
Taliban, and it citizens have had no sense of order
or security
• Limiting Government Power
• Too much government is much more common
problem
•
In 2011, 47 countries were identified as “not free”
by human rights organization…controlled by
dictators, oppressive parties, or military rule
•
•
http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking
Societies need protection from government
abuses
• Liberty – greatest freedom of individuals that is
consistent with the freedom of other
individuals
 Authority and Legitimacy
 Societies need authority – the right and power
of a government to enforce its decisions and
compel obedience

Must be broadly accepted by the people in order
to have legitimacy
 Examples: Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya gradually lost
legitimacy and in two cases (by 2011) their
authority
Democracy and Other Forms of
Government
• Types of Government
• Totalitarian – one person/small group controls EVERY
aspect of society (dictator)
• Authoritarian – one person/small group only controls
aspects of government (churches, etc. not controlled by
government)
• Aristocracy – rule by the best, which means wealthy
• Theocracy – rule by self-appointed religious leader (Iran)
• Oligarchy – rule by a few
• Democracy - rule by the people
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Democracy and Other Forms of
Government
 Direct Democracy
 Government and laws derive their legitimacy from the
consent of the people
 Example: Connecticut – towns/schools and budgets voting
process
Examples of Direct Democracy in the U.S.
 Initiative – allow voters to propose a law or a constitutional
amendment (Mississippi had three initiatives on ballot in
2011)
 Referendum – allow voters to approve or disapprove of
legislative or constitutional measures
 Recall – allow voters to decide whether to remove an
elected official from state office (recent case –Wisconsin)14
Dangers of Direct Democracy
 While the framers believed in government based on
the consent of the people, they were highly
distrustful of a “pure democracy” that might be
prone to the lure of demagogues, abuse the rights of
the minority, or deteriorate into instability and mob
rule.
 The Founders created institutions to filter the will of the
people through elected officials.
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Indirect Democracy
 consists of a society which elects it’s leaders and
representatives
 Also called a representative democracy
 most popular government by far
 Can still be a monarchy (as with Great Britain) but the
monarch remains a ceremonial role
 Democratic republic – representatives elected by the
people make and enforce laws/policies (have no
king/queen)
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A Democratic Republic
 A republic in which representatives elected by
the people make and enforce laws and policy
 Based on popular sovereignty (rule by the people)
 “We the people…”
 United States is considered a democratic
republic
 Constitutional Democracy
 Limited government - governing powers are clearly
restricted (written documents or shared beliefs)
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A Democratic Republic
 Principles of Democratic Government
 Universal suffrage (everyone’s vote counts equally)

U.S. – developed over time; rights of all adults to vote for their
representatives in government
 Majority rule but with minority rights


Majority needed to make fair decisions
Majority rule means that the greatest number of citizens in any
political unit should have the power to select officials and
determine policies
 Free and competitive elections
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CRITICAL THINKING
ACTIVITY - Democracy
 Decide if each scenario represents ideal democracy.
 Write YES or NO on your white board (if called on in
class, be able to explain answer).
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1) Elections in the U.S. are characterized by low
voter turnout. Mid-term elections draw
approximately 30% (or fewer) of registered voters to
polls. Presidential elections draw approximately
50% (or fewer) of registered voters to the polls. This
and the fact that we often have more than two
candidates for office often means that our presidents
win less than a majority of the vote. For example,
when President Clinton was elected in 1992 he won
the election with 40% of registered voters or about
29% of the population.
DOES THIS REPRESENT AN IDEAL DEMOCRACY?
2) Special interest groups are a primary source of
campaign funding. Most special interest groups
contribute to incumbents (those presently in office),
making it difficult for challengers to raise the amount
of money that is necessary to have a chance at
winning. In fact, on average, 95% of all current
members of Congress (incumbents) win their seats.
DOES THIS REPRESENT AN IDEAL DEMOCRACY?
3) Individuals, interest groups, and corporations who
contribute money to electoral campaigns have
access to political leaders that ordinary Americans
do not. With this access, they might have the ability
to influence the lawmaking process.
Examples: AFL-CIO (union) and NRA (National Rifle
Association) donating to Congressmen to get prounion laws and pro-gun laws passed.
DOES THIS REPRESENT AN IDEAL DEMOCRACY?
4) The President of the United States has the power
to issue Executive Orders that have the effect of law.
There is no immediate check on this power: it is a
power outside those given to the President in the
Constitution. Virtually every President has used the
Executive Order (FDR interned the Japanese
Americans through an executive order).
DOES THIS REPRESENT AN IDEAL DEMOCRACY?
What Type of Democracy
Do We Have?
 Theories of American Government (three theories
that explain how the U.S. democracy actually works (or should)…each
theory highlights a different facet of the true reality)
 Majoritarianism – political theory holding that in a
democracy, the government ought to do what the majority
of the people want
 Elite Theory – argument that society is ruled by a small
number of people who exercise power to further their selfinterest; larger population has little impact on the decisionmaking process
 Pluralism –views politics as a conflict among interest
groups; political decision making is characterized by
bargaining and compromise (will study int. groups later) 24
 What do you think bind us together (what we value)?
(list on board)
 free enterprise
 Civil rights/civil liberties
 Diverse ideas
 Rule of law
 Written Constitution
 Equality
 Individualism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbqs7vfOIok
Fundamental Values of American
Democracy
 Political culture is a patterned set of values
and way of thinking about government and
politics.
 Political socialization is the process by which
political beliefs and values are transmitted to
immigrants and children, mainly through families
and schools
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Fundamental Values of American
Democracy
 Liberty versus Order
 Civil liberties and found in the Bill of Rights

Civil liberties – personal freedoms that are protected for all
individuals
 Personal freedom and right to privacy can often come
in conflict with order and security
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Fundamental Values of American
Democracy
 Equality versus Liberty
 Equality – idea that all people are of equal worth;
equality as an individual, under the law



Equal opportunity – has substantial support
Economic equality – more controversial (in 1800s, some
advocated universal equality in which wealth was more
evenly distributed)
Property rights and capitalism
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Fundamental Values of American
Democracy
 The Proper Size of Government
(decentralized government…separation of
powers/checks and balances)
 Big government in times of crisis…9-11 and Great
Recession…people want an active government
 Big government and the Great Recession

Stimulus package, bank bailout, government takeover of
GM…some supported policies/some did not
 The limits of big government

Despite Great Recession measures, unemployment still
high and government measures created distrust in big
government…Republicans retook House in 2010
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Ideology
 comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of
people and role of government
 Political ideologies: next few slides
 Conservatism (dominate Republican
Party)
 Places high value on the principles of order,
liberty, patriotism, and traditional values
 Advocates limited governmental role in helping
individuals
 Value liberty when it is defined as freedom from
government interference in business and from
government support of nontraditional social
intervention
 Place lower value on economic equality, believing that
individuals and families are responsible for their own
well-being
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 Liberalism (dominate Democratic Party)
 Advocacy of government action to improve the welfare
of individuals

Place high value on social and economic equality
 Support for civil rights and tolerance for social and political
change
 Favor government regulation of economy to benefit all
individuals within the society and government action to
reduce poverty and to provide services such as health
insurance
 Value liberty but view it as freedom to live life according to
individual values
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The Traditional Political
Spectrum
 Socialism
 Favors strong support for social and economic
equality
 Traditionally socialists envisioned a society in which
major businesses were taken over by government or
by employee cooperatives.
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The Traditional Political
Spectrum
• Libertarianism
• Philosophy of skepticism towards most
government activities
• Strongly support property rights
• Oppose regulation of the economy and
redistribution of income
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The Traditional Political
Spectrum
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A Four Cornered Ideological Grid
Economic Liberals/Cultural
Conservatives: support govt.
action both to promote economic
equality and fairness and to
defend traditional social values
Libertarians: believe in the most
complete freedom possible in
both economic and social
matters
Liberals: most liberals like to call
themselves progressive; think
this term has a negative
connotation
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POLITICAL TEST…you decide