Chapter One Outline
I.
AP Government
Politics and Government Matter
A. Provide two examples to illustrate public apathy towards government
1.
2.
B. Provide two counter arguments to why government DOES matter as posed by the author
1.
2.
II.
Government
A. Government consists of those institutions that make authoritative public policies for society as a
whole.
B. What are the FOUR key institutions of American Government?
1.
2.
3.
4.
C. Regardless of how they assume power ALL governments have certain functions in common. They
are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
III.
Politics
A. Politics determines who we select as governmental leaders and what policies they pursue.
1. Harold D. Lasswell defined politics as:
a.
B. Political participation is defined as:
C. Single issue groups are:
1. Examples of single issue groups include:
2.
IV.
The Policy Making System
A. A policymaking system is the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time such
as:
1. ______________________: political parties, media, elections, & interest groups connect
preferences of the citizens and government policy agenda.
2.______________________: when people confront the government with problems they expect
them to resolve through their influence
3.______________________: what arises when people disagree about a problem or a public
policy choice.
4.______________________: the end product of government and politics
5.______________________: the combined effect of Congress, the president, & the courts
B. Policy impacts are the effects policy has on people and on society’s problems.
1. Types of public policy includes:
a.
b.
c.
d.
2. Having a policy implies a goal
3. Translating people’s desires into public policy is crucial to the workings of a republic.
V.
Democracy
A. The concept of democracy (government of the many) is growing throughout the world; however, it
does not always resemble the American model.
B. Suspicions of the Framers of the Constitution:
1.
2.
C. Lincoln’s definition of democracy in the Gettysburg Address:
D. Basic government textbook definition:
E. Traditional democratic theory
1. Dahl’s five essential criteria for an “ideal democratic process:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
2. Majority rule with minority rights
3. Correlation between number of leaders and number of followers
F.
Three contemporary theories of American democracy:
A. Pluralist theory contents that many centers of influence compete for power and control.
Components of Pluralist Theory:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
B. Elite and class theory contents that our society (like all societies) is divided along class lines.
a.
b.
c.
C. Hyperpluralism is “pluralism gone sour”
a. too many groups for government to act
b. too many groups with access to government
c. politicians trying to placate too many leads to confusion and contradiction
D. What are some of the challenges to current day democracy?
1.
2.
3.
4.
E. Political culture is key to understanding American Government.
1. What is political culture?
2. How does American culture and ideology compare to other countries?
F. What are the five elements that shape political culture in American democracy?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
G. What are some key questions about democracy?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
VI.
The Scope of Government in America
A. Active, involved government versus less government intervention
B. How active is American government?