THE CONCEPTS OF FREEDOM,
ORDER, AND EQUALITY
§ Order
§ Preserving life and protecting property
ü D omestic Tranquility cited in the preamble
§ Preserving social order
ü T he accepted way of doing things
ü S ome say not a legitimate function of government
ü S tate can use police power
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THE CONCEPTS OF FREEDOM,
ORDER, AND EQUALITY
§ Equality
§ Political equality
ü O ne person, one vote
ü W ealth, education, and status all
equal
§ Equality of opportunity
ü E ach person has same chance to succeed
§ Equality of outcome
ü S ociety must ensure everyone is equal
ü G overnment-supported rights
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§ Social equality
TWO DILEMMAS OF
GOVERNMENT
§ Maintaining Order and Promoting Equality
§ Must sacrifice individual freedom to attain
§ The Original Dilemma: Freedom versus
Order
§ Protect life, property, and make citizens safe from
violence
§ People value freedom and order
ü Two values inherently conflict
TWO DILEMMAS OF
GOVERNMENT
§ The Modern Dilemma: Freedom versus
Equality
§ Two values clash when government promotes
social equality
ü E qual Pay Act
ü S chool busing to minimize segregation
ü P ay Equity
ü D iscrimination issues (employment, public services)
AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE
§
§
§
§
§
Personal Liberty
Equality
Popular Consent
§  The idea that governments must draw their powers
from the consent of the governed
Majority Rule
§  Central premise of direct democracy in which only
policies that collectively garner the support of a
majority of voters will be made into law
Popular Sovereignty
§  Right of the majority to govern themselves based
on natural law (ethical principles that are part of
nature and understood by reason)
AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE
§  Civil Society
§  Society is created when citizens are allowed
to organize and express their views publicly
as they engage in open debate about public
policy.
§  Individualism
CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
§  Size and Population
§  Changing Demographics
§  Racial and Ethic Composition
ü  Immigration has changed the nation.
ü  1600-1700: Western Europeans
ü  Gold Rush in 1848: Chinese
ü  1850s: Irish Catholics
ü  1880s to 1910s: Southeast Asians, Cubans, and
Mexicans
ü  1900s: Eastern Europeans
ü  Racial balance changing dramatically today.
CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
§  Changes in Age Cohort Composition
§  No longer nation of young
§  Graying of America
§  Types of services and policies demanded from
government change
§  Age profile
ü  Baby Boomers (born in late 1940s-early 60s)
ü  Generation X-ers (children of Boomers – late
60s-mid 70s) tougher economic times
ü  Generation Y (born from 1977-1994)
ü  Millennials Born since 1994
CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
§
Changes in Family and Family
Size
§
§
Large families were norm and
gender roles were clearly defined.
Industrialization and knowledge of
birth control methods began to
shrink family size.
ü  1949-49% said 4 or more
children was an ideal family size.
ü  1997-only 8% favored large
families.
ü  Since 1970 the number of femaleheaded families has increased
from 5.5 million to 12.8 million.
CURRENT ATTITUDES TOWARD
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
§  Americans’ views about and
expectations of government affect
the political system.
§  High expectations
§  Mistrust Politicians
§  Voter Apathy
§  Redefining our Expectations
PARTISAN DIFFERENCES
OVER IMMIGRATION
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ Democratic Origins
§ Ancient Greek philosophies
§ Autocracy
ü P ower in the hands of a monarch
§ Oligarchy
ü P ower in the hands of the elite
§ Democracy
ü P ower in the hands of the people
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ The Meaning and Symbolism of
Democracy
§ Originated with the Greeks
§ Demos = common people, Kratos = power
§ Greeks feared democracy
ü D emagogue
§ Two schools of thought today:
ü D emocracy is a form of government
ü D emocracy is a procedural approach
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ The Procedural View of Democracy
§ Universal participation
ü W ho should participate in decision making?
§ Political equality
ü H ow much should each participant’s vote count?
§ Majority rule
ü H ow many votes are needed to reach a decision?
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ A Complication: Direct Versus Indirect
Democracy
§ Participatory democracy
ü Town meetings
ü R are in U.S.
§ E-government
ü B oston’s “Street Bump”
§ Representative democracy
ü I nstituted by U.S. Constitution
§ Responsiveness
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E-GOVERNMENT
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ A Complication: Direct Versus Indirect
Democracy
§ Four principles of procedural democracy
ü U niversal participation
ü P olitical equality
ü M ajority rule
ü G overnment responsiveness to public opinion
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ The Substantive View of Democracy
§ Focuses on substance, not procedures
§ Based on Bill of Rights and amendments
ü G overnment should guarantee civil liberties and civil rights
ü D isagreement among theorists over social rights
ü Conservatives have narrow view
ü Liberals have broader view
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HEALTH CARE: GOVERNMENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY?
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THE THEORY OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
§ Procedural Democracy versus Substantive
Democracy
§ Substantive
ü N o clear, precise criteria
§ Procedural
ü C an produce undesirable social policies
ü C lashes with minority rights
§ Choosing procedures or policies
§ Compromise: balance minority and majority
interests
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ Institutional Mechanisms Required
§ Elections
§ Political parties
§ Legislatures
§ Interest groups
§ Two Models of Democracy
§ Majoritarian
§ Pluralist
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ The Majoritarian Model of Democracy
§ Government by majority of the people
§ Popular election of government officials
§ Elections decide government policies
ü R eferendum
ü I nitiative
ü R ecall
§ Critics: Americans not knowledgeable enough
§ Defenders: Americans have coherent opinions
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ An Alternative Model: Pluralist Democracy
§ Government by people operating through competing
interest groups
ü A shift from mass electorate to organized groups
§ Two major mechanisms
ü I nterest groups
ü D ecentralized government
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ The Majoritarian Model Versus the
Pluralist Model
§ Majoritarian
ü M ass public controls government
ü R elies on majority rule
ü C ohesive political parties
ü C entralized government
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THE MAJORITARIAN MODEL OF
DEMOCRACY
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ The Majoritarian Model Versus the
Pluralist Model
§ Pluralist
ü R elies on interests of specialized groups
ü L imits majority action
ü D ecentralized government
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ An Undemocratic Model: Elite Theory
§ A small group makes most important decisions
ü G overnment controlled by wealthy; business connections
ü C ontrol key financial, communications, industrial, government
institutions
ü W ould call U.S. an oligarchy
ü D ifficult to test validity of theory
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INSTITUTIONAL MODELS
OF DEMOCRACY
§ Elite Theory Versus Pluralist Theory
§ Difference: durability of ruling minority
§ Pluralist believes in struggle between competing
interests
ü W ealthy have advantage in struggle
ü J ustifies disparities among segments of society
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AMERICANS DIVIDED OVER
WHETHER AMERICA IS DIVIDED
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THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE
OF DEMOCRATIZATION
§ Two Models of Democratic Government
§ Majoritarian: representative government
ü N o government achieves responsiveness demanded
§ Pluralist: respond to minority interests
ü N o government offers equal access to all competing groups
§ No consensus on which is preferable
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THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE
OF DEMOCRATIZATION
§ Establishing Democracies
§ Governments meet some criteria but not others
§ Slight decline in democracies in recent years
§ Democratization a difficult process
ü T he Arab Spring – did not lead to democracy
ü E thnic and religious conflicts
ü Vulnerable to attack by opponents
ü N ations need democratization to succeed economically
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?
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Critical
Thinking
Question
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THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE
OF DEMOCRATIZATION
§ American Democracy: More Pluralist Than
Majoritarian?
§ Principle drawback of pluralism: favors the wellorganized so affluent receive more benefits
§ Recently, parties more sharply divided making U.S.
system more majoritarian
§ People’s trust in American government fallen in
past years
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PRESIDENT OBAMA'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE
Click picture to view video
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VIDEO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.  Why is a minimum wage increase a
controversial issue?
2.  Are we a nation of “haves” and “have
nots”? Is this executive order a step
toward economic equality?
3.  Should special interests control the
federal minimum wage discussion?
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