A. P. Government : Unit I A
Introduction to Government in
America
What is government?
An organization of people, offices, and
processes, by which a state is ruled.
The person or people who make the rules and
enforce them.
The people in charge of law-making and law
enforcement.
What is a state?
• A body of people, organized politically, who
are sovereign.
• Characteristics of a state:
– Population
– Territory
– Government
– Sovereignty
Sovereignty?
• Final authority or power within the borders of
a state. No outside agency or nation is making
or enforcing policy for the state.
• EX. Iraq is not a state because they have no
sovereignty. US troops are making and
enforcing policy. Iraq’s government does not
have final authority.
Why is government necessary?
• Human Nature
– Hobbes: man is evil, gov’t exists to protect us from
our own nature
– Locke: man is human, government is a choice used
to protect the “good” from the “evil”
– Others?
Why is government necessary?
• Needs:
– Protection
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Foreign invasion
Crime
Natural Disasters
Illness/Disease
Etc…
Why is government necessary?
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Standardization
Decision-making
Rules/Laws
Organization
Economic Development
Common moral standards/ political ideology
Others?
Government’s impact on daily life
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Taxes!
Traffic laws
Education
Standardized weights and measures
Criminal law codes
Guarantees of civil liberties/ rights
Labor standards
Licensing of Professionals
Quality standards
Protection/support for underprivileged
Etc…
Theories of the origin of the
state/government
• Divine Right of Kings/ Divine Right Theory
God gives certain people the right to rule.
Treason is a sin.
• Force Theory
One person or small group rule by military
might.
• Evolution Theory
Government evolved slowly over time.
Family to clan to tribe to government
Social Contract Theory
• Created by John Locke
• Two Treatises on Civil Government
– Natural Rights
– Law of Nature
– Government’s purpose is protection
– Right to revolution
– Consent of the people
– Majority rule/minority rights
– “contract” ; mutual obligations
Forms of Government
• Monarchy
– Hereditary Rule
– Law of Primogeniture
– Types
• Absolute
• Constitutional
• Oligarchy
– Rule by the few (wealth=power ; party
membership=power)
– Examples:
• Aristocracy
– Rule by rule by the few (nobility; title and land=
power)
– Examples:
• Anarchy
– No rules or laws
– No one is in charge!
• Dictatorship
– One person or a small group rule by force
– Military control
– Few rights are guaranteed
– One party rule
Types of Dictatorships
• Authoritarian (unchallenged power)
– Example: Iran
• Totalitarian (total control over all aspects of
peoples’ lives)
– Example: China
Democracy
A form of government in which the people are
sovereign and the government guarantees
rights to the people.
Forms of Democracy
• Democratic Centralism: government makes
decisions in the best interests of the people.
– Example:
• Direct/Participatory/Aristotelian/Pure
Democracy: people make all rules and laws for
themselves
• Representative/Indirect/Republican/ Elite
Democracy: people elect representatives in
competitive elections to make the laws.
How do you know if your government is
really a Representative Democracy?
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Do you have a written constitution?
Does each adult have the right to vote?
Are there regular, periodic, planned elections?
Do you use secret ballots?
Are there real choices on the ballot?
Are people really guaranteed the right to speak, write,
and associate?
• Do people have religious freedom?
• Do government officials have more rights than the
people?
• Are government officials answerable to the people?
Systems of Government
• Key is location of sovereignty (power)
– Unitary: national government is sovereign; little or
no local/regional government
– Confederate: divided sovereignty; States are
supreme
– Federal: divided sovereignty; National
government is supreme
Parliamentary/Unitary Government
• National government is sovereign
• People elect only House of Commons in
Parliament directly; Commons elects PM
• Parliament(legislature) is dominant
• No fixed terms of office
• No constitutional separation of powers; all
power is vested in Parliament
• No formal separation of powers
• Multi-party system
Presidential/Federal Government
*Divided sovereignty; National supremacy
• People directly elect Congress, indirectly elect President
• No branch dominates; equal power
• Terms of office:
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House: 2 yrs
Senate: 6 years
Pres: 4 years
Judges/Justices: Life (“good behavior”)
*Branches are granted separate powers by Constitution
*Extensive system of checks and balances exists
* Two Party System
Why does democracy require free, fair,
and frequent elections?
Why does democracy require free
expression?
Why does democracy require the
availability of alternative and
independent sources of information?
Political Power
• Two essential questions:
– Who governs?
– To what ends? (why?)
Who Governs?
• Four Contending Theories:
– Marxist
– Elitist
– Bureaucratic
– Pluralist
Marxist Theory
• Government is the tool of the wealthy.
• Money=Power
• Government is the servant of corporations
• Proof of?
• Evidence Against?
Elitist Theory
• The “Elites” have the real power.
• The Elites are the top corporate, political,
labor, media, military, and educational
leaders.
• All the Elites have a similar background and
education
– Proof of?
– Evidence Against?
Bureaucratic Theory
• Government is really run by the career
bureaucrats of the federal government.
• Power is in the bureaucracy since they will
remain in office for their entire working life.
• Expertise=Power
– Proof of?
– Evidence Against?
Pluralist Theory
• No one group has all the power all the time
• There are too many interest groups,
politicians, corporations, lobbyists, etc… for
any one to maintain power over time.
– Proof of ?
– Evidence Against?
To What Ends? Why?
• Self Interest
• Public Interest
Power
• The ability to get someone to do what you
want them to do
• Examples?
Political Power
• The ability to get someone to vote for you,
support your policy or position, or to get them
to do what you want in government.
Private V. Public Matters
• What should the government be allowed to
regulate?
• What areas should always be private and not
subject to government regulation?
• The enduring democratic debate!
Authority
*General acceptance that one should be able to
exercise a power
Legitimacy
• The right to use power granted by
constitution, law, or the people.
To What Ends?
• Why has the government gotten involved in so many
things?
• What did the government do initially (1787)?
• Why did government get more power?
• Do we really need or want them to regulate so much?
• What areas should the government regulate?
• Has 9/11 changed what we want the government to
do?
• Would you be willing to give up some freedom for
additional protection?
Four Kinds of Politics
– Majoritarian
– Interest Group
– Client
– Entrepreneurial
Majoritarian Politics
• Costs and benefits of a policy are perceived to be
widely distributed
• Everyone receives benefits and everyone pays for
benefits
• Proposals for programs of this kind lead to intense
ideological debates
• Can result in a change in US world view if passed
• Examples
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Social Security
Medicare
Obamacare
World War II
Interest Group Politics
• One groups pays for a program while another
distinct group receives the benefits
• Examples:
– Affirmative Action Programs
– National Labor Relations Board
Client Politics
• Costs of a program are paid by a majority of
taxpayers while benefits are given to a small,
well-organized group
• Examples:
– VA Benefits
– Flood Control Projects
– PORK! (gov’t research projects)
– Earmarks
Entrepreneurial Politics
• Benefits are perceived to be granted to the majority
while a well-organized minority pays the costs
• Need a compelling symbol; emotional plea
• Media coverage (sympathy) is essential for success
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Air and Water Quality Standards
Investigation of Communists
Brady Bill
Meatpacking Regulations
California’s Prop 13
How did our government get so much
power?
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Framers
Jefferson
Lincoln
FDR
JFK/LBJ
9/11
Today?
The End!!!!
30 multiple Choice
1 Free Response Question
Possible FRQ Topics
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Elites V. Pluralists
Social Contract Theory and Jefferson
Forms of Democracy
Laswell’s Model & 4 types of politics
Fed/Pres V. Parl/Unitary
Power, authority, legitimacy