Understanding
Government
What is government?
Why is it necessary?
How does it work?
What is Government?
?
Types of Government:
Governments are defined based on who
governs and how much governmental
control is permitted.
Autocracy
• Government run by a
•
single person
Dictatorships,
monarchies, etc. are
examples of
autocracies
Oligarchy
• Governed by a small
group, usually
wealthy merchants,
landowners, or
military officers
Democracy
• More people
participate in
government,
and the
populace has
some influence
over decision
making
Two Types of Democracy:
• “Direct” Democracy:
– All (or at least most) citizens hold office or
participate directly in making policy
– Aristotle called “the rule of the many”
– Many states use direct democracy through
initiatives & referendums (policy choices that
appear on a ballot)
Two Types of Democracy
• Representative Democracy
– Leaders are chosen by the people to make
policy choices
– Used by most democracies today (including
U.S.)
– Favored by the Founding Fathers
Issues Concerning Representative
Democracy
• Communication must be free and
untainted
• Competition (elections) must be present
• Must decide which offices are
elected/appointed
• Who pays for campaigns?
Representative Democracy
PRO
CON
Impractical for the people to decide on The people don’t get to make
all public issues
decisions about policy
Representatives act as mediators of
public opinion, looking out for public
good
Does not necessarily reflect the “will of
the people”
Government proceeds slowly, prevents
government from doing great harm
(Prevents tyranny)
Proceeds slowly, often results in
“gridlock”. Citizens complain that
government can’t get anything done
Governmental Control
• Governments that are limited in what they can do are
called constitutional . These governments are
controlled by both Substantive (what they can do) and
Procedural (how they can do it) limitations.
• Governments that have no legal limits, but are kept in
check by forces they cannot control (an organized
church, autonomous territories, organized labor/business
groups) are called authoritarian.
• Finally, governments that lack any legal limitations and
seek to eliminate any challenges to their authority are
called totalitarian. These governments typically
attempt to dominate or control every sphere of political,
economic, and social life.
Why is government necessary?
It depends on who you ask…..
According to Thomas
Hobbes (1588-1679),
government is
necessary because
without it, we would
all kill each other and
steal everyone else’s
stuff.
The State of Nature
• Hobbes defined a period
•
•
without government as
the “state of nature”
Life in the state of nature
is “nasty, brutish, and
short”
As such, people create
Social Contracts
(governments) to
maintain order
But that’s not all….
John Locke (1632-1704) took Hobbes’ ideas a step
further, claiming that government was necessary
to protect property.
And finally…
• Philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) went even further,
•
•
•
•
arguing that government was necessary in order to
provide public goods.
Hume believed that only government could solve the
“free-rider problem”
The “free-rider problem” arises when some individuals
realize they can enjoy the benefits of a good without
putting forth any of the work.
Governments have the coercive power to solve the “freerider problem” (Usually through taxation)
Examples of public goods include National Defense,
create legal tender, and build bridges, etc.
How is power distributed?
Power and Authority
• Power:
– The ability to get another to act in accord with one’s
intentions
– Some power is overt while some is more subtle
• Authority:
– Authority is the legal right to use power
– We accept decisions from the government if we
believe they come from those who have the right to
make them (legitimacy)
– The Constitution is recognized as the source of
legitimacy in the United States
Distribution of Political Power
• Policy reflects the
•
views of those people
who participate
actively in policy
making (the “political
elite”)
Political elites are
identifiable groups
that possess a
disproportionate
share of power
Theories of Political Power
• Marxist Theory
• Nongovernmental Elite Theory
• Bureaucratic Theory
• Pluralist Theory
Marxist Theory
• Government is a reflection of
economic forces
• All societies are divided into
economic classes
• The class dominating the
economy also controls the
government
• The government represents
the rich
Nongovernmental Elitist Theory
• An elite group makes most of the major
government decisions
• Corporate leaders, military officers, key
political leaders dominate policy
• Actions are coordinated to serve the
interests of the elite
Bureaucratic Theory
• True political power belongs to the
bureaucrats (those who operate
government agencies)
• All government institutions have fallen
under the control of vast bureaucracies
• Bureaucrats possess the expertise and
specialized skills that are essential to the
management of contemporary affairs
Pluralist Theory
• No single elite has a monopoly on power
• Resources such as money, prestige,
expertise, and access to the media are too
widely distributed
• While not distributed equally, resources
are sufficiently divided among various
groups to assure an opportunity for
everyone to participate
What about American Government?
Four Facts of American
Government:
1. The National
2.
3.
4.
Government is HUGE
People turn to
government to solve
problems
Perfection cannot be
achieved
Government is
complex
Four Facts of American
Government:
1. Government is BIG
– American government
has increased in
scope, size and
influence since 1930
– The national
government today is
an enormous
institution with
programs and policies
reaching into every
corner of American life
Four Facts of American
Government:
2. People turn to government to solve
problems.
-
Majority of Americans support an “active”
national government
More than half of voters believe it is
important for the government to provide
more services, even if it requires more
spending
Four Facts of American
Government:
3. Perfection is
unattainable
- different actors have
different outlooks and
interests
- Political life requires
compromise and
cooperation among
those with competing
goals
Four Facts of American
Government:
4. Government politics and policy are COMPLEX
- policy requires coordination with many
different levels of government and nongovernmental agencies
- the “government” is actually a complex
arrangement of institutions and processes that
are frequently disjointed and often work
against each other
Change Over Time
• Perceptions of American government have
changed dramatically throughout history
(and continue to change)
• What government does today is heavily
affected by what it did yesterday
Changes in Domestic Policy
• 1920s – Small federal (national) government,
•
•
•
plays a minimal role in people’s lives
1930s – 1970s government expands as people
look to government to solve economic and social
problems (creation of a “safety net” for all
Americans)
1980s trend reverses as spending for social
programs decreases, taxes are cut, (Reagan
Revolution)
Today: ????
Changes in Foreign Policy
• Founding – policy was a direct response to
•
•
British/French action
1840s-1890s – imperialism, expansion of
influence throughout the world
1890s -1940s – Isolationism prevalent until
WWII
• 1950s – Today – Global Superpower, embraces
role as international leader
Review
• What is government?
– Government is defined by the number of
people who are in control, and the limits
placed on the government itself
• Why is government necessary?
– To maintain order
– To protect property
– To provide public goods