American Government and
Politics Today
Chapter 1
The Democratic Republic
Politics and Government
Key Terms:
– Politics: “who gets what when and how”
– Institution: an ongoing organization that
performs certain functions for society
– Government: institution in which decisions are
made that resolve conflicts or allocate
benefits and privileges
Why Is Government
Necessary?
Order:
Maintaining peace and security by
protecting members of society from
violence and criminal activity is the oldest
purpose of government.
Is there a difference between order and
perceived order?
Which would you prefer?
Why Is Government
Necessary? (cont.)
Liberty
The greatest freedom of
individuals that is consistent
with the freedom of other
individuals in the society;
can be promoted by or
invoked against
government.
Liberty is a basic function of
any government, do we in
the U.S experience liberty?
How?
Why Is Government
Necessary? (cont.)
Authority and Legitimacy
– authority: the right and power of a government
or other entity to enforce its decisions and
compel obedience.
– Legitimacy: is popular acceptance of the right
and power of a government or other entity to
exercise authority.
Which is more important to have, Authority
or Legitimacy?
– Don’t be a pansy and say “we need both” pick
a side, take a stand, make an argument.
Should the government rule with a certain
amount of fear over its citizens?
Would this make the government function
more efficiently?
Forms of Government
Totalitarian Regime—government controls
all aspects of the political and social life of
a nation.
Authoritarianism—A type of regime in
which only the government itself is fully
controlled by the ruler. Social and
economic institutions exist that are not
under the government’s control.
Is ignorance of government operations
bliss?
Are you okay not knowing what is going on as long
as things seem fine?
Forms of Government (cont.)
Aristocracy—Rule by the “best”; in reality,
rule by an upper class. Based on wealth
Democracy—A system of government in
which political authority is vested in the
people. Derived from the Greek words
demos (“the people”) and kratos
(“authority”).
Direct Democracy
Political decisions are made by the people
directly, rather than by their elected
representatives
Attained most easily in small political
communities.
Local Government, ancient Greece
Direct Democracy Today
Initiative–a procedure by which voters can
propose a law or a constitutional amendment
Referendum–an electoral device whereby
legislative or constitutional measures are
referred by the legislature to the voters for
approval or disapproval
Recall–a procedure allowing the people to vote
to dismiss an elected official from state office
before his or her term has expired
– What is the difference between recall and
impeachment?
Is Direct Democracy
Dangerous?
While the founders believed in government
based on the consent of the people, they
were highly distrustful of anything that
might look like “mob rule.” Therefore, they
devised institutions to filter the popular will
through elected elites.
Would the country operate more efficiently
if it exercised a direct democracy?
Would the people be better represented?
Would this change the apathetic view
United States citizens have towards their
government? Why?
A Democratic Republic
Democratic republic and representative
democracy really mean the same thing—
government based on elected
representatives
A Democratic Republic (cont.)
Principles of Democratic Government
– universal suffrage, or the right of all adults to vote for
their representatives
– majority rule, the greatest number of citizens in any
political unit should select the officials and determine
policies.
Constitutional Democracy
– limited government, states the powers of government
should be limited, usually by institutional checks.
Without such limits, democracy could destroy itself.
Think about it?
Is it better to be feared or respected?
Should a government be allowed to
exercise its authority through force?
What Kind of Democracy Do
We Have?
Majoritarianism
Elite theory
Pluralism
Fundamental Values
Political Socialization
Liberty versus Order
– Speech, religion, BOR, Privacy
– Abortion, sexual preference
Equality versus Liberty
– Economic Equality
– Property Rights and Capitalism
capitalism, an economic system characterized by the
private ownership of wealth-creating assets and also by
free markets and freedom of contract.
Should the government be allowed to ban or
restrict your rights in a time of national security?
– USA Patriot Act
– NSA
Should the government be allowed to “investigate
Terrorists?”
If you think of the definition of equality as people having
equal worth, and Liberty as the greatest freedom of
an individual in society; is it possible that both can
exist, or are they by nature conflicting views?
Ideologies:
Liberalism vs. Conservatism
Conservatives tend to favor limited
governmental involvement in the economic
sector. Economic freedom is seen as a
necessity for the good of the society. On social
issues, conservatives advocate governmental
involvement to preserve traditional values and
lifestyles.
Liberals tend to favor governmental regulation of
the economy to benefit individuals within the
society. On social issues, liberals advocate a
limited governmental role. Social freedom is
seen as a necessity for the good of the society.
Ideologies:
The Traditional Political Spectrum
Socialism, a political ideology based on
strong support for economic and social
equality. Socialists traditionally envisioned
a society in which major businesses were
taken over by the government or by
employee cooperatives.
Libertarianism, a political ideology based
on skepticism or opposition toward almost
all government activities.
The Traditional Political
Spectrum
The Ideological Grid
We can break down the electorate into cultural
and economic liberals, cultural and economic
conservatives, cultural liberals/economic
conservatives (libertarians), and cultural
conservatives/economic liberals.
– Classifying the Voters. All four viewpoints have
substantial support based on polling data.
– Conservative Popularity. However, the term
conservative, as a self-applied label, is more popular
than any other label except “moderate.”
Other Ideologies
Communism, revolutionary variant of socialism
that favors a partisan (and often totalitarian)
dictatorship, government control of all
enterprises, and the replacement of free markets
by central planning
Fascism, a twentieth-century ideology—often
totalitarian—that exalts the national collective
united behind an absolute ruler, and rejects
liberal individualism, values action over rational
deliberation, and glorifies war
Ideologies in the Islamic World
While communism and fascism are the
historical ideologies that totalitarianism
was coined to describe, our current
international problem is with radical
Islamism as exemplified by Al Qaeda.
The Changing Face of America
Aging
Population Growth
Ethnic Change
– Changes in Hispanic Community
Women in the Workforce
The Aging of America
U.S. Population
Questions for Critical Thinking
Do you think a direct democracy is a
rational option for governing in the United
States? Describe the forms of direct
democracy that exist and discuss the pros
and cons of these mechanisms.
Questions for Critical Thinking
Do you think some people in American
society equate security and order with
protection against fellow citizens who are
racially, culturally, or economically
different? If so, why?
Do you think protection against
discrimination should be considered a
security issue as well as an issue of
equality? Justify your answer.