1.3 Political Power

1.2 Political Power

Any study of government is fundamentally about

political power, who has it, and how they exercise it!

• Authoritarianism: concentration of power in the hands of one person or an elite group

• Democracy: means “rule by the people”

• Dictatorship• Oligarchy• Monarchy• Totalitarianism

• Direct democracy

• Representative democracy = Republic

Types of Government

1.3 Political Power

• Seeks “total” control over its peopleo The state is supreme over the individualo Closed societieso Poor Economies

• Militarism / Armed Aggression

• Heavy use of propaganda

• Establishment of a “police state”o KGB, GESTAPO, STASI, Etc. o Prisons (Gulags)

1.3 Political Power

1.3 Political Power

1.3 Political Power -

Democracy• Direct democracy

• ATHENS (Greek city-state)

• Representative democracy = Republic

• Most modern democracies… U.S.

• Does the U.S. have any instruments of direct democracy?

o Referendumso Initiatives (Calif.= propositions)o Recall elections

• Currently, these exist only on the state level of government

Government & Citizenship Timpanogos High School

1.2g Political Power -

Democracy

• Can citizens govern?o Uneducated, uninformed citizenso Plato…………. Philosopher Kings

• What if the majority is “mean”o Tyranny of the Majority

Government & Citizenship Timpanogos High School

1.2h Political Power -

Democracy

The “Killing Fields”

Teams - Discussion

• Do you believe Democracy is the best form of government?

• What if a substantial majority of citizens pass a law through a ballot initiative that adversely affects another group of citizens?

• Should the federal courts be able to overturn a law passed by that same majority?

Impromptu Debate

• Proposition: The United States should adopt a direct democracy on a national scaleo For practical purposes, it would be necessary

to limit voting to the big issues only: Abortion, Gay Marriage, Gun Control, etc.

• For or Against the Proposition?

Impromptu Debate• Proposition No.1: The federal minimum

wage should be increased to $11/hr.

• Proposition No.2: In order to vote, each citizen must take an pass a testo Based on the U.S. Citizenship test