buracracy
TRANSCRIPT
Thomas Jefferson once said that there has never been, nor ever
will be a people who are politically ignorant and free.
Political Knowledge:
– Fosters civic virtues such as political tolerance
– Helps citizens identify what policies would benefit them and then incorporate this information in their voting behavior
– Promotes active political participation
How do you pick the best doctor or car mechanic?
A delegate at the Constitutional Convention, Roger Sherman, said the people “should have as little
to do as may be with the government.”
Only later did ideas changeAbraham Lincoln, “Government of the people, by
the people, and for the people.”
Dahl’s Ideal Democratic Process
•Equality in voting
•Effective Participation
•Enlightened understanding
•Citizen control of the agenda
• Inclusion
• Increased Complexity of Issues– Ordinary citizens have the good sense to reach political
judgments– Those who Command knowledge control power
• Limited Participation– Genuine democracy is not simply a machine that, once
set up, functions by itself. It takes people• Escalating Campaign Cost
– $500,000 at least to run for House of Representatives• Diverse Political Interests
– Gridlock– A Culture War?– Is America too polarized or are the majority of American
more centrists?