INTRODUCING INTRODUCING GOVERNMENT IN GOVERNMENT IN

AMERICAAMERICA

CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Institutions that make authoritative Institutions that make authoritative public policies for society as a wholepublic policies for society as a whole

Four key institutions at the national Four key institutions at the national level (US): level (US): CongressCongress PresidentPresident CourtsCourts Federal Agencies (bureaucracy)Federal Agencies (bureaucracy)

WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT DO?WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT DO?

Maintain national defenseMaintain national defense Provides public goodsProvides public goods Police powers to provide orderPolice powers to provide order Provides public servicesProvides public services Collects taxesCollects taxes Socialize the youngSocialize the young

POLITICSPOLITICS

Whom we select as governmental Whom we select as governmental leaders and what policies they leaders and what policies they pursuepursue

Political participationPolitical participation Ways in which people get involved Ways in which people get involved

Single-issue groupsSingle-issue groups Interest groups whose members vote on Interest groups whose members vote on

a single issue and ignore all other a single issue and ignore all other aspects of a politicians agendaaspects of a politicians agenda

THE POLICYMAKING SYSTEMTHE POLICYMAKING SYSTEM

Set of institutions and activities that link Set of institutions and activities that link government, politics, & public policygovernment, politics, & public policy

Public PolicyPublic Policy Choice made by the government in response to Choice made by the government in response to

it’s agendait’s agenda Policy AgendaPolicy Agenda

List of serious problems the people want solvedList of serious problems the people want solved Policy ImpactsPolicy Impacts

The effect a policy has on the people and The effect a policy has on the people and societysociety

THE POLICYMAKING SYSTEMTHE POLICYMAKING SYSTEM

Linking InstitutionsLinking Institutions Political partiesPolitical parties ElectionsElections Interest groupsInterest groups MediaMedia

Policymaking InstitutionsPolicymaking Institutions Established by ConstitutionEstablished by Constitution CongressCongress PresidentPresident CourtsCourts

WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT

PlatoPlato Wrote Wrote The RepublicThe Republic Final purpose of the state is justiceFinal purpose of the state is justice First purpose is powerFirst purpose is power All govts must maintain orderAll govts must maintain order

AristotleAristotle ““Greatest happiness for the greatest number”Greatest happiness for the greatest number” Believed all citizens should participate in govtBelieved all citizens should participate in govt

Karl MarxKarl Marx Wrote Wrote Communist ManifestoCommunist Manifesto Believed govt is reflection of economic forcesBelieved govt is reflection of economic forces

WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT

C. Wright MillsC. Wright Mills Wrote Wrote The Power EliteThe Power Elite Believed the elite of the country should include generals Believed the elite of the country should include generals

and politiciansand politicians Max WeberMax Weber

Created idea of bureaucracies/large govtCreated idea of bureaucracies/large govt MontesquieuMontesquieu

Believed in separation of powers and checks and Believed in separation of powers and checks and balancesbalances

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes Wrote Wrote The LeviathonThe Leviathon Believed humans are self-centered and society will be in Believed humans are self-centered and society will be in

chaos unless a master imposes his will by forcechaos unless a master imposes his will by force

WESTERN PHILOSOPHERSWESTERN PHILOSOPHERSTHEORIES OF GOVTTHEORIES OF GOVT

John LockeJohn Locke Wrote Wrote Second Treatises of GovernmentSecond Treatises of Government Human state of nature is freedom and equalityHuman state of nature is freedom and equality No need for absolute power or rulerNo need for absolute power or ruler Believed people were naturally goodBelieved people were naturally good

Niccolo MachiavelliNiccolo Machiavelli Wrote Wrote The PrinceThe Prince Father of modern political scienceFather of modern political science Believed that men are ungratefulBelieved that men are ungrateful Morality should never be a factor in leadershipMorality should never be a factor in leadership It is better for leaders to be feared than lovedIt is better for leaders to be feared than loved Fear is maintained by punishmentFear is maintained by punishment ““The Ends justify the Means”The Ends justify the Means”

TYPES OF GOVERNMENTTYPES OF GOVERNMENT

MonarchyMonarchy Hereditary Ruler having absolute powerHereditary Ruler having absolute power

AutocracyAutocracy Government controlled by single Government controlled by single

individualindividual OligarchyOligarchy

Govt controlled by small group of peopleGovt controlled by small group of people ConstitutionalConstitutional

Govt limited by written documentGovt limited by written document

TYPES OF GOVERNMENTTYPES OF GOVERNMENT AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

Govt kept in check by other institutionsGovt kept in check by other institutions UnitaryUnitary

All power belongs to a single central agencyAll power belongs to a single central agency TotalitarianTotalitarian

Government controls every aspect of societyGovernment controls every aspect of society LibertarianLibertarian

Opposed to all govt action except when it is Opposed to all govt action except when it is necessary to protect life and propertynecessary to protect life and property

AnarchyAnarchy Opposed to all govt action in any formOpposed to all govt action in any form

COW THEORY OF COW THEORY OF GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

SocialismSocialism You have 2 cows. Give one to your neighborYou have 2 cows. Give one to your neighbor

CommunismCommunism You have 2 cows. The government take both & promises You have 2 cows. The government take both & promises

you the milkyou the milk FascismFascism

You have 2 cows. The government takes both and sells You have 2 cows. The government takes both and sells you the milkyou the milk

NaziismNaziism You have two cows. The government takes both and You have two cows. The government takes both and

shoots youshoots you CapitalismCapitalism

You have two cows. Sell one and buy a bullYou have two cows. Sell one and buy a bull BureaucraticBureaucratic

You have two cows. The government takes both, shoots You have two cows. The government takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and pours the milk down the drainone, milks the other, and pours the milk down the drain

DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

Writers of the Constitution feared DemocracyWriters of the Constitution feared Democracy Mob RuleMob Rule

Republic-Representative DemocracyRepublic-Representative Democracy Govt gets its power indirectly from people, who elect Govt gets its power indirectly from people, who elect

those who will governthose who will govern Constitutional DemocracyConstitutional Democracy

recognized limits on those who govern and allows the recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be hears through free, fair & voice of the people to be hears through free, fair & frequent electionsfrequent elections

Lincoln defined DemocracyLincoln defined Democracy ““Government of the people, by the people, and for the Government of the people, by the people, and for the

people”people” Current DefinitionCurrent Definition

Means of selecting policymakers and of organizing Means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferencesto the public’s preferences

TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY

Criteria essential for an ideal Criteria essential for an ideal democratic process-Robert Dahldemocratic process-Robert Dahl Equality in votingEquality in voting Effective participationEffective participation Enlightened understandingEnlightened understanding Citizen control of the agendaCitizen control of the agenda InclusionInclusion Majority Rule v. Minority rightsMajority Rule v. Minority rights

CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY

Pluralist TheoryPluralist Theory Groups compete for control over public Groups compete for control over public

policy with no one group dominatingpolicy with no one group dominating Multiple access points dispersed among Multiple access points dispersed among

the various branches and levels of the various branches and levels of governmentgovernment

Bargaining and CompromiseBargaining and Compromise Majorities rarely rule-all groups can be Majorities rarely rule-all groups can be

heardheard Evidence=increase interest group Evidence=increase interest group

activityactivity

CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY

Elite TheoryElite Theory Upper class elite rulesUpper class elite rules Wealth is basis of class powerWealth is basis of class power Big Business has huge governmental Big Business has huge governmental

powerpower

CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC CONTEMPORY DEMOCRATIC THEORYTHEORY

HyperpluralismHyperpluralism Groups so strong that government is Groups so strong that government is

unable to actunable to act Too many groupsToo many groups Multiple ways to prevent policies and Multiple ways to prevent policies and

promote policiespromote policies When politicians try to make every When politicians try to make every

group happy the result is confusing, group happy the result is confusing, contradictory policy or no policy at allcontradictory policy or no policy at all

CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACYCHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY

Increased Complexity of IssuesIncreased Complexity of Issues Limited ParticipationLimited Participation Escalating Campaign CostsEscalating Campaign Costs Diverse political interestsDiverse political interests Increased technologyIncreased technology

SCOPE OF AMERICAN SCOPE OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Our national government Our national government spends more than $3.8 trillion annuallyspends more than $3.8 trillion annually employs nearly three million people (not employs nearly three million people (not

including military=1.5 million)including military=1.5 million) owns one-third of the land in the USowns one-third of the land in the US Compared to other governments in Compared to other governments in

similar countries, it does less and is similar countries, it does less and is smallersmaller

Taxes it’s citizens less than other Taxes it’s citizens less than other democratic nationsdemocratic nations

AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISMAMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM

Dominant theme in American political Dominant theme in American political cultureculture

Developed from immigrants desire to Developed from immigrants desire to escape government oppressionescape government oppression

Helped limit the scope of American Helped limit the scope of American governmentgovernment

Remains highly valued in the US Remains highly valued in the US which results in a strong preference which results in a strong preference for free markets and limited for free markets and limited governmentgovernment