quote and then answer the questions which follow -...

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© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Essential Questions:

•How has the American political process been

shaped by different political ideologies, from left

through right-wing thought?

•Is America too deeply divided by partisan

politics and opposing ideologies?



Warm Up/Do Now—Read the

quote and then answer the

questions which follow:• ―Since the horror of 9/11, we've learned a great deal about the

enemy. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy --but not without purpose. We have learned that they form a global network of extremists who are driven by a perverted vision of Islam --a totalitarian ideology that hates freedom, rejects tolerance, and despises all dissent. And we have learned that their goal is to build a radical Islamic empire where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations. The war against this enemy is more than a military conflict. It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century, and the calling of our generation.‖ –Pres. George W. Bush 9/11/06

– 1) How would you define ―ideology?‖ American ideology?

– 2) Explain why Bush characterizes the current conflict with the Middle East as a ―decisive ideological struggle.‖

--5 Minutes


• Political Culture: Beliefs of a

people about their government and

politics

• American ideals: Basis of our

national identity

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• Origins: European Enlightenment thinkers (e.g. Rousseau and Locke) and the Founding Fathers (e.g. Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton) shaped American beliefs

Liberty: freedom to act and think as one chooses but no infringement on freedom of others

Equality: all individuals equal in worth, legal treatment, and political voice


• Democratic Consensus: A widespread agreement on principles of governance and underlying values. Also includes:

– Majority rule: governance according to preferences of majority

– Popular sovereignty: Ultimate power resides in the people.


• Justice and the Rule of Law: Law is applied equally

and by just procedures (fairness). Everyone is entitled

to the same legal rights and protections.

• Nationalistic: American share a sense of values and

identity. Pride in one’s nation.

• Optimistic—To be positive about one’s future and the

opportunities one has.

• Question: How strongly do Americans feel about their

country, as compared to others?


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What current issues could

soon change how Americans

feel about their nation?



• Idealism: Americans believe that their nation is better, stronger, and more virtuous than other nations.

• Idealism influences reasonable and desirable behaviors.

• Causes of idealism:

– ―The American Dream‖--The common belief that the U.S. is a land of opportunity, and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success. It is fueled by:

– Capitalism--an economic system characterized by private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government involvement


• Monopolies--Large

corporations or firms that

dominate their industries and

are able to artificially fix prices

and discourage competition.

• Antitrust legislation--Federal

laws that try to prevent

monopolies from dominating

industries and restraining

trade.

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Let’s Play the

quick version!• Rules: You will be split into several teams. Each team will be

given a set of dice and a game piece. Each team will take

terms rolling the die. When your team lands on a vacant

property, you will be given a history trivia question. If your

team answers correctly, you can buy the property. If you

answer incorrectly, the property remains vacant. If another

team lands on a property you own, they must correctly

answer a trivia question. If they answer incorrectly, they must

give up one of their properties to your team! (In effect, they

went bankrupt for failing to pay you and one of their

properties went into foreclosure, meaning its value and title

gets transferred to you!)

• Goal: The first team to secure a monopoly—ownership of two

or three like properties--wins! Isn’t this the American

(capitalistic) dream?


81 79 7985

WHITES BLACKS HISPANICS ASIANS0

20

40

60

80

100

PE

RC

EN

T

Percent who believe "Trying to get ahead on your own

effort is important in making a person a real

American?"


• Write a reflective response to one of the following (3.5 minutes):

– Do black people really have the same rights as whites?

– Do immigration laws discriminate?

– Does affirmative action really work?

– Do women make as much money or hold as many positions of power as men do?


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• By 1900, America was no longer the agrarian

society the founding fathers had envisioned.

• Large companies formed monopolies that

dominated their industries and fixed prices and

discouraged competition.

• Gave rise to anti-trust legislation

• Reinforced the Constitutional belief that the

government must ―promote the general Welfare‖

by regulating working conditions, product safety,

and labor-management disputes.


The stock

market crash

of 1929 on

Wall Street

brought

massive

unemployme

nt and a

failed

banking

system.


• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program represented the first attempt by the government to provide aid and relief to Americans=―the welfare state.‖

• Now, Americans expect the right to:

– earn a living

– buy and sell without fear of unfair business practices

– own a home, receive medical care and social security

– receive a good education

– earn compensation (disability) if hurt on the job.

• Conservatives and liberals agree that governmental intervention is necessary to assist those in need of education or jobs.


• Ideology—refers to a person’s ideas or beliefs

about political values and the role of

government. It links our basic values to the

day-to-day operations and policies of our

government.

• Major schools of political ideology—1)

liberalism and 2) conservatism, 3) socialism,

4) environmentalism, and 5) libertarianism.

• Do you know which school do you belong to?

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© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

• Liberalism, conservatism, socialism, environmentalism, and libertarianism are all traditionally classified as either right-wing or left-wing, but what’s the difference?

• Evaluate this cartoon. Is it’s portrayal of left vs. right-wing thought accurate? Defend your answer!


•Using the power of gov’t to solve problems

•a strong presidency

•curb big business, help the underdog

•not much objection to taxes or deficits

•favors labor and working persons

•minorities

•supports gov’t action to foster employment

•help those unable to help themselves

•civil liberties


•Best gov’t is the least gov’t

•less taxes

•oppose deficits, balance budget

•de-centralization

•de-regulation (laissez-fair capitalism)

•stress patriotism and strong defense

•strong Congress

•appeals to affluent and middle class

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• Socialism: an economic and

governmental (political) system

based on public ownership.

Extreme left on the spectrum!

• So….what do socialists favor?

• A greatly expanded role of the

government

• Public jobs program where all

those who want to work will be able

to get a job

• Increased taxes for the wealthy

• Drastic cut in defense spending


• Libertarianism: an ideology that

cherishes individual liberty and

insists on a sharply limited

government—they are opposed

to just about all government

programs

• So….what do libertarians favor?

• free-market economy

• noninterventionist foreign policy

• absence of regulation in the

moral and social spheres.


• Environmentalism: an ideology that is dominated

by concern for the environment—much like

liberalism

• Otherwise known as the Green Party

• So….what do environmentalists favor?

• Grass-roots democracy

• Social justice

• Equal opportunity

• Nonviolence

• Diversity

• Feminism


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Directions: First, read the article “Left-Right Wing Politics.” Then, create a

diagram to place each school of ideology in its proper place. For example,

should liberalism be placed on the left or right of your diagram? The five

main schools are: 1) liberalism, 2) conservatism, 3) socialism, 4)

environmentalism, and 5) libertarianism In addition, make sure to define

each school of thought! Be prepared to justify your placement of the political

ideologies on your spectrum/diagram.

EXAMPLE:

(Or, invent your own!)

The Spectrum



Socratic

Seminar• Directions: Read ―Moral Politics: How

Liberals and Conservatives Think‖ by

George Lakoff. Your ―ticket‖ to participate

for this seminar is to draw two political

cartoons. On the left side, draw a

cartoon, making fun of the way a liberal

thinks. On the right side, draw a cartoon

about the way a conservative thinks. You

will need to present this ticket in order to

participate.

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IDEOLOGICAL

DISTINCTIONS

ISSUE LIBERAL

VIEWS

CONSERVATIVE

VIEWS

Interpretation of

the

United States

Constitution

Favor loose

construction –

Constitutional interpretation

may change as modern society

evolves

Favor strict

construction –

Constitutional interpretation

should remain constant

through the years

Tradition

vs.

Change

Favor change over

status quo

Favor tradition

over change


REFINING THE IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUMLIBERAl CONSERVATIVE

The Economic Spectrum

Economic liberals favor

broad government

involvement in economic

policymaking and

regulation of business.

Examples?

Economic conservatives

favor limited government

involvement in economic

policymaking and regulation

of business.

Examples?


REFINING THE IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUMLIBERAL CONSERVATIVE

Social/Political Spectrum

Social and political liberals

favor limited government

regulation of individual

behavior.

Examples?

Social and political

conservatives favor

broad government regulation

of individual behavior.

Examples?


Extension Task: Take a Stand!Directions: In this activity, you will get up and move around the room! I

will read a statement. If you think it is a conservative belief, move to

the right of the classroom. If it is liberal, move to the left. If

somewhere in between, move to the center!

• Public schools should begin each day with a prayer.

• Businesses operate most efficiently when they determine how much their

workers earn. Government should not set a minimum wage.

• Law-abiding citizens should have no limit on the number of guns they may

own.

• Individual people should rely on their own hard work to achieve financial

stability.

• Religion and public schools should be kept separate.

• The minimum wage is a great example of how the government can protect

workers from being taken advantage of by businesses.

• Gun control laws are an important way to protect public safety.

• Sometimes the poor need financial help from the government.

• I believe that the government should be able to censor books and movies

with offensive language.

• I believe that government regulations on business help protect our

environment.

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Warm Up: We have learned about the

political spectrum. The compass is

another way to diagram ideologies.

Try to place the following on the

compass: 1) liberalism, 2)

conservatism, 3) socialism, 4)

environmentalism, and 5)

libertarianism

The Spectrum

The Compass


IDEOLOGY Compass How is this

different from the Spectrum?


http://www.politicalcompass.org/questionnaire.php

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Assignment: Take two Political

Orientation Surveys!• Directions: You will take two political orientation surveys and learn a lot about

yourself and your political beliefs in the process!

– 1) The first survey will be on paper. Once the results are tallied, you

will be placed somewhere on the traditional political spectrum, from

left to right.

– 2) The other survey is online at

http://www.politicalcompass.org/test. Your results will be

automatically tallied, placing you somewhere in the political

compass. Read the analysis.

– 3) Once finished with both surveys, write a 150-word response,

including:

• Your report on the results—What is your political orientation and why?

• An explanation about whether you agree with the results

• Which is better—the political spectrum or the ideology compass? Explain


Activity: A liberal,

conservative, libertarian and

totalitarian met one day…• Directions: Working in groups of 3-4, you will be assigned an

issue in the news, such as immigration or stem cell research. You

will write an imaginary dialogue about the issue between four

characters: a liberal, a conservative, a libertarian, and a

totalitarian. The dialogue should demonstrate areas of difference

and areas of agreement between the ideologies. Students will

perform their dialogue as a skit in front of class. While this can be

humorous, you should also seriously and intelligently tackle the

issue. Timeframe:

– 1) One class period to research

– 2) Write and rehearse the skit

– 3) Perform!

• 25 Points for creativity, intelligent discussion of the issue, research, all

points clearly presented, and a strong, well-rehearsed performance.

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