The American Democracy The American Democracy 10th ed.10th ed.

Thomas E. PattersonThomas E. Patterson

PowerPoint PresentationPowerPoint Presentation

byby

Diane Feibel, Ed.D.Diane Feibel, Ed.D.

Political Thinking: Political Thinking: Becoming a Responsible Becoming a Responsible

CitizenCitizen

Chapter 1Chapter 1

Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically

Political thinking Political thinking Involves the careful gathering and sifting of Involves the careful gathering and sifting of

information to form a knowledgeable view about a information to form a knowledgeable view about a political issuepolitical issue

Important for responsible citizenshipImportant for responsible citizenship

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Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically

Barriers to political thinkingBarriers to political thinkingMain barrier: unwillingness of citizens to make the Main barrier: unwillingness of citizens to make the

effort to self-informeffort to self-informChanges in media consumption: more people Changes in media consumption: more people

consume biased cable television and Internet blogsconsume biased cable television and Internet blogs““Spin” by political leaders and government entitiesSpin” by political leaders and government entitiesResearch shows faulty perceptions becoming more Research shows faulty perceptions becoming more

prevalentprevalent

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Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically

What political science can contribute to What political science can contribute to political thinkingpolitical thinkingPolitical science: the systematic study of Political science: the systematic study of

government and politicsgovernment and politicsA descriptive and analytical discipline; can A descriptive and analytical discipline; can

increase ability to think politicallyincrease ability to think politically

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Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically

What political science can contribute to What political science can contribute to political thinkingpolitical thinkingPolitical science can provide deeper analysisPolitical science can provide deeper analysisShows that America’s culture of individualism Shows that America’s culture of individualism

was important obstacle to whole-scale healthcare was important obstacle to whole-scale healthcare reformreform

Individualistic culture has roots in colonial Individualistic culture has roots in colonial wilderness societywilderness society

Polls shows continued strength of individualismPolls shows continued strength of individualism

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Social Welfare Spending in the United States Social Welfare Spending in the United States and Selected European Democraciesand Selected European Democracies

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

Politics: the means by which society settles its Politics: the means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costsand costs

Power: the ability of persons, groups, or Power: the ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developmentsinstitutions to influence political developments

Authoritarian and totalitarian governments: Authoritarian and totalitarian governments: nondemocratic, repressive regime typesnondemocratic, repressive regime types

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

A democratic systemA democratic systemSystem in which the people govern, by direct or System in which the people govern, by direct or

representative meansrepresentative meansIn practice, In practice, majority rule through the free and open majority rule through the free and open

election of representativeselection of representativesMajoritarianism: the majority effectively Majoritarianism: the majority effectively

determines what government doesdetermines what government does

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America’s Governing Systems America’s Governing Systems and Related Sources of Powerand Related Sources of Power

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

A democratic systemA democratic systemPluralism:Pluralism: the preference of the special interest the preference of the special interest

that largely determines what government doesthat largely determines what government doesAuthority: the recognized right of officials to Authority: the recognized right of officials to

exercise power exercise power

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

A constitutional systemA constitutional systemThe Constitution: elaborate checks and balances, The Constitution: elaborate checks and balances,

Bill of RightsBill of RightsConstitutionalism: Constitutionalism: idea that there are lawful idea that there are lawful

restrictions on government’s powerrestrictions on government’s powerRestraints on majority powerRestraints on majority powerJudicial action channel through which ordinary Judicial action channel through which ordinary

citizens can exercise powercitizens can exercise power

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Lawyers per Million PersonsLawyers per Million Persons

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

A free market systemA free market systemOperates mainly on private transactionsOperates mainly on private transactionsSome government intervention through regulatory, Some government intervention through regulatory,

taxing, and spending policiestaxing, and spending policiesTax rate much lower in U.S. than in European Tax rate much lower in U.S. than in European

countriescountriesCorporate power: influence firms have over Corporate power: influence firms have over

policymakerspolicymakersElitism: power exercised by the influential fewElitism: power exercised by the influential few

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Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America

Who does govern?Who does govern?Defining characteristic of American politics: Defining characteristic of American politics:

widespread sharing of powerwidespread sharing of powerWomen and minorities initially excluded; their Women and minorities initially excluded; their

power will steadily grow over timepower will steadily grow over time

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The Text’s OrganizationThe Text’s Organization

The constitutional systemThe constitutional systemThe political role of citizens and The political role of citizens and

intermediariesintermediariesGoverning officials, the elective institutions, Governing officials, the elective institutions,

and their appointive bodiesand their appointive bodiesFocus on public policies throughout bookFocus on public policies throughout bookFocus on difficulty of governing effectively, Focus on difficulty of governing effectively,

and how important it is to tryand how important it is to try

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