Chapter 1 The Political Landscape

Transcription

1 Chapter 1 The Political Landscape Government and Politics Government is the formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted. Politics is the study of who gets what, when, and how - or - how policy decisions are made. How are you involved in politics? Government and Politics merica/dia_1/dia_1_video.html Start at 8:30 What is the public policy being considered? How did citizens influence the policy? Government and Politics acyinamerica/dia_1/dia_1_video.html?po p=yes&pid=1911# Start at 8:

2 Functions of Government The U.S. Government (according to the Preamble to the Constitution (read it!!)): Establishes justice Insures domestic tranquility Provides for the common defense Promotes the general welfare Secures the blessings of liberty Aristotle s Classifications of Government Types of Government Monarchy - the rule of one in the interest of all. most monarchies today are constitutional monarchies (monarch shares power with elected lawmakers e.g. Great Britain). Totalitarianism vests power in one in selfinterest. (e.g. dictators - Kim Jong II of North Korea). Types of Government Theocracy - no separation of church and state (in Iran the Koran is the basis for law). Democracy - power is given to the people. 2

3 Philosophical Origins of American Government Thomas Hobbes and John Locke proposed the social contract theory of government. A social contract is an agreement between the people and their government giving their consent to be governed. Philosophical Origins of American Government Social contract theory: people are free and equal by natural right, and this freedom requires that all people give their consent to be governed. Representative Democracy U.S. has a representative democracy (also called a republic) - the will of the majority is expressed through a smaller group of individuals elected by the people to act as their representatives. Founders of the U.S. feared that a pure... direct democracy would deteriorate into mob rule where the majority would ignore the rights and opinions of the minority. Representative Democracy Assignment #1 - Due next class period. Use the Who Represents Me section of to find out who represents you in the U.S. Congress (2 Senators and 1 Representative). Read the biography of each and write one thing you find interesting about each individual. 3

4 Basic Principles of American Democracy Personal liberty - freedom from government interference. Political equality - 1 person, 1 vote. Majority rule...but preservation of minority rights. Basic Principles of American Democracy Popular consent - people agree to be governed. Civil society - citizens organize and express their views publicly as they engage in open debate. Aristotle, Politics c. 340 B.C. If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost. I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion. Thomas Jefferson (1820) 4

5 Apathy is the Enemy -antidote-to-beckanalia/ Political Ideology Political ideology - a set of ideas or beliefs about the purpose and scope of government. Libertarians favor free markets and personal liberty. Conservatives want less government especially in terms of regulating the economy. Social conservatives favor government regulation of morality. Liberals want an active government. 14 Political Ideology The Traditional Political Spectrum Labels can be problematic 5

6 Adult Self-Identification Gingrich and Carville Conservatism and Liberalism Start at 24:40 18 In 2010, the Texas Board of Education required textbooks to do which of the following? How has the U.S. population grown over time? A.Stress the positive effects of capitalism B.Question the Framers concept of a purely secular government C.Present conservative beliefs in a much more positive light D.All of the above E.None of the above Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman To Learning Objectives 6

7 How does the racial and ethnic composition of America now differ from that of 1967? Is America getting older? Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman 7