Thoroughly answer the questions assigned to you in your own words. 1. Explain several functions that most governments around the world perform.

Transcription

1 Due: August 30 th (A-day) & August 31 st (B-day) Chapter 1: Thoroughly answer the questions assigned to you in your own words. 1. Explain several functions that most governments around the world perform. Maintain National Defense by protecting the nation as a whole. Preserve Order by maintaining social peace and enforcing the laws. Collect taxes to pay for other functions in the government. To establish justice by protecting the people from criminals Socializing the youth 2. Explain what is meant by Harold Lasswell s definition of politics: Who gets what, when, and how. The standard law for politics, "who gets what, when, and how." means that politics decides who gets the power, when they can use that power or not, and how they can accomplish things with that power. 3. Describe several ways in which people can participate in politics. Participating politics is as simple as voting during elections. Other forms of political participation include protests and civil disobedience such as a single-issue group focused on outlawing abortion. 4. Describe the process of the policymaking system, beginning with the people and ending with the people. Policymaking system begins with the people (who have different problems, interest, or concerns). People's concerns go through the linkage institutions where parties or interest groups will try to get political attention about the topic (ex: media). This attention will help shape the governments policy agenda, which public officials will take the serious issue into consideration. Policy institutions (congress, president, and the courts) takes look at policy agenda, select those considered important, and then make policies. Policy is placed. Then the newly implemented policy will impact the people. 5. How does a government s policy agenda change? A government's policy agenda changes when the wants or needs of the people change. The agenda revolves around the specific demands of the people at any given time. Government polies my change and adapt to work around the concerns of the public. 6. What is meant by the term policy impacts? Describe two examples of how a given policy may impact the public.

2 Policy Impacts are the effects that a policy/government action has on the people and the problem the policy is trying to fix. A. A policy could fix an issue that was brought to the attention of the government, but the act of fixing an issue usually requires the loss of some liberties/freedoms. B. A policy could cause more issues and fail to fix the initial problem, forcing the government to repeal their new policy. 7. Briefly explain the five principles of an ideal, traditional democracy. 1. Equality in voting 2. Effective participation 3. Enlightened understanding 4. Citizen control of the agenda 5. Inclusion 8. Explain the significance of the traditional democratic principles of majority rule and minority rights. Majority rule is a system where more than half the people are accepted, and minority rights guarantee rights to those who are part of the minority. This allows minorities the right to join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument. 9. Complete the following table comparing contemporary democratic theories. Theory Pluralist Who holds power and how is it distributed? Groups that include the National Rifle Association, the National Organization for women, and the United Auto workers. Not one group dominates, but power is distributed amongst them. Describe the theory s interpretation of how policy is made. Its established through a complex process of bargaining and compromise. Elite and Class The wealthy who hold property, stocks, and bonds. The power is distributed amongst them. Established through the single minded types such as the Americans who can afford to finance election campaigns and control key institutions. Hyperpluralist The many groups that include the NRA, NOW, and the UAW. Too much power is The influence of too many groups hurts the policymaking process.

3 distributed among them which causes problems. 10. List and describe four major challenges facing American democracy. Increased technological advancements and expertise, causing many people to believe false and/or biased information. Diverse political interests, forming many oppositions which can cause a political gridlock. As well, this includes many people who choose to vote based on one issue. Campaign cost escalation, creating many to vote based on certain campaigns, as well as these being against others running instead of for the person who created it. Limited participation in governmental exercises/processes such as voting. These important activities are a citizens right to practice, and when many people are not doing them due to not being informed, they are missing out on something that will greatly affect their future. 11. How does the scope of American government compare to the scope of government in other democracies? American Government is crafted so that individual thought is convenient. Most Americans fall under one of the two major political parties and shares similar views and opinions with the other members of their party. They can almost always find an ear in the government that shares their views. In other democracies, such as the United Kingdom, the multitude of political parties makes it impossible for everyone to have a voice. Also, America, unlike many other democracies, has implemented a large amount of checking and balancing into the political process. While this does allow for a careful analysis of all political decisions, it may lead to no decisions at all. Define and explain the significance of the terms assigned to you in your own words. 12. government Government is the body of nation, state and community. It is significant because it is what holds the United States together. 13. public goods Public goods can be defined as materials, actions, or services that must be available to every member of a society. For example, every member of a given community has the ability to practice environmental conservation. The government is usually needed to provide public goods because they will be under-produced by the free market.

4 14. politics The process of deciding the what, when, and how of governing our society. This process is directly responsible for the election of representatives and the policies and interests those representatives choose to pursue in order to fulfill their duties. Participation of the people in a political system is often a clear sign of its success. 15. linkage institutions Linkage Institutions are the structures that connect citizens with the government. Although linkage institutions are not officially part of the government, they still play a vital role in engaging citizen in politics. There are 4 major types of linkage institutions in US politics: political parties, interest groups, elections and campaigns, and the media. Linkage institutions are significant because although the United States does not function through direct democracy, ideas and concerns of the citizens channel through linkage institutions towards government, allowing government to hear what the citizens are saying. 16. policy agenda The Policy Agenda is a list of issues as well as important topics that government officials, and groups working closely with the government, are constantly making decisions over or discussing in depth. The policy agenda is typically important to political candidates for government offices, as citizens would like to know if their policy agenda matches up with their potential candidates agenda. 17. policymaking institutions The Policymaking institutions are the three branches of government that take control on fixing problems that have been brought up by the people by going through a process between the three and making new policies for the U.S. to follow. The institutions that were enlisted by the Constitution include Congress, the President, and the courts. 18. public policy The choice made by elected officials to do something based off of a political situation. Basically, public policy is our government passing laws and ordinances to protect us and our rights, and to get done what we need or want to get done. 19. Representation The relationship between the people or followers and the few leaders; which is discussed under the traditional democratic theory. 20. direct democracy A direct democracy is a form of government in which the people directly decide/vote on policies and people in office directly. Therefore, every single person eligible to vote would be able to have maximum political participation possible. It makes citizens directly responsible for

5 the outcome of the vote. While not as widely practiced today, it was more significant in history and societies like the Athenian democracy. 21. representative democracy Also referred to as a republic, a representative democracy is one in which the people elect who governs and passes laws. The power to govern derives from the people. The United States has a representative government. Citizens may elect presidents, Congress members, and local and state officials. 22. policy gridlock When competing policy concepts and agendas conflict with the majority interests without respect for minority considerations. 23. individualism The social theory that emphasizes the worth of the individual and, in politics, means that a person should be able to move forward and make their own decisions without the interference of the government. Individualism is still prominent in modern politics, seen in people's preferences of free markets and a government with limited power, and is the reason for the relatively small extent of the US government. Chapter 2: Thoroughly answer the questions assigned to you in your own words. 24. List at least three major grievances of the colonists under British rule. Under British rule, the colonists lacked direct representation, they were receiving taxes from parliament, and the British tightened trade regulations. 25. Describe the key components of John Locke s political philosophy (use table 2.1) and briefly explain how they influenced Thomas Jefferson s writings. The key components of John Locke s political philosophy are definitely shown to have influenced Thomas Jefferson in his writing of the Declaration of Independence. John Locke believed in natural rights, specifically the right to life, liberty, and property, -which Thomas Jefferson took and used in the Declaration Of Independence and just changed property to the pursuit of happiness-, that the purpose of government was to preserve and keep these natural rights, that men, by nature, are all free, equal, and independent, that the government should be run with the consent of the governed, that the government shouldn t be all powerful, but instead have a limited government, and that the people have the right to revolt and be the judge. Thomas Jefferson included all these beliefs in the Declaration of Independence and they most likely influenced him because it was a well thought out and established ideology that

6 put the belief of basic rights and how the government should keep these rights and work with the people into words and Thomas Jefferson agreed with it. 26. Describe the key characteristics of the United States government under the Articles of Confederation, especially noting the organization and power structure. The Articles of Confederation established a national legislature with one house. This allowed states to send as many as two to seven delegates, but each state had only one vote. There was no national court or president, and the national legislature powers were limited. Most of the power was given to the state legislature. 27. Describe at least three major reasons why the Articles of Confederation failed. The Articles of Confederation failed because it lacked a centralized government, and instead gave all the power to the states. This led to horrible economics because congress couldn't regulate trade, taxes, or a common currency between the states. The third reason is because the legislature process was inefficient: very difficult to pass laws and the amendment process was nearly impossible. 28. Briefly describe the general philosophical views of the founding fathers on the following issues. Human Nature: They held cynical views towards human nature, believing people to be selfinterested. Political Conflict: They believed that political conflict is found in the distribution of wealth (or property) because it results in factions. Objects of Government: Nature of Government: The principal role of government is for the preservation of property, including security from invasion, domestic tranquility and promotion of the general welfare as well. The government needs a system of checks and balances, as well as separation of powers. 29. What were the three major equality issues at the Constitutional Convention and how were they resolved? (be sure to include names of the plans and compromises) Issue: Equality of the States Resolution: Connecticut (Great) Compromise established that states will have equal representation in the Senate. Representation in the house is based on the state population. Slavery 1) Stop importing slaves after ) Slaves will count as 3/5 of a person in the House of Representatives.

7 Political Equality States decide qualifications for voting. 30. What were a few major economic problems (note 3) addressed at the Constitutional Convention and how were they addressed? 1. Slavery was addressed at the convention and appeased by the 3/5 Compromise. 2. State equality was appeased by the Connecticut Compromise. 3. Political equality was addressed by ruling that individual decisions should be left to the states. 31. Why did the founding fathers believe it was not necessary to address individual rights issues specifically in the Constitution? They thought that the checks and balances system included in the Constitution would do a sufficient job at protecting individual rights, and the government seemed limited to them. 32. Describe the three main premises of the Madisonian model of government and why he wanted these in place. 1. The government is built on the consent of the governed (locke) 2. The power is exercised by the representatives of the public 3. Separation of powers three separate powers split among three branches 33. Why did the framers think that federalism would serve as an additional check on national government? The framers thought federalism would check the national government because the power would be shared and distributed between the states and national government. The national government wouldn't hold all the power, giving some freedom to the states to please the antifederalists. 34. Complete the following table summarizing the major differences between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Issue: Federalists: Antifederalists: Civil Liberties Less concern for individual liberties Power of the States Economy Favored limiting state power. Wanted a strong central government Wealthy, protective tariffs, and supported a national bank Strengthened protections for individual liberties Strong supported power and influence of states. Opposed strong central government Farm owners, didn t like big businesses, and opposed a national bank

8 35. Describe the two ways in which a formal constitutional amendment may be proposed and the two ways in which it may be ratified. What is the most common method? Proposed: A 2/3 majority vote in Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) A constitutional convention with a 2/3 vote from the Statae Legislatures. Ratified: ¾ State Legislature vote State convention with ¾ vote, as well Most Common: 2/3 majority vote in Congress and ¾ State Legislature vote 36. The text examines four ways the Constitution changes informally. Complete the following table, listing these ways, defining them, and giving an example for each. Informal Change: Judicial Interpretation Changing Political Practice Technology Increasing Demands on Policymakers Description: The courts decide whether the actions of the legislative and executive branches of state and national governments are in accord with the constitution. Example: In 1896 the supreme court decided that the constitution allowed racial discrimination despite the enactment of the 14 th amendment. 58 years later it ruled that segregation was a direct violation of the constitution. The formation of political parties Political parties have a large affect on the which was not anticipated by the outcome of elections. By the election of writers of the constitution, has 1800, two political parties had formed and an effect on every aspect of the each had electors. politics. Modern technology is a Electronic communication and the platform that can spread political development of atomic weapons has given information and ideas to mass the president more power in serving as the audiences. This has a large country's commander and chief. affect of political opinions of citizens. As the United States grows in The increased demands of domestic policy the realm of international affairs, now require the president to make decisions more power is given to those in regarding the federal budget and legislative political positions, especially the programming. president. Define and explain the significance of the terms assigned to you in your own words. 37. Declaration of Independence (include the term polemic)

9 The Declaration of Independence was a document stating that we are no longer of the British Rule. The significance of this document is that it stated the ideals of what they believed were important for us to have such as liberty and equality. 38. Shays Rebellion Shays Rebellion, led by Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer, was in protest of mortgage foreclosures on farms. The rebellion clearly showed the need for a strong central government in the United States, since the Articles of Confederation did not allot enough power to the government in order to stop the violence. 39. U.S. Constitution In response to the weak and unsuccessful Articles of Confederation, the U.S. Constitution is a legal document written in 1787 that provides structure to the federal government. This document details the tasks this institution is permitted to perform, while its ever-present flexibility still allows it to be interpreted and ratified as the nation continues to evolve throughout time. 40. Factions Factions are groups of people with a common political passion or interest. Some groups classified as factions engage in conflict with official power structures by means of verbal action or through campaigns to gain influence in these power structures. Factions are significant in creating the political parties that we recognize now: The Democratic Party, Republican Party, Independent Party etc. They are important because people to this day assert and identify their beliefs through these parties. 41. writ of habeas corpus The Writ of Habeas Corpus is when a judge, by court order, calls upon a jailer to explain why they have a specific prisoner in their possession. It is usually used in courts to determine if the prisoner in custody is being held in prison for lawful purposes or unlawful purposes, as some prisoners are mentally unstable to be held accountable for their actions. 42. republic A system of government based on the consent of the governed, or people. The governed nominate and vote representatives in the republic to exercise the powers that the governed want. 43. Federalist Papers A series of 85 essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in support of the U.S. Constitution. The Federalist Papers played a major role in helping getting the Constitution ratified, specifically by persuading the Anti-Federalists.

10 44. Bill of Rights The first ten amendments of the United States Constitution, which contain a list of individual rights and liberties. The first amendment is about freedom of speech, religion, press, etc.; which was in response to the Anti-Federalist concerns. 45. Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a constitutional amendment that passed by Congress in 1972, but failed to gain the support from three-fourths of state legislatures. The bill stated that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Despite it seeming like a harmless, helpful bill, it failed to pass and is an important reminder of the workings of checks and balances. Because bills need states to pass, not a national majority, Conservative, southern states failed to ratify it. It is one of the most famous cases of a bill that was proposed but not ratified. 46. Marbury v. Madison (include the term judicial review) In Marbury v. Madison, John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right to determine the meaning of the Constitution. The decision of this case established judicial review. This gave the courts the right to determine if the acts of Congress and the executive branch are in accord with the Constitution. Chapter 3 Thoroughly answer the questions assigned to you in your own words. 47. Define the three ways of organizing a nation that were discussed in the text. Democracy: The governed will choose their government. The people have the franchise to vote--one person, one vote. Majority rules according to the vote. At the same time, the minority positions are respected. Republic: A body of elected representatives selected by democratic franchise to convey the wishes of the majority in a legislative body. Federalism: A form of government that uses a larger governmental structure while having smaller units. I.e. States that also govern at a local level. Federal Government, and it s departments and agencies, and individual states and their legislatures, would be an example of a Federalist form of government. 48. In what ways does federalism decentralize politics and policies?

11 Federalism decentralizes politics by dividing the powers of the central government into the 3 branches of government, so that various powers are given to senators and governors instead of one executive figure. Because of this, policies are debated and subject to both the national and state governments due to an overlap in power, often leading to debates over who should control what policies. 49. List the three items that are considered the supreme law of the land and where this is found in the Constitution. Article VI. of the Constitution states that the Constitution, the laws of the United States, and all treaties will be the supreme Law of the Land. 50. What is the significance of the Tenth Amendment? The significance of the tenth amendment was to address the fears of anti-federalists and gives and reserves any power not specifically assigned to the national government to the states or to the people. This is also significant because it means that any power not explicitly given to the national government isn t just up in the air, but instead has somewhere to go. 51. Explain the difference between enumerated powers and implied powers Enumerated powers are powers of the federal government that are stated directly in the constitution. Implied powers are not directly stated in the constitution, but are necessary to carry out. 52. Name and describe the three general obligations that each state has to every other state under the Constitution. Extradition- they must surrender a fugitive to another state Full faith and credit- states must recognize and respect public records, law, and other legislative duties from another state. Privileges and immunities clause- a state can t deprive a resident form another state the rights of that state based on nonresidence. 53. Explain the analogy of dual federalism to a layer cake and that of cooperative federalism to a marble cake. Dual federalism deals with the state governments and national government remaining supreme in their own "worlds" with both of them dealing with their own set of policies. Each policy distinct similar to a layer of a cake. Cooperative federalism is more intertwined such as a marble cake. Both state and national governments mixing to share policy assignments equally. 54. Describe the three standard operating procedures of cooperative federalism.

12 1) Shared Cost Cities or States can get federal money from programs like construction, sewage treatment plants, youth programs etc. They only receive money if the states pa some of the costs. 2) Federal Guidelines - To get the money, the states must regulate their policy according to the federal guidelines. For ex: Congress spends 3) Shared Administration State and local officials implement federal policies, but they have administrative powers on their own. (ex: US Department of Labor, gives billions of dollars to states for job retraining, but states have considerable latitude in spending the money.) 55. Explain the two types of categorical grants. 1. Project Grants are given based on application analysis of a specific task observation. 2. Formula Grants are given out according to a set of rules that determine who can have them and how much each person will receive. 56. Describe the difference between cross-over sanctions and cross-cutting requirements. The difference between cross-over sanctions and cross-cutting requirements is that crossover sanctions are more or less incentives for a state to do what the federal government has asked of them so that they can get their grant money. If a sanction isn't met, the total grant money is reduced. Cross-cutting requirements are set in stone and have to be met in order for a state to get their grant money. 57. Compare and contrast categorical grants and block grants. Both grants are federal grants intended for the state and community levels but categorial grants are for more specific spending and block grants can be used to support broad programs for communities, so it is less specific in how it should be spent. 58. How did industrialization increase the role of the national government? Industrialization helped increase the role of the national government by restraining large companies from creating monopolies and encouraging open competition. This allowed more people to participate in trade. 59. List the advantages and disadvantages of federalism for democracy. Advantages: Increases the access to government Local problems can be solves locally Permits diversity and diffusion of power Disadvantages: State governments may resist national policies Makes national unity difficult to achieve and maintain Law enforcement and justice are uneven

13 Define and explain the significance of the terms assigned to you in your own words. 60. federalism Power is not centralized, but separated between both the state and national levels. The national government overlooks each state, and has the power to create their own rules, however the state also has a say. Therefore, power is divided and there is more than one in charge of a place. This helps, and if certain situations arise and there needs to be a regulation, the National government can go over the State. 61. intergovernmental relations The workings of the federal system the entire set of interactions among national, state, and local governments. 62. supremacy clause Supremacy clause is a law stating that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties have supreme law over anything. The significance of it that no local, state or federal law can overrule these documents. 63. McCulloch v. Maryland McCulloch v. Maryland was an 1819 Supreme Court case, in which delineated the supremacy of national policies over state policies, as well as the fact that the Constitution gives Congress certain implied powers. This case solidified the institution of a Federalist-driven governmental system in which the national government has supreme power. 64. elastic clause Also known as the necessary and proper clause, the elastic clause refers to the right of Congress to pass all necessary and proper laws they see fit in order to successfully support the Constitution s enumerated powers. This clause protects the precedent of flexible interpretation of our nation s most vital document, a trend in our federal government most notably set by early Supreme Court decisions. 65. Gibbons v. Ogden Gibbons v. Ogden greatly increased the power of Congress through the Commerce Clause in the Constitution (Article 1, section 8). The court ruled that Congress holds the power to regulate all types of commerce between state lines, including mode of transportation. This means that federal government regulation overrides state regulation. This was significant in setting the stage for further congressional approval over commercial activity and other activities thought to be within state power.

14 66. fiscal federalism Fiscal Federalism is a key relationship that the national government has with the states, in which the national government taxes, spends, and provides grants in the states federal system. Fiscal federalism is utilized by the national government as an influence over state governments into cooperating with the national government over new laws and other government orders. 67. mandates (in relation to fiscal federalism) Requirements that are made from the Federal government to the state and local governments to provide certain services. If the governments don t carry out their duties, they receive funding cuts, which leads a decrease in the amount of money that the state and local governments receive. They are also said to increase the burden on state governments to provide a service not really necessary to them, but to the federal government.