Why Government Matters? AP Government Lecture #1

Why Government Matters? AP Government Lecture #1

The institution in which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges. What is Government? Ultimate authority in society

So. What is Politics?

Break it down into two words.. Poly = Ticks =

Politics = The struggle over power or influence within organizations that allocate benefits or privileges

Why Government Matters: The oldest purpose of government is to maintain order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity.

Maintain social order-preserve life, liberty and protect property Why have a government? John Locke vs. Thomas Hobbes State of nature Locke-people are naturally good can govern themselves Hobbes-people are

Natural Rights https://www.yout ube.com/watch? v=1apnkcdard E

John Locke Primary Source Two Treatises of Gov.

Social Contract Government will protect it s people and the people will obey the government (follow laws implemented by gov)

Popular Sovereignty The national government has the right to govern its people as it wishes, without interference from other nations - People control themselves within the boundaries of a country

Limited Government The principle that the powers of government should be limited, usually by institutional checks

Republic and Republicanism A republic is a society who elects individuals to represent a population in the government

Which is Better??? To live under a government that allows individuals to do whatever they please OR to live under one that enforces strict law and order? To let all citizens keep the same share of their income OR to tax wealthier people at a higher rate to fund programs for poorer people?

Concepts that identify the values pursued by government Freedom Order Equality

Freedom Freedom OF: absence of constraints on behavior (freedom of speech or freedom of religion) Freedom FROM: immunity (fear and want)

Preserving life Preserving the social order of people Which can change Can use police power: the authority of a government to maintain order and safeguard citizen s health, morals, safety, and welfare Order

Equality Political Equality Social Equality Equality of Opportunity Equality of Outcome

Equality: RIGHTS The idea that every citizen is entitled to certain benefits of government, that the government should guarantee its citizens adequate housing, employment, medical care, and income as a matter of rights

Dilemmas Freedom vs. Order Freedom vs. Equality

Charlottesville http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2017/ 08/16/charlottesville-videoonlookers-orig-mss.cnn Freedom vs. Order?

Eminent Domain A power of the federal government to take private property for public use in return for just compensation offered to the landowner 5 th amendment gives federal gov. this power This shows Freedom v. Equality Transfer of Property

Eminent Domain Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t SJhyTa6fLk (60 Minutes Clip) Kello Case Follow up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= A3AsqUzVA0Q

What is a Democracy? Democracy-rule by the people Direct Democracy-A government in which all or most citizens participate directly Representative Democracy-A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular votes

Other Forms of Government Totalitarian A form of government that controls all aspects of political and social life in a nation Authoritarianism- A type of regime in which only the government itself is fully controlled by the ruler. Social and economic institutions exist that

Other Forms of Government Aristrocracy Rule by the best

Procedural Democratic Theory Everyone should participate in decision making (universal participation) All votes should be counted equally (political equality) Majority rule (50% plus onequorum) Government responsiveness to public opinion

Substantive View of Democracy Focuses on the substance of gov t policies, not the procedures followed in making the policies Bill of Rights Civil Rights/Civil Liberties What has been done in the past, not necessarily of what the government should do?

Four different Schools of Thought about political elites and how power is distributed in America s Representative Democracy Majoritarianism Power Elite Bureaucratic Pluralist

Majoritarianism elected officials are the delegates of the people, acts as the people (or a majority of them) would act were there a popular vote Elected Officials should do what the people want! Democracy for Everyone!

Power Elite Theory View that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government Corporate leaders, top military officers, labor union officials Enjoy great advantages in wealth, status, etc. Democracy for the few!

Bureaucratic View Democracy for the few! View that the government is dominated by appointed officials Max Weber Do not merely implement public policies, they effectively make them as suits their own interests and ideas

The belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy No single group can dominate the political process Elites are divided and there are many categories of them Pluralist View

How is political power distributed? Majoritarian politics-elected officials are the delegates of the people, acts as the people (or a majority of them) would act were there a popular vote Elite-persons who possess a disproportionate share of the some valued resource, like money or power

Political Ideologies Comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government in people s lives

Ideologies most recognized in U.S. Government Conservatives-limited role for government more emphasis on individual responsibility promotes the private sector over government Liberals-positive government action promotes equality in opportunity

Less Recognized Ideologies in American Society Libertarian - free market belief -less gov regulation of social values and moral decisions

Ideologies that exist Communism A revolutionary variant of socialism that favors a partisan dictatorship, government control of all enterprises and the replacement of free markets by central planning Fascism A twentieth- century ideology-often totalitarian that exalts the national collective united behind an absolute ruler. Fascism rejects liberal individualism, values action over rational deliberation and glorifies war

What about YOU??? Where does your political ideology fall? Where do your ideas come from? Where you live? Parents? Environment? Part of the country? Activity!