Important Information!

1. Important Information! • http://www.arts.uwaterloo/~gboychuk/psci365/psci365.html • gboychuk@uwaterloo.ca

2. A. The basic American ideals seem like a good basis for a democratic system.

3. B. The practice of democracy in the United States comes reasonably close to living up to its ideals.

4. C. The American system of government is a good example for countries like Canada to follow.

5. D. I would ________ living in the United States.

6. E. I have lived in the United States.

7. F. I have visited the US.

8. G. I have family who live in the US.

9. H. I have friends who live in the US.

12. Correlation= -0.26

13. The American Dilemma • What is a “dilemma”? • What might the “American” dilemma refer to? • What is democracy? • What does Americandemocracy look like?

14. DEMOCRACY?? WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?? May 7, 2002

15. CLASSIFYING DEMOCRACIES • within a range of models incorporating some minimum amount of meaningful citizen input and some minimuim protection of basic rights, there are different models of democracy • choice of models is completely normative • there is no “right” model • the best model of democracy is contestable

16. Democracy -- A Process Opportunities for Mass Participation LOW HIGH Representative (Trustee) Democracy Representative (Delegate) Democracy Participatory Democracy Direct Democracy

17. Democracy -- The Outcomes Protection of Individual Rights Low (Emphasis on General Welfare) High (Emphasis on Limited Gov’t) Communitarianism Libertarianism

18. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

19. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Majoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

20. Models of Democracy • majoritarian democracy • most important goal is maximizing mass participation • high mass participation will result in decisions being made that maximize the general welfare

21. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Majoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

22. Models of Democracy • elite democracy • most important goal is the general welfare • requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term interests of society • actually values low mass participation

23. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

24. Models of Democracy • liberal democracy • most important goal is protecting individual rights • does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing to accept it

25. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

26. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II United States High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

27. ASSESSING DEMOCRACY... • the democratic model • completely normative • difficult to apply label of “undemocratic” to the different models • internal logic • are some models of democracy more difficult to achieve than others?

28. Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II United States High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

29. THE CHALLENGE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY... • combining... • high levels of opportunity for mass political participation • strong emphasis on rights of the individual • why might these be difficult to combine?? • citizens who participate in the political process are limited in what they can use government for • citizens who view themselves primarily as rights-bearing individuals have little incentive to participate in collective decision-making

30. ASSESSING DEMOCRACY... • the model of democracy • the practice of democracy • does the practice meet the ideals of the model?

31. The “American” Dilemma • democratic ideals are in tension • difficult to maximize the achievement of one set of values without compromising the other • mass participation vs. individual rights • democratic ideals are in tension with democratic practice • difficult to change democratic practice without sacrificing democratic ideals • the politics of race in the US • understanding American politics today requires recognizing the on-going significance of these two sets of tensions

32. Things to Think About... • is it better to strive for unrealistic goals and not achieve them or to aim for more modest goals but achieve them? • did the democratic system in the US contribute to ameliorating the problems of race in the US or did it contribute to the persistence of the problems of race?