Foundations of American Government: Theories, Systems, and Challenges

2. Remy – Chapter 1 FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

3. Features of a Gov’t • Population • Territory • Sovereignty • Government

4. Theories of theOrigin of the State • Evolution • Force • Divine Right • Social Contract

5. The Purpose of Gov’t • Protect • Provide

6. Government Systems Unitary Federal Confederate

8. Major Types of Government Autocracy Totalitarism Dictatorship Monarchy Oligarchy Aristocracy Democracy Republic

10. Constitutions ... • Organizes a government • Limits the Government • List rights of citizens • Sets goals • Supreme law for that country

13. Characteristics of Democracy • Majority rule Respecting the rights of minorities • Equal opportunity • Full participation (politics) • Free elections With multiple political parties “Loyal opposition” Question / Challenge / Mock

14. Preamble to the U.S. Constitution We the People of the United States, • in Order to form a more perfect Union, • establish Justice, • insure domestic Tranquility, • provide for the common defence, • promote the general Welfare, • and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves • and our Posterity,

15. Economic Systems are ... How goods and services will be produced & distributed

17. Different Kinds of Economic Systems • Traditional • Capitalism • Socialism • Mixed Economy • Communism

18. Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy Fourteenth Edition Introducing Government in America Chapter 1

19. Introduction • Politics and government matter. • Americans are apathetic about politics and government. • American youth are not likely to be informed about government and politics and rarely participate in politics.

20. Introduction

21. Introduction

22. Introduction

23. Definition: Government is the institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society.

24. Government • This definition leads to two basic questions: • How should we govern? • What should government do? • Governments typically maintain a national defense, provide services, collect taxes, and preserve order.

25. Politics • Definition: • Politics is the process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies they produce

26. Politics • Also consider Lasswell’s definition: • Who gets what, when and how. Another thought on politics “Politics is ‘the art’ of getting things done” (compromise)

28. “Linkage Institutions” Definition: Linkage institutions are the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.

29. Linkage Institutions • Political Parties • Elections • Media • Interest Groups

30. Policy Agenda Definition: The policy agenda are issues that attract the serious attention of public officials. Political issues arise when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it.

31. Policymaking (Government) Institutions • Legislature (Congress) • Executive (President) • Courts (Federal and State) • Bureaucracies (Federal and State)

32. Policies Impact People • Public Policy: a choice that government makes in response to a political issue.

33. Democracy • Components of Traditional Democratic Theory: • Equality in voting • Effective participation • Enlightened understanding • Citizen control of the agenda • Inclusion

35. Theories of U.S. Democracy • Pluralist Theory • Competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies • Groups will work together • Public interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise

36. Theories of U.S. Democracy • Elite and Class Theory • Societies are divided along class lines • Not all groups equal • Policies benefit those with money and power

37. Theories of U.S. Democracy • Hyperpluralism • Gov’t is weak. Groups are strong. • Groups control policy • Groups can prevent government from acting • Confusing and contradictory policies result from politicians trying to placate every group

38. Challenges to Democracy • Increased Technical Expertise • Limited Participation in Government • Escalating Campaign Costs • Diverse Political Interests • (policy gridlock)

39. Culture and Democracy • Political Culture: An overall set of values widely shared within a society.

40. American Political Culture • Liberty • Egalitarianism • Individualism • Laissez-faire • Populism

41. Summary • Young people are apathetic about government and politics, even though they affect everyone. • Democratic government, which is how the United States is governed, consists of those institutions that make policy for the benefit of the people. • What government should do to benefit the people is a topic central to questions of American government.

43. Questions About Democracy • People • Are people knowledgeable about policy? • Do they apply what the know when they vote? • Do elections facilitate political participation? • Institutions • Is Congress a representative institution? • Does the president look after the general welfare?

44. Questions About Democracy • Linkage Institutions • Do interest groups help the process, or do they get in the way? • Do political parties offer clear consistent choices for voters or do they intentionally obscure their positions? • Do media help citizens understand choices?

45. How Active is American Government? • It spends about $3.1 trillion annually • It employs over 2.2 million people • It owns one-third of the land • It occupies 2.6 billion square feet of office space • It owns and operates 400,000 nonmilitary vehicles

46. Questions about theScope of Government • Constitution and Federalism • What role does the Constitution’s authors foresee for the federal government? • Does the Constitution favor government with a broad scope? • Why did functions of federal government increase? • Has a more active government constrained or protected civil rights and liberties?

47. Questions about the Scope of Government • Public and Linkage Institutions • Does the public favor a large, active government? • Do competing political parties force government to provide more public services? • Do elections control the scope of government? • Does pressure from interest groups create a bigger government? • Has the media helped control the size of government and its policies?

48. Questions about theScope of Government • Elected Institutions • Has the president been a driving force behind increasing the scope and power of government? • Can the president control a large government? • Is Congress predisposed to support big government? • Is Congress too responsive to the public and interest groups?

49. Questions about the Scope of Government • Nonelected Institutions • Are the federal courts too active in policy making, intruding on the authority of other branches of government? • Is the bureaucracy constantly try to expand its budget or is it simply reflecting the desires of elected officials? • Is the federal bureaucracy too large and thus wasteful and inefficient in the implementation of policy?

50. AP CHAPTER 1 - QUESTION 1. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS LESS INVOLVED IN ELECTIONS THAN ARE VOTERS IN EUROPEAN NATIONS. ONLY 59% OF AMERICANS ON AVERAGE VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. PARTICIPATION IS FAR HIGHER IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: HOLLAND (95%), GERMANY (87%), NORWAY (81%), FRANCE (79%), & BRITAIN (77%). THE TEXT CONCLUDES THAT REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY REQUIRES COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS. IS AMERICAN GOVERNMENT THEN SOMEHOW LESS LEGITIMATE?