American Politics and Government

1. American Politicsand Government Structure Functionalism

2. Structure Functionalism • Provides a framework with which to examine and describe political systems • Necessary conditions for a healthy political system • Researchers: • Sidney Verba • Gabriel Almond

3. Overview • Input functions (5) • Things the system takes from the people • Things the people use in the system • Output functions (3) • Things the system gives to the people • Results of the system

4. Structure Functionalism • Input Functions • Interest Aggregation • Interest Articulation • Political Socialization • Political Recruitment • Political Communication • Output Functions • Rule Making • Rule Application • Rule Adjudicating

5. Activity • Now, looking at the needs of a healthy political system, think about the US political system, not just the government, but the entire political system • In groups, find something in the US system that addresses each of the five input functions and three output functions

6. Structure Functionalism (Outputs) • Rule Making • Rule Executing • Rule Adjudicating

7. Structure Functionalism (Inputs) • Interest Aggregation • Interest Articulation • Political Socialization • Political Recruitment • Political Communication