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CH. 1-3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY

CH. 1-3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. FOUNDATIONS. Democracy is not inevitable It does not exist because it is the best political system Democracy exists because Americans believe in its basic concepts

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CH. 1-3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY

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  1. CH. 1-3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

  2. FOUNDATIONS • Democracy is not inevitable • It does not exist because it is the best political system • Democracy exists because Americans believe in its basic concepts • “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” – Winston Churchill

  3. American concept of democracy rests on 5 basic principles: • I) WORTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL • Each person is a separate and distinct being • At times the welfare of one person is subordinated to the interests of the many • People can be forced to do things they don’t like do – pay taxes, register for the draft, stop at a stop sign

  4. II) EQUALITY OF ALL PERSONS • “…all men are created equal.” – Thomas Jefferson • Democracy does NOT insist on equality of condition • Ex.—all people may not be born with the same mental or physical abilities • People don’t have a right to an equal share of goods or wealth

  5. All people are entitled to: • 1) equality of opportunity • 2) equality before the law • III) MAJORITY RULE, MINORITY RIGHTS • The will of the people determines policy • What is the will of the people? • A majority of the people will be right more often than they are wrong

  6. The majority will be right more often than any 1 person of small group • Democracy—an experiment or a trial-and-error process • The majority will not always arrive at the best decisions • Democratic process does not intend to come up with “right” or “best” answers • Democratic process searches for SATISFACTORY solutions to public problems

  7. A democracy cannot work without majority rule • Unchecked, the majority could destroy its opposition and democracy • Democracy insists on majority rule restrained by minority rights • The majority must realize that the minority could become the majority through legal means

  8. The majority must always be willing to: • --listen to a minority’s argument • --hear its objections • --bear its criticisms • --welcome its suggestions

  9. IV) NECESSITY OF COMPROMISE • Compromise—the process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests • An essential part for 2 reasons: • 1) democracy puts the individual first and insists that each individual is equal to others • 2) few public questions have only 2 sides • Example—How should a city pay for paving a public street?

  10. --Charge the property owners along the street • --Pay the cost from city treasury • --City and adjacent property owners share the cost • --have anyone that uses the street pay a toll • Not all compromises are good or necessary

  11. V) INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM • Democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of individual freedom • Absolute freedom can only exist in a state of anarchy • Anarchy will quickly lead to rule by the strong and ruthless • “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins”—Oliver Wendell Holmes

  12. “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened”—John F. Kennedy • Human beings desire both liberty and authority • Democracy must maintain a balance between the two ideals

  13. DEMOCRACY AND THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM • America’s commitment to freedom is rooted in the nation’s economic system • “Free enterprise system” • --private ownership of capital goods • --investments made by private decision, not government directive • --success or failure determined by competition in the marketplace

  14. Four fundamental factors • --private ownership • --individual initiative • --profit • --competition • HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS • Free enterprise system is also known as capitalism

  15. Government does not decide what items are produced or how much • “Law of supply and demand” • When supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise • GOVERNMENT AND THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM • Mixed economy—private enterprise combined with government regulation

  16. Government’s participation in the economy is two-fold: • 1) protect the public • 2) preserve private enterprise • Government’s participation can be seen at all levels • Examples: • Regulation through anti-trust laws, pure food and drug laws, anti-pollution laws, etc.

  17. Government promotes economy through: • 1) money for transportation • 2) scientific research • 3) growing specific food crops • 4) building roads • 5) operating public schools • 6) postal system • 7) weather reports • 8) national currency, etc.

  18. DEMOCRACY AND THE INTERNET • 180 million+ Americans log on to the internet to use email, buy/sell items, find entertainment and information • Democracy demands that the people be informed about their government • People can find information about candidates, government officials, new laws • Information on the internet is not guarenteed to be accurate or truthful

  19. Some people say that elections should be held online • Problems with internet voting… • THE END

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