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Unit #1: Foundations of Government

Unit #1: Foundations of Government WHO GOVERNS? (Who has the Power?) Authoritarianism Dictatorship Oligarchy Monarchy Totalitarianism How do these government get and maintain their power? Democracy Direct democracy Representative democracy Who Governs? Two basic forms of government

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Unit #1: Foundations of Government

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  1. Unit #1: Foundations of Government WHO GOVERNS? (Who has the Power?) AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  2. AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  3. Authoritarianism Dictatorship Oligarchy Monarchy Totalitarianism How do these government get and maintain their power? Democracy Direct democracy Representative democracy Who Governs?Two basic forms of government AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  4. Birth of Democracy • Direct democracy • Athenian democracy AP Government & Politics Timpanogos High School

  5. Principles of Democracy • What assumptions are made about people in a democracy? • “I know no safer depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.” • “If the people wish to be ignorant and free, they wish what never was, nor will ever be!” AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  6. Principles of Democracy • "I have a complete confidence in the aggregate wisdom of the...people, if they are given and made to understand the facts. The wisdom of the masses is always greater than the wisdom of the individual or of the group. The few may be more subtle, more agile-minded, more resourceful; they may for a time push to the front and scamper ahead in the march; they may on occasion and for a time entice us down the wrong highway at the crossroads. But the great slow-moving, deliberate-thinking mass plods along over the years down the Divinely appointed way. Led astray, they slowly, cumbersomely swing back to the right road, no matter what the toil or the sacrifice may be , and when they start the return, they crush whatever lies in their path. so has humanity come up through the ages.“ • J. Reuben Clark, legal scholar AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  7. Principles of Democracy • "While the people are pure, while they are upright, while they are willing to observe law, the best results must follow the establishment and maintenance of a government like this; but, on the other hand, if the people become corrupt, if they give way to passion, if they disregard law, if they trample upon constitutional obligations, then a republican form of government like ours become the worst tyranny upon the face of the earth. An autocracy is a government of one man, and if he be a tyrant, it is the tyranny of one man; but the tyranny and irresponsibility of a mob is one of the most grievous despotisms which can exist upon the face of the earth.“ • George Q. Cannon, religious leader AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  8. Direct democracy Direct participation Representative democracy Direct v. Representative Democracy AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  9. Direct v. Representative Democracy • Is direct democracy practical on a national basis? AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  10. Direct v. Representative Democracy • What if we could make direct democracy practical? • Cyber Democracy • National Referendum ? AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  11. Direct v. Representative Democracy Sean Hannity’s “Man on the Street” George Bush v. Jim Kerney • Are citizens capable of making important decisions? • Leno Leno (part2) • Women’s Suffrage • Are we “Too Stupid for Democracy”? AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  12. Direct v. Representative Democracy • What if citizens were informed on the issues… Would we still want a direct democracy? AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  13. Representative Democracy • Representative Democracy • Framers of the Constitution purposefully... • Chose a representative democracy over a direct one… • Representative democracy = “Republic” • Their Rationale... • Distrusted the people • Control tyranny of the majority AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  14. Direct Democracy • Does the U.S. have any elements of direct democracy? • Referendums • Initiatives • Recall elections • Currently these exist only on the state level of government • Underlying Assumptions: • Distrust established leaders • People can govern themselves & make informed decisions AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  15. Requirements for Democracy • What are the essential requirements for a democracy (any democracy) to thrive? • There must be fair & meaningful competition between candidates • The right to vote means nothing, unless there is a legitimate choice among candidates • Citizens MUST be, at a certain level, educated and “enlightened” on the issues… • *** Thus, there must be accurate and unbiased information available to all citizens *** • The basic rights of all people, esp. the minority, must be protected. • You cannot take away the rights of one segment of the population by the “voice of the people” AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

  16. To What Ends? AP Government & Politics: Timpanogos High School

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