Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings

1. Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings Chapter 1: American Government

2. I. Government A. Defined: the institution that makes authoritative decisions for any given society B. What does it do? 1. Maintain a national defense: protect sovereignty via armed forces 2. Provide public services: public goods shared by everyone 3. Preserve order: police & security for inside the country 4. Socialize the young: pay for educ. to instill national values, teach about govt., pledge of allegiance 5. Collect taxes: money that pays for public goods & services

3. II. What is Politics? Role of politics in government! • A. Politics: the process by which we select our governmental leaders & what policies these leaders pursue; “who gets what, when & how” • Who: voters, candidates, groups & parties • What: the substance of politics & government (ex. Healthcare, taxes) • How: how people participate in politics: supporting, lobbying, compromising, voting! • B. People participation is the way which people get involved in politics; in US this % is low, which tells you who holds power! • C. Single-issue groups: groups concerned with one issue, members cast their votes on basis of that one issue only, ignoring politicians stands on other issues (pro choice vs. anti-abortion)

4. III. Policymaking system • A. Defined: the way our government responds to the priorities of its people • B. System @ work: • 1. People; we all have interests, problems, & concerns • 2. Linkage institution: avenues for action which link the preferences of Americans to policy makers in government via voting, joining political parties, posting on internet chat groups, forming interest groups etc… • 3. Policy agenda: political issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at any given time, this changes regularly & responds more to societal failures than success • 4. Policy making institutions: congress, presidency, & the courts, bureaucracies, that pick, form, implement, & interpret the policies • 5. Policy: every decision that the government makes (action or inaction) • 6. Impact on people: effects policy has on people & society’s problems

5. IV. Democracy“traditional” • A. Defined: means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens preferences • B. 6 main principles of democratic theory: • 1. Equality in voting: voting needs to be representative, “one man, one vote” • 2. Effective participation: citizen mush have adequate & equal opportunities to express their preference through out the decision-making process • 3. Enlightened understanding: it must be a market place of ideas w/free speech & press core to civic understanding, no monopoly of information which can lead to distortion • 4. Citizens control of the agenda: citizens right to collective control of agenda, no monopoly by one group or individual • 5. Inclusion: rights extended to all those subject to government law • 6. Majority rule w/minority rights: will of over half should decide public policy with restrains to protect minority ex. Speech, assembly

6. V. 3 Contemporary theories of American Democracy! • A. Representation: how well the desires of citizens are replicated in government through the choices of elected officials defines how close that society is to “ideal democracy” • B. So, how close is America to ideal democracy? Who really governs in America? Who has the power & influence? • 1. Pluralist theory: groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized effort (NRA, NOW, UAW); due to open access to institutions & public officials these groups can compete with one another for control over policy, and neither one group or set of groups dominates. • 2. Elite & Class theory: societies are divided along class lines & that an upper class elite will rule, regardless of who the people elect & put into office; wealth is the basis of this power due to ability to finance election campaigns & control of key institutions such as large corporations

7. 3 contemporary theories cont… • 3. Hyperpluralism: an extreme/exaggerated form of pluralism; groups (elite, interest, etc…) are so strong that government is weakened and cripples govt’s ability to make policy; groups have become sovereign & government is their servant, when groups lose policy making side they take battles to courts etc…